The Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry will perform checks on the quality of sausages, Minister Miroslav Naydenov announced.

After changing the requirements for selling dairy products and prohibiting the misleading labels for their substitutes, the Agriculture Ministry will focus on the quality of the sausages on the Bulgarian market.

Naydenov pointed out that very often sausages include 70% of soya when the permitted amount is 3 %. He added that experts are currently working on some legislative changes, which will be proposed for discussion by the consumers.

“The biggest turnover in Bulgaria comes from food and the foreign trade balance is positive only because of the agricultural product,” Naydenov said, adding that the fines for manufacturers and dealer who mislead that their products are made out of milk, rather than vegetable fats, is from BGN 1 000 to BGN 3 000. For a second violation, the fine is between BGN 3 000 and BGN 5 000. If a third violation occurs, the facility will be closed for operations.

Products which have been produced before June 18 and have falsely been introduced as dairy, will be permitted on the market until their expiration date.

Bulgaria has undergone the procedure for protection of appellation of origin “Gornooryahovski sudzhuk” in the EU and is now waiting for objections, the minister said and expressed hope that such will not follow.