AZE.US
Azerbaijan’s Food Safety Agency is examining claims that cheese with Armenian labeling may have been offered for sale at Baku’s “8th Kilometer” market, after social media posts drew attention to a product allegedly sold as Lori cheese.
The discussion began after a seller reportedly advertised the product as having been brought from Georgia. Journalist Ilhama Nasir later said the packaging carried no information in Azerbaijani and did not clearly identify the producer.
According to Nasir, the product had the words “Lori cheese” written in Armenian. She argued that many consumers may not be able to distinguish Armenian script from Georgian script, creating room for confusion over the origin of the product.
“The issue of whether this product entered the country through legal import procedures must be clarified,” she said.
Baku TV asked residents about the case. Several said they would not buy food products without clear labeling, origin information and Azerbaijani-language details on the packaging. Some also called for stronger oversight of food products sold at markets, especially when the origin is unclear.
A Baku TV crew visited the “8th Kilometer” market to clarify the matter, but said it could not find either the seller or the cheese mentioned in the social media posts. One vendor suggested the advertisement may have been used simply to attract customers.
The Food Safety Agency said it is aware of the claims and is looking into the matter. The agency said additional information will be released after the review.
For now, the central question remains unresolved: whether the cheese was actually sold at the market, where it came from, and whether it passed the required food safety and import checks.
AZE.US