Gelisim News

With or without oil, over rice, wraps, bread, potatoes, buttermilk or alone… Everyone has a different choice. Döner, one of the indispensable tastes of the Turks, threatens human health if not cooked under appropriate conditions. Asst. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan from Istanbul Gelisim University, drawing attention to the hygiene conditions and cooking time while making döner, warned against bacteria and viruses such as rota virus, Salmonella, E.coli, which are found in raw meat and especially threaten the health of children.

“EVERY YEAR IN THE WORLD, 200 THOUSAND CHILDREN LOSE LIVES”

Stating that rota virus infection manifests itself with diarrhea in children aged 0-5, Doğan said: “The animal takes these bacteria and viruses from the water it drinks and the food it eats. If the raw meat is not heat treated correctly, bacteria and viruses can pass to humans. Especially in South America, around 20 percent of the rota virus was found in the meat of animals in Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil. Disease-causing viruses cause health problems, especially in children. In the studies conducted, 200 thousand children die every year in the world due to the rota virus.”

MEAT SHOULD BE COOKED AT MINIMUM 70-72 DEGREES

Emphasizing that while preparing döner, it is important to make a correct heat treatment, Doğan said: “The internal temperature of the meat should be minimum 72 degrees. Harmful bacteria and viruses will disappear at this temperature. There are bacteria we call 'E.coli', 'Salmonella', 'Staphylococcus Aureus' in raw meat. These are all disease-causing bacteria. Meat must be subjected to a correct heat treatment in order to completely destroy these bacteria. Even if the customer wants the meat undercooked, the internal temperature of the meat should be 70 degrees.”

SYMPTOMS OF ROUTE VIRUS: DIARRHEA

Stating that diarrhea is a clear symptom, Doğan said: “We will pay attention to hygiene conditions, we will wash our hands properly. The virus does not have a permanent effect on the child, there is no known cure, but there is a vaccine. The risk of getting caught decreases after the vaccination. The animal can get such viruses and bacteria from the water it drinks and the food it eats. The main problem is that the meat processed in the slaughterhouse is not made under the right conditions. If production is carried out without paying attention to hygiene rules, there may be rota virus in addition to bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonelle in raw meat.”

“WILL NOT DIRECTLY CONTACT FIRE”

15-year-old döner master Fahrettin Çakmak stating that good döner should be cooked well and said: “Well cooked meat has no taste. Meat must not come into direct contact with the fire, you must not eat very cheap döner. Half a loaf of bread is 15 lira at our cafe; the price should be roughly like this. Meat less than 15 lira is not eaten because the price of meat suitable for döner kebab is 50-60 lira.”

“100 GRAM DÖNER IS 30 LIRAS”

Deniz Kuzu, the owner of the döner business, stated that the customers usually want well cooked meat and said: “We pay attention to where we buy the meat, we take care of hygiene conditions. Döner is sold very cheaply in the market. Places that sell 100 grams for less than 30 lira often cheat. Because the cost of meat is certain, 1 kilo of döner does not come out of 1 kilo of meat. Places that sell döner for less than 30 lira usually add soy, offal and white chicken into the meat. If you say you will eat 100 percent meat, 100 grams of meat should be 30 liras.”

“DÖNER CANNOT COST 6 LIRAS”

Indıcating that he does not eat meat from unknown places, Saim Yağar said: “I prefer the döner to be cooked well. Some döner kebab restaurants write "döner 6 lira". The weight of meat is 70-80 lira. It can’t be at this price. It necessarily adds something to it. Döner should not cost less than 10-15 liras”

DİNÇ: I MAKE MY CHILDREN EAT WELL COOKED MEAT

Büşra Dinç, who has 3 children, said, “Maybe I feed my kids döner twice a year. We prefer it as well cooked. Since there is a risk of infection in uncooked meat, children are also sensitive and I make sure that the meat is well cooked. We eat not from everywhere but from certain places we know”