Turkey’s desire to spread the traditional method of preparing doner kebab around the world could affect sales of the popular street food in Germany. If the European Commission takes Turkey’s side, Germany may be banned from calling this dish “doner kebab”.
Turkey’s stance threatens doner kebab sales in Germany
Author: Akhmed Sadulayev
How writes The Telegraph, Turkey’s attempt to secure legal protection for the traditional döner recipe could “scramble the future of Germany’s favorite fast food.”
German cooks make doner from veal packed in a flatbread, often with a side dish of raw cabbage. However, according to Turkish standards, the dish can only be prepared from chicken, lamb and beef produced from an animal at least 18 months old. In this case, the meat should be marinated in yogurt and herbs.
“Doner belongs to Germany. Everyone must decide for themselves how to cook and eat it here,” said German Minister of Food and Agriculture Cem Oezdemir.
In April 2024, Turkey applied to register its version of the doner kebab as a “traditional food guaranteed” (TSG), which would give it the same legal protection as French champagne and other global brands.
That same month, the Association of German Döner Manufacturers filed a formal complaint with the EU, noting that the street food recipe “has undergone significant further development in Germany” and that restrictions from Turkey would hinder further gastronomic innovation.
According to information The Economist, in September of this year, the European Commission gave Germany and Turkey six months to find a compromise on the issue of “who will decide what is considered a doner.”
If Brussels takes Ankara’s side, German chefs will be forced to cook according to a traditional Turkish recipe or completely change the name of the dish.
Photo: Unsplash
Source: rb.ru
