The production of three types of carbonated soft drinks under the 'Tsovinar' brand has been suspended following an inspection by the Food Safety Inspection Body, it was announced today.
The latest inspection was conducted at a production facility in the Tsovinar settlement of the Martuni community in Gegharkunik Province, owned by individual entrepreneur Aida Kocharyan. During the inspection, samples of the products were taken for laboratory analysis.
It was found that some samples did not meet legally established standards. Specifically, the 'barberry-flavored' drink showed excessive levels of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, as well as yeast and mold counts, while the 'pear' and 'tarragon' flavored drinks only had issues with mesophilic aerobic bacteria levels.
As a result, by order of the head of the inspection body, the production of these three types of beverages was prohibited at the facility, and a specific timeframe was given to eliminate the identified deficiencies, during which the producer must correct the violations.
This decision directly affects not only the producer but also consumers, as it concerns widely consumed carbonated soft drinks in daily life. Although violations were found in only three product types, this case demonstrates that even in small production facilities, oversight can be effective if carried out according to proper standards.
It is important that the producer was given a deadline to correct the violations rather than having the entire production shut down immediately. This suggests that the inspection body is trying to balance punitive and incentive mechanisms. However, questions remain about whether such cases are responded to with sufficient rigor and whether inspections are frequent enough to protect consumer health. In the coming weeks, it will be worth monitoring whether the facility can rectify the issues in time and whether similar problems re-emerge during future inspections.
