AZE.US
Horse DNA has been detected in meat served at a Baku kebab restaurant, marking the second such case linked to the establishment’s owner.
Azerbaijan’s Food Safety Agency inspected the “Ibrahim Tatlishish” kebab restaurant at 114 Alifsat Guliyev Street in Baku’s Nasimi district.
Laboratory tests of meat samples collected during the inspection detected horse DNA. The restaurant was also unable to provide documents confirming the quality, safety and origin of the minced meat used in its food.
Inspectors found that the establishment lacked a product traceability system and was operating in violation of sanitary and hygiene requirements.
An administrative report was filed against the owner, Aghaisa Nabiyev, and the restaurant’s operations were restricted until the violations are corrected.
Local media reported that the owner had previously been held responsible after horse meat was detected during another inspection in May 2025.
Are 3-Manat Kebabs Unsafe?
The case has raised questions about kebabs sold for as little as 3 manats, or about $1.75.
Food safety expert Farid Safarov said the low price alone does not prove that a kebab contains horse meat. The discovery at one restaurant also does not mean that all establishments selling inexpensive kebabs use mislabeled meat.
However, unusually low prices raise legitimate questions about where the meat was purchased, whether veterinary and sanitary documents are available, and whether the product’s origin can be traced.
Mixing meat from different animals or selling one type of meat as another constitutes food fraud. If horse meat is presented to customers as beef, it is a direct violation of consumer rights.
Consumers cannot reliably identify the type of meat by its appearance or taste. According to the expert, only laboratory DNA testing can provide a dependable answer.
Safarov advised consumers to avoid food of unknown origin, particularly at establishments where storage, preparation or hygiene conditions appear questionable. At the same time, he stressed that a very low price should not automatically be treated as proof of adulterated or poor-quality meat.
AZE.US