Following this publication, the authorities of a Member State or of a third country, or a natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in a third country, may lodge, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) an opposition with the Commission within 3 months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Manisa Mesir Macunu'

EU No: PGI-TR-02893 – 5.1.2023

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s)

’Manisa Mesir Macunu'

2.   Member State or Third Country

Türkiye

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker's wares

3.2.   Description of product to which the name applies

’Manisa Mesir Macunu' is a traditional sweet produced in the province of Manisa. It is made from 41 different spices, herbs and fruits that are mixed into a sugary paste. It is presented either as a liquid paste in glass jars or as solid sticks of 11-12 cm or 3-4 cm wrapped in foil. Its texture is soft, and it has a very sticky consistency with a sweet-spicy and bitter taste. While the caustic, bitter and harsh flavours of the spices are provided mainly by non-volatile materials, smell and aroma are generated through volatile oils. In addition to this, phenols (catechin: 455,6 – 1 253,6 mg / kg) in the paste are responsible for its pungent taste. Its colour varies from amber to dark brown. The liquid paste must have at least 70 % water, the soluble solids and solid sticks 80 %.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

Sugar, glucose syrup, citric acid, water, 41 kinds of spices, herbs and fruit are used in the production.

Types of spices and their used parts

	Latin name	Common name	Used part
1	Papaver somniferum	Poppy	Seed
2	Alpinia officinarum Hance	Galangal	Rhizome
3	Brassicanigra, Brassica juncea, Sinaps alba	Mustard	Seed
4	Calluna vulgaris L.	Heather	Flower, Bark, Leaf
5	Cassia angustifolia Vahl	Senna	Fruit
6	Cassia fistula L.	Golden shower	Fruit
7	Cinnamomum sp.	Cinnamon	Flower
8	Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck	Orange	Flower, Peel
9	Citrus limon L. Osbeck	Lemon	Fruit, Peel
10	Cocos nucifera L.	Coconut	Fruit
11	Commiphora molmol	Myrrh	Resin
12	Coriandrum sativum L.	Coriander	Leaf, Fruit
13	Crocus sativus L.	Saffron	Stigma
14	Curcuma zedoaria Roxb.	White turmeric	Rhizome, Root
15	Elettaria cardamomum L. Manton	Cardamom	Fruit
16	Eugenia caryophyllata L. Thunb.	Clove	Flower Bud
17	Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare	Fennel	Fruit
18	Urtica dioica L.	Nettle	Seed
19	Ceratonia siliqua L.	Carob	Fruit
20	Cuminum cyminum L.	Cumin	Fruit
21	Glycyrrhiza glabra L.	Liquorice	Root extract (liquorice honey)
22	Hibiscus sabdariffa L.	Roselle	Flower, Seed
23	Linum usitatissimum L.	Linseed	Seed
24	Melissa officinalis L	Melissa	Leaf
25	Nigella sativa L.	Nigella	Seed
26	Silybum marianum L. Gaertn	Thistle	Seed
27	Pimenta officinalis Lind L.	Allspice	Fruit
28	Pimpinella anisum L.	Anise	Fruit
29	Piper cubeba Bojer	Cubeb pepper	Fruit
30	Piper longum L.	Long pepper	Fruit
31	Piper nigrum L.	Black pepper	Fruit
32	Piper nigrum L.	White pepper	Fruit
33	Rosa canina L.	Rosehip	Fruit, seed oil
34	Curcuma longa L.	Turmeric	Rhizome
35	Rosmarinus officinalis L.	Rosemary	Leaf
36	Terminalia citrina Retz	Myrobalan (yellow)	Fruit
37	Terminalia chebula Retz	Myrobalan (black)	Fruit
38	Vanilla fragrans Ames	Vanilla	Fruit, Seed
39	Vitex agnus-castus L.	Vitex	Fruit
40	Vitis vinifera L.	Raisin	Fruit
41	Zingiber officinale Roascoe	Ginger	Rhizome

3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All stages of production of 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' must take place in the geographical area defined in Section 4, from the heating and mixing of the ingredients to shaping.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Paste: The term ‘paste’ refers to a sticky and dense substance commonly used in the context of 'Manisa Mesir Macunu'. The paste used in making 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' typically contains various spices, plant extracts, and sugar.

Sticks: 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' is traditionally prepared in a form known as a ‘rope’. This implies that the paste is shaped into a long, thin cylindrical form. Subsequently, this long rope-shaped 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' is divided into smaller pieces (sticks) for consumption. In this case, offering the paste in a stick form allows for easier carrying and consumption by the user. Stick-shaped 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' is often popular at traditional festivals or special events.

