General Directorate of Food and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has evaluated the safety of liquid products obtained from boiled green cones of black pine, Turkish pine, and Scots pine, commonly referred to as “cone syrup.” Based on a scientific opinion issued on 8 May 2026 by the Food-Use Plants Committee, the products were recommended for inclusion in Türkiye’s list of food-use plants under a conditional positive listing (P).
The evaluated product is defined as a liquid prepared by boiling green pine cones in water, followed by skimming and filtration, with optional sugar addition and a second boiling step.
During the assessment, the Committee identified the potential formation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) due to the prolonged high-temperature processing method. To address potential toxicity concerns associated with excessive HMF exposure, the Committee established a maximum HMF limit of 75 mg/kg in the final product, referencing the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on glucose syrup (2017/8).
The assessment further noted that cone syrup is not considered a novel food in the European Union and that certain EU Member States already include the product in permitted or restricted plant lists.
As a result, cone syrup produced according to the defined manufacturing process and complying with the HMF limit may be legally marketed as food in Türkiye.
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