World News for Students of English

04-09-2024 07:00

The International Doner Federation in Istanbul wants to have Doner kebab recognized as a traditional Turkish product by the European Union. This has raised concern among doner kebab vendors in Berlin and across Germany.

The Federation aims to protect the authenticity of the doner, including its ingredients, under the EU’s traditional specialties guaranteed system. German doner kebabs, which often differ from the Turkish version by including ingredients like red cabbage, may face restrictions if the application is successful. Berlin’s doner industry is skeptical about the proposal, arguing that ‘doner’ is a broad term like ‘pizza’ and should not be patented.

The debate touches on cultural identity, as doner kebabs have become a staple in Germany, and some people fear that restricting the name could impact German identity. The roots of this issue date back to the 1950s when Turkish immigrants introduced the dish to Berlin, where it evolved to suit local tastes.

Difficult words: vendor (a person or company offering something for sale), authenticity (being genuine or real), skeptical (having doubts or not easily convinced), staple (the main item of trade or production).

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