Scandal: Bread in Albania, produced by wheat for animals imported from Kosovo, Serbia

Periskopi

7 May 2018, 22:39(8 years ago)

In fact, Fara returned to the food safety theme today, denouncing a bread flour scandal used in Albania. Fut Fara journalists have discovered that the bread standard produced in Albania today, due to the quality of flour, is the lowest in Europe. The wheat with which it is produced [...]

In fact, Fara returned to the food safety theme today, denouncing a bread flour scandal used in Albania.

Fut Fara journalists have discovered that the bread standard produced in Albania today, due to the quality of flour, is the lowest in Europe. The wheat with which bread is produced in Albania is the wheat for animals, due to uncontrolled imports. Today in Albania, the market dominates flour and wheat coming from Serbia and Kosovo, which has the lowest quality of protein under 12 %. Fara has done the modern-day flour analysis on the Albanian market, much of which has resulted in proteins below the allowed level.

In Albania, bread is the main food source. According to the Statistics Institute, each Albanian consumes an average of about 400 grams of bread per day. The European Union, the protein level in the bread, has 14%, while in our country it has 12.5%. Are Albanians consuming bread at 12.5% protein level?

Former Minister Panaris' decision in 2014 to allow quality flour import under 12 % actually opened the way of abuse, allowing flour to be imported to our country at the lowest level of protein for cookies, cookies, etc. Sun and wheat that would be imported mainly from Serbia and Russia. At the time at public exits, the minister insisted that analyses of these imports emerged within the norm. According to him, bread was made only of flour, yeast, and water, and tests were released within the permitted standard.

But what about after four years, that decision has been made. Almost all the ovens today produce candy. This makes it even harder to track AQU inspectors who if they find lower protein flour in the oven hear the same excuse “it's for desserts and not bread.” Even Panaris himself, today who is no longer a minister, has changed his opinion on the situation and acknowledged that the tracker or ability to control this product is halved. He says our country is currently unable to reach the protection level of 12.5 %, rather than the European Union countries.

According to the response received by the National Food Authority for 2017, some 3679 tons of total flour were imported. About 40% of this load of 14776 tonnes has been imported from Kosovo, in second place is Serbia with 1245 tonnes, followed by Greece, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Italy, and finally Austria with 9 tonnes. While 308 loads of flour have been imported from all of this, the protein of which is over 12%, with a total of 955 tonnes. About 4 times the amount of flour with protein below 12%, which is 275,000 tons. In terms of grain loads, 393 of these protein below 12% of the amount of 840,956 tonnes have been imported.

True, Fara has discovered that among the cargo of wheat import, there is grain below the level of protein 12 %, imported by flour producers but is mainly used as animal food. This wheat produces a poor quality of flour, and only by means of mixtures, chemicals, or protein supplements can it become bread.

Some 215 tonnes of wheat have been imported in our country. More than 50% of that amount, some 147 594 tonnes has been imported from Russia, then comes Serbia with 5188 tonnes, followed by Ukraine, Macedonia, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Montenegro and the last Turkey in 47 tonnes.

Notably, Fara analyzed 18 samples, flour products, 16 pounds [1 kg], and 25 pounds [25 kg]. Protein percentage analysis carried out near I SUV. These tests found that 6 products of flour for bread were below the level of 12% protein. Mostly flour coming from Serbia and Kosovo.

Products that have resulted under the stated rate on the label, and below the protein rate are 6:

Product signature code % Pro. on label % Pro. in analysis Kind of flour Origin

4 Traditional Serbia 11.31% For Serbia's bread

9 Ola Atlas 13% 11.15 For Albania's bread

13 Finesa Besnik.shpk Atlas 12.5% 10.92% For Kosovo bread

15 Silos Dellino 13% 10.92% For Kosovo bread

17 Premium 12% 10.66% For Serbia's bread

18 Silos Sofra 12% 11.11% For Kosovo bread

Myelli import 2017/ 36 679 tonnes/ Source Location

COMM SOVA 14776 tons

SERBIA 12 945 tons

GREECE 5007 tons