Türkiye prepares new regulation on fructose in sugary drinks

Fulya Soybaş – ANKARA

Türkiye is preparing to tighten regulations on sugary beverages after Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu revealed last week that the fructose content in Turkish soft drinks is nearly four times higher than in Europe.

“A new regulation on sugary foods and beverages will be brought before the parliament in the new legislative term,” Memişoğlu announced, underscoring rising health concerns linked to excessive sugar intake.

Fructose is a natural sugar found in fruits such as apples, pears and grapes, as well as vegetables like artichokes. Yet, as Doctor Ayça Kaya explained, the food industry’s use of cheaper, easier-to-store high-fructose corn syrup has transformed diets worldwide.

“Almost all sodas, packaged fruit juices, cakes, biscuits, wafers, sauces and processed foods today use starch-based high-fructose corn syrup. While a medium apple contains 7-8 grams of fructose, a single can of soda carries at least 20 grams,” Kaya said, warning that such levels can be “lethally dangerous” in the long run.

According to Kaya, while natural fructose is processed by the liver and turned into energy, high-fructose corn syrup overwhelms the liver, leading over time to insulin resistance, fatty liver, obesity and, eventually, cirrhosis.

“Globally, the leading cause of cirrhosis is now obesity, driven by industrial sugars in processed foods,” she noted.

The risks extend further. High fructose intake raises triglyceride levels, causing arterial stiffness and heart disease, while also increasing uric acid, which triggers gout and kidney stones.

The problem is particularly urgent for children. World Health Organization (WHO) projections estimate global obesity will rise by 70 percent by 2060, but Türkiye’s rate could reach 94 percent, among the fastest in the world.

A Health Ministry study in 2016 found that 10 percent of children aged 5-14 were obese, with another 25 percent overweight.

Ahead of the new school year, Turkish Kidney Foundation Chairman Timur Erk urged immediate reforms.

His five-point plan includes restricting sugary beverages in school canteens, clear labeling of sugar content, imposing higher taxes on unhealthy products, providing free drinking water stations in schools and tightening restrictions on child-targeted advertising.

“Most importantly, the long-delayed ‘School Food’ logo system must be implemented without further postponement,” he emphasized.

International comparisons show Türkiye lagging in regulation. In the United States, despite widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup, labels disclose exact fructose and glucose levels.

Meanwhile, European countries cap fructose-glucose syrup use in sodas at 2-3 grams per 100 milliliters.