Türkiye Introduces New Rules for Döner Production and Labelling

Türkiye has introduced new requirements for the production and labelling of döner. The updated food regulations classify döner according to how the meat is prepared and introduce limits on fat, salt and certain ingredients.

The new rules entered into force on 16 September 2026. Businesses already operating before the regulation was published have until 31 March 2027 to bring their production and labelling into compliance.

Three Categories of Red Meat Döner

Döner made from red meat must now be sold under one of three specific names:

• Yaprak döner — made from whole slices of meat.
• Kıyma döner — made primarily from minced meat, with minced meat accounting for no more than 90% and at least 10% consisting of sliced raw red meat.
• Yaprak-kıyma döner — a combination containing at least 60% sliced meat and no more than 40% minced meat.

The category must form part of the product name and appear in the same colour and font as the rest of the name. This is intended to make it easier for consumers to understand how the meat has been prepared.

Limits on Fat, Salt and Protein

The new requirements also establish specific composition limits for red meat döner:

• Fat: no more than 25%
• Salt: no more than 2%
• Meat protein: at least 12%

Cheese and pistachios cannot be added to red meat döner under the new requirements.

Yaprak döner also cannot contain dietary fibre. The use of additional protein ingredients, soy and starch-based fillers is restricted, apart from permitted ingredients such as milk, yoghurt, eggs and proteins derived from them.

The combined amount of starch and plant protein introduced through spices must not exceed 1%.

New Requirements for Chicken Döner

Separate limits apply to döner made from poultry meat.

• Fat: no more than 15%
• Salt: no more than 2%
• Meat protein in raw product: at least 14%
• Meat protein after heat treatment: at least 18%

Poultry döner made from minced meat, as well as products combining minced poultry meat with other preparations, may only be sold in frozen form.

For raw poultry meat, minced poultry and prepared meat mixtures, packaging must state that the centre of the product should reach at least 72°C during cooking.

Turkish Labels Worth Knowing

The updated requirements also clarify several descriptions that consumers may encounter on meat products in Türkiye.

• Baş eti içerir — the product contains head meat.
• Mechanically separated poultry meat — this ingredient must be explicitly stated in the ingredients list.
• Animal fat — the type of animal must be specified when animal fat is added.
• Çemeni sıyrılmıştır — the çemen coating has been removed from pastırma.

New Restrictions on “100%” Claims

Products covered by the communiqué cannot use claims such as “%100”, “%100 Dana eti” or “%100 Göğüs eti”.

The restriction also applies when such expressions are used in brand names or logos.

When Will the New Packaging Appear?

The regulations entered into force on 16 September 2026, but consumers will not necessarily see the new packaging immediately.

Existing businesses have until 31 March 2027 to update their production processes and labelling. Products manufactured and placed on the market under the previous requirements before the end of the transition period may continue to be sold until their expiry date.

The presence of older packaging during the transition period does not by itself mean that a producer or retailer is violating the new rules.

What Should Consumers Check?

When buying packaged döner, consumers can pay attention to several details:

• the full product name and döner category;
• the list of ingredients;
• storage conditions;
• production and expiry dates;
• cooking instructions;
• warnings and information about animal fat.

In restaurants and cafés, consumers should also consider food storage conditions, hygiene and how thoroughly the meat is cooked. If you have allergies or specific dietary requirements, it is better to ask about the exact ingredients rather than relying only on the word döner.

The new requirements apply to producers, retailers and food establishments across Türkiye, including popular tourist destinations such as Alanya.