A factory making unlicensed Oreo-like cookies near Cairo was shut down. Its products and ingredients were seized following a raid. Inspectors found the operation was manufacturing counterfeit Oreo cookies with expired ingredients and charcoal-based coloring instead of cocoa. A black vegetable-carbon coloring (E153) was used to mimic the dark Oreo color, local media reports. The products were labeled ‘Oreo’ but have no connection to the Mondelez brand.
The factory, located in Kafr Shukr in Qalyubia governorate, north of Cairo, was raided during a food-safety campaign by the Qalyubia Supply Directorate and local supply and internal trade officials, Business Insider Africa reports. The factory was producing Oreo-labeled products and biscuits for ice cream production.
About 1.8 tonnes of raw materials and finished products were seized, including expired products such as glucose and butter. Ingredients of unknown origin were also found in the facility, for which no documents were supplied. The operation now faces legal action.
The authority’s official social media shared details about the raid:
Dr. Eng. Hossam Abdel Fattah, Governor of Qalyubia, directed a scale-up of supply and regulatory campaigns in markets and food establishments throughout the governorate, and the tightening of control over the circulation of goods and food products. The measures aim to protect the health and safety of the population.
Dr. Tamer Salah Mokhtar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade in Qalyubia, led a large-scale monitoring campaign in the Kafr Shukr district, in coordination with the Kafr Shukr Supply Department and the Directorate’s Internal Trade Department, which resulted in the seizure of an unlicensed factory producing Oreo biscuits and biscuits used in ice cream production, operating with expired raw materials and others without invoices.
Among the products seized were a barrel containing 100 kg of expired glucose, three cartons of expired Royal butter totaling 30 kg, a plastic barrel containing black dye (charcoal code E153), 50 cartons of Oreo biscuits weighing 7 kg each, and 55 sacks of biscuits used for reprocessing totaling 1,100 kg. The total weight of the seized raw materials and products was approximately 1.8 tons.
All seized items were impounded, a report was filed, and legal action was taken. Competent authorities will pursue legal procedures.
The Governor of Qalyubia will continue carrying out intensive monitoring campaigns in markets and food establishments, the officials underlined.
Bakeries on the radar
The raid is part of a larger focus of the governorate to improve food safety, transparency and traceability.
The Governor of Qalyubia also made surprise inspections of several subsidized bakeries in Toukh City to monitor operations, assess the quality of subsidized bread loaves, ensure compliance with prescribed weights and specifications, and verify the regularity of service provided to citizens.
He also inspected the quality of the bread loaves produced, emphasizing the need for full adherence to the prescribed weights and specifications, courteous treatment of citizens, and ensuring the regular distribution of subsidized bread to eligible recipients, the authority shared on its official social media channel.
The governor asked for more intensive field monitoring, including continuous inspections of bakeries, and the immediate handling of any complaints or violations, to ensure the smooth operation of the bread distribution system and to improve the level of service provided.
Photos: Qalyubia Governorate