Back in December the State Commission for Economic Protection (SCEP) fined several dairy producers when it was discovered that they had added coconut oil and milk powder to their sour cream.

Ashtarak Milk, a company owned by ARF MP Ashot Apoyan, was fined 50 million AMD.

When asked by Hetq if the fine had ulterior political motives, SCEP President Artak Shaboyan said the agency isn’t involved in politics and that, in any event, Ashtarak Milk accepted the error of its way and had already paid the fine.

The use of coconut oil is an inexpensive way for manufacturers to raise the fat content in dairy products.

But is it safe?

We posed the same question to Minister of Agriculture Sergey Karapetyan.

“Coconut oil is another food additive. But it was the SCEP who fined those companies. Now the Food Safety Agency is looking into the matter,” Minister Karapetyan said.