The Regulation on Registration and Approval Procedures for Food Establishments defines "Food Establishments" as enterprises operated by public institutions and organizations, whether for profit or non-profit, as well as natural or legal persons, involved in any activity at any stage of the production, processing, storage, distribution, transportation, sale, or service of food.

A "Business Registration Certificate" is a document issued by the authorized authority to food establishments covered by registration that have completed the required information and documents. The number indicated on this document, as specified in Annex-6 of the "Regulation on Registration and Approval Procedures for Food Establishments," is defined as the "Business Registration Number."

The following establishments are exempt from obtaining a registration certificate:

• Places where primary production is carried out for personal consumption,

• Places where food is prepared, processed, and stored for personal consumption,

• Places where food is temporarily, occasionally, and in small quantities prepared, stored, and presented by individual volunteers for charity purposes, such as fairs and cultural events.

In the "Regulation on Registration and Approval Procedures for Food Establishments," the activity areas of food establishments covered by registration are determined as follows:

• Fruit and/or vegetable processing,

• Frozen food production,

• Biscuit, chocolate, cocoa, and similar products production,

• Honey, pollen, royal jelly production, and packaging of basic comb,

• Snack and chip production,

• Ice cream and edible ice products production,

• Herbal and black tea processing,

• Alcoholic beverage production,

• Yeast production (bread, cheese, and all types of yeast),

• Production of all kinds of food additives and flavoring substances,

• Production of food supplements,

• Production of foodstuffs for special nutritional purposes,

• Starch production,

• Salt processing,

• Processing of naturally or factory-dried foods, nuts,

• Integrated processing of hazelnuts, peanuts, and similar products,

• Beverage powder production,

• Liquid and solid vegetable oil production,

• Olive oil production (excluding oil mills),

• Sugar production (excluding packaging),

• Production of instant soup and bouillon, pudding, powder mixes, mayonnaise, sauces, etc.,

• Non-alcoholic beverage production,

• Production of wax and/or gum base (gum paste, gum base),

• Cereal and legume production,

• Oil mills and oil filling,

• Pasta and semolina production,

• Flour production,

• Bread and bread varieties production,

• Bakery products production,

• Bulgur production,

• Sugar packaging,

• Production of all types of pastry products such as cakes, pastries, dough, and milk desserts,

• Confectionery production,

• Tahini, halva, and molasses production,

• Ready meals and cafeteria food production,

• Gum production,

• Fermented and pickled products production,

• Spice processing,

• Production of aromatic waters and essential oils,

• Ice production,

• Fruit and vegetable packaging, grading, ripening, and waxing,

• Repackaging,

• Other food-producing establishments.

In the "Regulation on Registration and Approval Procedures for Food Establishments," the Competent Authority is defined as "the Provincial Directorate of the Ministry in the execution of the work and transactions within the scope of this Regulation, and in cases where authority is delegated by the Provincial Directorate, the District Directorate of the Ministry, and the Ministry in the inspection and audit of these works and transactions." Authority was delegated on January 9, 2012, by our Provincial Directorate.

Food business operators must apply to the competent District Directorate to complete the registration process of their businesses covered by registration within thirty days at the latest after obtaining a Workplace Opening and Operating Permit from the relevant institution (Municipalities, Provincial Special Administrations, or Organized Industrial Zone Administrations). The registration process must be completed within three months from the date of application.

Food business operators must apply to the competent District Directorate with the business registration certificate declaration specified in Annex-4 of this Regulation, in addition to the information and documents in Annex-3.

REPLACEMENT OF WORK PERMIT AND FOOD REGISTRY DOCUMENTS WITH BUSINESS REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE
The second paragraph of the provisional Article 1, which regulates the transitional provisions of the Regulation on Registration and Approval Procedures for Food Establishments, states: “Food establishments covered by registration that have obtained a work permit, food registration certificate, or equivalent documents before the publication of this Regulation and are still operating must replace these documents with the registration certificate specified in this Regulation by December 31, 2013, at the latest.