European Union prepares to register Turkish döner

The application submitted by Turkey to the European Union (EU) for the registration of döner, one of the first delicacies that comes to mind when Turkish cuisine is mentioned, as a "Traditional Speciality Guaranteed" product has been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

The announcement stated that döner is made by slicing beef, lamb, or chicken into thin, horizontal pieces, fixing them onto a skewer, and cooking them vertically while rotating around its own axis over a fire.

The announcement noted that the thinly sliced meat is marinated before cooking with a mixture consisting of yogurt or milk, pepper or tomato puree, salt, and various herbs and spices, and explained that horizontally sliced fat is placed between the layers of meat while skewering the döner.

The announcement stated that the ingredients of döner may include beef or lamb, ground beef or ground lamb, or mixtures thereof, as well as chicken.

The announcement mentioned that döner spread from Istanbul to various cities across the Ottoman geography starting from the early 1800s, where it was cooked and sold in restaurants and inns, and provided information that the vertical cooking of döner dates back to 1546 in the manuscripts of Takiyüddin.

The announcement stated that döner became a cultural symbol of the migration of Turks to Europe, and especially to Germany, which continued intensively from 1962 to 1979, and that döner spread to Germany and other European countries without changing its name or production process.

Pointing out that döner has become one of the most popular street foods in Europe, the announcement noted that the term "döner" is derived from the word "dönmek" (to turn) and that the name of the dish is related to its traditional cooking technique.

The announcement stated that meat döner can be classified as leaf-shaped slices based on the shape of the red meat, ground meat, or mixed, and that döner should not contain non-animal proteins, starch, starch-containing substances, soy, or soy products.

With the publication of the announcement in the Official Journal of the EU, the first step in the process for döner to be registered by the EU as a "Traditional Speciality Guaranteed" product has been taken. Döner will be registered after the 3-month objection period expires and will be the first traditional product name from Turkey to be registered in the EU.

News Source: AA