A Turkish attempt to enforce kebab shops in the EU to adhere to strict rules on how to make a doner kebab has been withdrawn.
If the bid for a 'Traditional Speciality Guaranteed' label had succeeded, restrictions would have been imposed on the types of ingredients that could be used.
Germany's kebab industry would have been particularly skewered, as the quintessential high street doner has evolved over the decades to be rather different than the original from Turkey.
Turkish authorities argued the doner should be viewed as a national dish that spread to Europe through the migration of Turks. However, German officials contended that their take on the kebab had become part of their own national cuisine.
The traditional way of cooking meat on a vertical rotisserie reportedly dates back to the 16th Century, according to Turkey's International Doner Federation (Udofed), and the name doner is indicative of that cooking technique. They proposed uniform rules across the EU which would have included restrictions on the age of animals used for meat, specific slicing techniques, and guidelines on marinades.
In Germany, kebabs often feature veal, served in flatbread with various vegetables, thus presenting a European variation of the classic dish. The proposal had not consulted the German kebab industry, which rallied in defense of their practices.
The former German minister of food and agriculture, Cem Özdemir, emphasized that it is up to the German public to determine their kebab preferences, asserting that 'the doner belongs to Germany.'
The application drew significant objections, and after attempts to reach a compromise failed, it was officially withdrawn on September 23, as it was likely facing rejection regardless.
