Many products that companies have declared to contain fresh milk have turned out to contain other ingredients, such as palm oil or powdered milk. Such ingredients were found in 93 samples out of 495 that the Food and Veterinary Agency took during an action. In its reaction, the Kosovo Dairy Association has called for investigations and legal action against violators.
Ilirjana Thaqi
Almost every fifth dairy product inspected by the Food and Veterinary Agency (AUV) contained undeclared ingredients, such as palm oil or powdered milk.
The data was announced at a press conference on Tuesday, which published the results of samples taken in the April-July period, during the expanded control campaign in the dairy sector.
The Chief Executive of the Agency, Bekim Hoxha, said that 495 samples were analyzed for various parameters of authenticity and food safety, including fat content, protein, the presence of palm oil, vegetable fats, starch and powdered milk.
"Out of a total of 93 non-compliances identified, 46 cases relate to the presence or declaration of palm oil. This represents almost half of all non-compliances identified during the action and makes palm oil the most frequent issue identified during our controls," said Hoxha.
also
Muja accuses "Drin i Bardhë" and "Kumeshtoren Vita" of supplying irrigation water
Palm oil is rich in saturated fats, while powdered milk is used as a substitute for fresh milk in some products.
Based on the Agency's results, in over 91 percent of non-compliance cases, ingredients were not declared on the label in the manner required by applicable legislation.
Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Agriculture, Armend Muja, said that the purpose of the inspections was not to find the culprits, but to identify the truth.
"It must be based on evidence, laboratory analysis, technical documentation and regular administrative procedures," he said.
A month ago, when samples were taken at the Vita dairy, the company suspended work for several days, while its representatives and farmers who supply it with milk protested in front of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Minister Muja said on Tuesday that the presence of palm oil was found in some samples taken from Vita's products, while emphasizing that among the findings is the use of water from the water supply system, which is not treated and potable.
"Water, based on hygiene regulations, should only be treated water, only drinking water. 'Drini i Bardhë' is the company that we suspect has misused and violated the agreement of understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture. The water that we have financed to help Istog farmers, we suspect has been re-channeled to illegally supply Abrazen with drinking water," said Muja.
For this, Muja has warned of criminal charges against the "Drini i Bardhë" company.
also
Analyses find that nearly one in five dairy products contains undeclared ingredients
"Vita" did not accept the FVA's findings.
Lekë Sahatçiu from the Legal Department of “Devolli Group”, which also includes the “Vita” dairy, has denied all the findings of the Food and Veterinary Agency. He also denied that the company is supplied by the irrigation system from “Drini i Bardhë”.
"Our products, branded 'Vita', are 100% milk from our farmers and for this we guarantee legally and morally. Furthermore, every product that comes out of our factory, their content is declared in the form determined by the applicable law of the Republic of Kosovo. If it were otherwise, those products would be withdrawn from the market by the inspectorate itself, while to date, the same have not been withdrawn, because they are in accordance with the law", said Sahatçiu.
Meanwhile, the Kosovo Dairy Association has called for investigations and legal action against those responsible for the use of palm oil in dairy products.
In a reaction on Facebook, after the publication of the findings by the AUV, this association said that they should mark the "end of the silence".
"The conference of the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Armend Muja, at the AUV, today on 04.08.2026, through which scandalous findings regarding palm oil and powdered milk were presented, shows and proves that our concerns, expressed over the years, have been right and correct. Palm oil and powdered milk should be banned in milk processing factories in Kosovo. The massive concealment of palm oil and powdered milk in dairy products shows that we are facing an extremely large problem, which can and must be stopped. Hundreds of millions of kilograms of products with palm oil and powdered milk should be investigated, while those responsible must face the law," the reaction states.
This association has called for continued inspections and investigations until the abuses are unmasked.
Acting Minister Muja said during the conference that the milk from farmers that goes to the company is of good quality, but its values are not always preserved after delivery to the processor.
also
Muja exposes several other types of milk where palm oil has been found
"Kosovo consumers need to calm down and restore their trust, both in local and imported products. The controls carried out by the FVA are to be supported and thanked. They are an important step towards transparency, control and consumer protection. The Dairy Association calls on the FVA to continue with the same intensity the controls and investigations, until the complete unmasking and banning of any misuse that is done to the detriment of farmers, consumers and the state in general. The public interest is above all else," the response of the Dairy Association of Kosovo states.
During the FVA conference, it was announced that problems related to hygiene conditions have been identified at several milk processors.
