İsmail Arı
Members of the ruling party are distributing Alpedo ice cream to children in schools, claiming it is ‘local and national.’ In addition, military barracks, police stations, municipal social facilities, prisons, hospitals and many public institutions are also purchasing Alpedo ice cream. This ice cream is also being served at Teknofest.
BirGün obtained the results of analyses conducted on Alpedo Ice Cream in the laboratories of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University. On 1 October 2025, Alpedo Ice Cream’s regular ice cream was analysed. The analysis results dated 6 October revealed that there were bacteria in the ice cream that should not have been present. According to the analysis results, bacteria that could cause food poisoning and fatal infections were found in the ice cream.
Food Engineer and Academic Dr Bülent Şık, who evaluated the analysis results for BirGün, said, “The report is a microbiological analysis report. Microbiological analyses are conducted to determine whether there is a situation that could pose a risk to human health throughout the process from production to consumption. They indicate the quality of production conditions and are also conducted to understand whether pathogenic microorganisms, especially pathogenic bacteria that cause food poisoning and intestinal infections, are present in foods.”
SALES SHOULD BE BANNED IMMEDIATELY
Bülent Şık, who also evaluated the analysis report as a whole, stated that the ice cream contained dangerous bacteria, was produced in very dirty conditions and was ‘contaminated with faeces’, saying: “We can say that this is a situation that is very contrary to food regulations and dangerous for public health. This product poses a serious health risk, especially for pregnant women, children, the elderly, and sick people. The presence of so many different types of pathogenic bacteria in a single product is truly alarming. I believe this situation reflects not just an immediate and isolated food safety issue with one product, but a chronic problem related to the entire production process of the business. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is legally obliged to carry out routine checks and inspections at food facilities. However, we do not know whether inspections are being carried out, how often they are carried out, whether problems are being identified during inspections, or what action is taken when problems are identified. We must seek answers to these questions. Ice cream is a product that children love to eat, and it is unacceptable that it poses such a high risk to children’s health. According to the legislation, the sale of products belonging to this ice cream brand on the market must be immediately prohibited as a precautionary measure, in accordance with Article 22 of Law No. 5996, and the products must be withdrawn from the market and collected. At the same time, both the products and the business must be subject to control and inspection, and criminal sanctions must be applied. It is imperative that the Ministry take urgent action on this matter.”
CAUSES FOOD POISONING
Emphasising that the analysis report contained very serious results, Food Engineer Şık stated that the bacteria listed in the report must be evaluated individually according to the food regulations in force in our country, and listed the following:
• “Salmonella: This is a dangerous bacterium that causes food poisoning. It is found particularly in animal-based foods. It should not be present in ice cream at all. Even a single instance of its presence indicates that the product is unsafe for consumption. It causes a disease characterised by severe diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain. It can have serious consequences in children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. The analysis report means that this ice cream should definitely not be consumed.
CAUSES FATAL INFECTION
• Listaria Monucytogenes: A bacterium found in soil and food, it is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and infants. It should never be present in ice cream. It causes serious infections accompanied by fever and gastrointestinal complaints, which can lead to miscarriages in pregnant women and be fatal in infants, children, the elderly, and the sick. According to the analysis report, this ice cream should definitely not be consumed.
INDICATES FAECAL CONTAMINATION
• E.coli: This bacterium is typically an indicator of faecal contamination. It should not be present in ice cream. A high level indicates a serious hygiene problem in production. It causes a disease accompanied by diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting. The disease can be particularly severe in children. The presence of E. coli in ice cream indicates faecal contamination. E. coli is the general name for a group of bacteria. There are many genetically related varieties under this name. The report does not specify exactly which bacterium it is. If the bacterium detected is the bacterium known as “E. coli 0157”, I should point out that this bacterium can cause a very serious illness in children (especially in the kidneys).
HYGIENE REGULATIONS NOT FOLLOWED
• Coliform Bacteria: This is a group of bacteria that indicates whether hygiene is good in water and food. They may not cause disease on their own, but they are a sign of contamination. They indicate that the food was produced without following cleanliness rules; the water, equipment or production environment used may be dirty. The detection of coliforms in a food product indicates a high probability of the presence of more dangerous bacteria. The very high coliform value in this ice cream indicates a serious hygiene problem in production.
• Staphulococcus Aureus: This bacterium is usually transmitted from humans. It can contaminate the product if staff hygiene is inadequate during production. Its presence in food indicates that those working in production are not fully complying with hygiene rules. It is an important bacterium in terms of food safety; under the right conditions, it produces a toxin that cannot be destroyed by heat treatment. This toxin causes sudden nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and severe food poisoning that manifests within 1–6 hours. The high number of S. aureus in this ice cream indicates inadequate worker cleanliness and hand hygiene, and that the product carries a risk of food poisoning.
WHO OWNS ALPEDO ICE CREAM?
It is known that Alpedo Ice Cream is owned by Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel, who are being prosecuted in the Ezgi Apartment case and face up to 876 years in prison. Thirty-five people lost their lives in the Ezgi Apartment building, which collapsed in the earthquake. An expert report prepared by Karadeniz Technical University stated that the contractor who built the building and Kervan Pastanesi, located on the ground floor of the building, were primarily at fault for the collapse. Based on KTÜ’s report, the Kahramanmaraş Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered that Kervancıoğlu and Pekel, the owners of Alpedo Ice Cream and Kervan Pastanesi, be brought before the prosecutor’s office. However, Kervancıoğlu and Pekel, who were facing charges of ‘murder and injury with intent’ carrying a potential sentence of 876 years and 6 months in prison, could not be found at their registered addresses. Kervancıoğlu and Pekel were arrested 700 days later, on 14 August, at a villa in Ankara.
WHO OWNS ALPEDO ICE CREAM?
It is known that Alpedo Ice Cream is owned by Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel, who are being tried in the Ezgi Apartment case and face up to 876 years in prison. Thirty-five people lost their lives in the Ezgi Apartment building, which collapsed in the earthquake. An expert report prepared by Karadeniz Technical University stated that the contractor who built the building and Kervan Pastanesi, located on the ground floor of the building, were primarily at fault for the collapse.
Based on KTÜ’s report, the Kahramanmaraş Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered that Kervancıoğlu and Pekel, the owners of Alpedo Ice Cream and Kervan Pastanesi, be brought to the prosecutor’s office. However, Kervancıoğlu and Pekel, who were facing charges of ‘murder and injury with intent’ carrying a potential sentence of 876 years and 6 months in prison, could not be found at their registered addresses. Kervancıoğlu and Pekel were apprehended 700 days later, on 14 August, at a villa in Ankara.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Halka ne yedirdiniz?, published in BirGün newspaper on November 6, 2025.
