Action line 81002 - Expired products

  • Published
  • By Anonymous
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Complaint: 

I shop in the commissary frequently, each time buying only the few things I need. For many months I have noticed most products have already passed their expiry dates.

I understand public health checks items on the shelves; however, there are no stickers or labels on any of the items indicating they have been approved for human consumption. I know for a fact that there are so many items past their expiry dates that one health inspector cannot find them all -- or they would be in the commissary full days, every day of the week. I have also noted that these expired products are rotated to the front with products "nearing" expiration in the back -- understand this is first in first out rotation -- but why are they being sold at full price?

I do not believe the commissary management is actively trying to solve these problems -- they seem more interested in decorations and displays. I know many base personnel who now shop at two major grocery markets downtown because of the many old products in the commissary. It's difficult to practice food safety and handling at home when we are buying products off the shelf that are already questionable.

Response: 

First, let me begin by saying thank you for writing. 

Secondly, let me remind everyone that we do live a long way from where our food is packaged. Our food has to travel a long way to get here and that, of course, eats into the expiration date (and reduces the flexibility on pricing). Most of our canned/boxed goods come from America. And everything but meat, poultry and vegetables comes into Turkey by truck because flying all food would be terribly expensive. The road trip takes 4-5 days, assuming good roads and smooth customs, and that's the reason we end up with food close to the "use-by" or "sell-by" dates. And, to ease your mind, those dates are not "safety dates." 

Our Public Health office's primary concern is with safety and security of all food products and services on this installation. To that end they maintain an almost daily presence in the commissary and continue to make recommendations to management on removal and disposal of products that are considered un-safe. However, if you think the products are 'questionable,' then putting them on sale is not a good answer. It doesn't make them safer. 

The Commissary Officer and the Public Health Officer have raised these concerns multiple times to European DECA Representatives and to their higher headquarters. DECA Headquarters does acknowledge the problem; however, they have not inserted a fix into their supply management system. We have been assured this problem will be looked into in the near future. The commissary manager here works daily with his counterparts in Germany to get the longest dates possible to ensure we are receiving only the highest quality products. 

The entire team is dedicated to maintaining a safe, secure and quality food supply and we will continue to work this issue. If you have any further questions or concerns please contact the Public Health Food Safety Office at 676-6124 or the Commissary Store Manager at 676-3212.