The Dairy Processing Industry Association (IPQ) has reacted to the statements of Socialist MP Erion Braçe during a parliamentary interpellation, describing them as untrue and harmful to the sector.

In a reaction, IPQ emphasizes that the processing factories have not acted to the detriment of livestock farmers, but have implemented legal obligations to guarantee food safety, rejecting only milk that does not meet the established standards.

reaction

The Dairy Processing Industry Association (DPIA) feels the institutional obligation to react publicly to the statements made during a parliamentary interpellation by MP Erion Braçe, which distort the reality of the dairy processing sector in Albania.

The statements accusing milk processing plants of acting to the detriment of livestock farmers, by rejecting milk with aflatoxin content or with high levels of somatic cells and the presence of antibiotics, are unfounded and in complete contradiction with Albanian legislation on food safety. IPQ clarifies public opinion that:

Milk processing factories, members of the IPQ association, strictly implement Law No. 9863, dated 28.01.2008 "On Food", as amended, as well as the relevant by-laws, including the Instruction of the Ministry of Agriculture No. 04, dated 09.03.2024 on maximum levels of contaminants in food.

Rejecting milk that does not meet food safety criteria is not an industry choice, but a legal obligation of every food business operator.

Also, laboratory testing at the moment of milk receipt is a mandatory part of the self-control system, based on the principles of HACCP and Food Law No. 9863, and constitutes a key mechanism for protecting consumer health.

Accepting milk with aflatoxin above the permitted levels, with a high somatic cell load or with antibiotic residues would constitute a serious violation of the law and a serious risk to food safety in the country.

In this context, the IPQ assesses that the statements made:

Unfairly damage the image of the dairy processing industry; • Discredit the investments and standards achieved by Albanian companies;

They undermine consumer confidence in domestic products;

And they also create a negative perception towards the institutions of the European Union, at a key moment in the integration process, especially within the framework of Chapter 12 "Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary".

The Dairy Processing Industry Association (DPIA) reiterates its full commitment to: Rigorous implementation of Albanian legislation and European Union standards.

Guaranteeing food safety for the Albanian consumer;

Cooperation with state institutions and international partners in the function of European Integration.

For full transparency, attached to this response is the official response of the National Food Authority (AKU), with protocol no. 358/1, dated 28.01.2026, which specifies the legal obligations on the treatment of cases of milk with aflatoxin and the criteria for its rejection.

IPQ calls on all parties to ensure that the public debate on vital sectors such as food is based on facts, law, and responsibility towards the health of citizens.