Having acquired the required consistency thanks to kneading, for the solid stick version of 'Manisa Mesir Macunu', the paste is formed into the form of a long rope and refined. The rope is then cut and packaged into lengths weighing 8-10 g (21-23 g for the bigger size: ‘the long bar’). In addition, the liquid paste is packaged in 200, 400 or 1000 g jars.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

—

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area for 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' production is the Manisa province in Türkiye.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The link between 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' and the geographical area derives from the product's reputation. Mesir Macunu was produced for the first time in Manisa in the 16th century during the Ottoman era. 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' is still widely consumed today.

The known inventor of the product in Ottoman culture, history and civilization is Muslihiddin Merkez Efendi. A physician in the hospital, Merkez Efendi, invented ‘Mesir Macunu’ in 1527. When Hafize Sultan, Süleyman the Magnificent’s mother, fell ill during the time when he was a prince in Manisa, Merkez Efendi helped her with the ‘Mesir Macunu’ that he prepared. When Hafsa Sultan had recovered, she wanted to share this paste with others. As requests from the people increased, the Sultan told Merkez Efendi to distribute the paste to the people every year in the form of a festival. For this, 21st March was selected because it symbolized the beginning of spring, and the tops of the Sultan Mosque's domes and minarets were chosen for its location. The Mesir Celebration began this way in around 1527-1528. Since then, every year on or around 21st March, which is known as the spring festival Nevruz, thousands of people gather in front of the Sultan Mosque in Manisa to catch the ‘Mesir Macunu’ wrapped in paper and thrown from the rooftop of the mosque.

The famous Mesir Festival of Manisa is celebrated on the day of Nevruz. This tradition goes back to the time of Merkez Muslihiddin Efendi who was given the management of a hospital in Manisa founded by Suleiman the Magnificent. The most significant part of the ceremony is carried out on Nevruz. Namely, small pieces of ‘Mesir Macunu’ prepared from various herbs and spices, and wrapped in small pieces of paper are thrown down from the minarets of Sultan Mosque in Manisa, and people waiting down try to get one.

In 2012, Manisa's ‘Mesir Macunu’ (Mesir Paste) was entered into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

’Manisa Mesir Macunu' is prepared using a traditional method that has been handed down from one generation to the next. The selection of the best quality ingredients, preparation of the sugar paste and the length of time and temperature at which the paste is cooked affect the expected taste and consistency of the product.

’Manisa Mesir Macunu' has the following specific characteristics:

—	Its texture is soft,

—	It has a very sticky consistency,

—	It has an intense spicy aroma and sweet-spicy taste,

—	Its colour varies from amber to brown,

—	It can be sold as liquid paste or solid sticks.

The product's reputation is confirmed by countless references going back centuries, in records, publications, culinary guides, articles and items in the press and the online press, and in numerous events held to promote traditional local products.

In his book on Manisa Mesir Macunu published in 1963, Baytop stated that the 41 ingredients in the 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' were adopted from the antidote of 60 ingredients created by famous physician Ibn-i Sina, but the number of the ingredients was reduced, and the paste was then composed of 41 spices and herbs, since they had difficulty in acquiring some ingredients of Ibn-i Sina’s compound from the flora of Anatolia, together with the mystical importance of the number 41.

Other publications on 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' include: ‘Gastronomik Bir Değer ve Kültürel Miras Olarak Mesir Macunu’ (Mesir Paste as a Gastronomic Value and Cultural Heritage) (Yurdakul and Çekal, 2022); ‘Mesir macunu ve terkibine giren maddeler’ (Mesir paste and its ingredients) (Yörükoğlu, 1985); ‘Manisa Mesir Bayramı ve Dârüşşifa'sı’ (Manisa Mesir Festival and Hospital) (Bayat, 1981); ‘Mesir ve Manisa’ (Mesir and Manisa) (Karaöz, 1954); and ‘Geçmişten Günümüze Manisa’ (From Past to Present Manisa) (Tepekaya and Atar, 2018).

In their research on Mesir Paste as a Gastronomic Value and Cultural Heritage published in 2022, Yurdakul and Çekal mentioned that Mesir Festival was held in Manisa between 21 and 27 March with the cooperation of Manisa Governorship, Manisa Municipality and Manisa and Mesir Tourism and Promotion Association, making significant contributions to cultural, touristic and economic life. In addition, it was reported that International Manisa Mesir Festival was included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2012. On the other hand, 'Manisa Mesir Macunu' was employed as a name for streets, parks, business premises, beyond being a paste in the cultural memory of the people of Manisa (Yurdakul and Çekal, 2022).

Nihat Yörükoğlu citing his book suggested that the reason for commencement of the mesir festivals was to enable the city located on a hillside to prosper and to permit it to move down to the plain, which was more convenient.

Tepekaya and Atar reported that according to William Bascom’s classification of the four functions of folklore, Manisa Mesir Festival provided the participants with an enjoyable time, supported values and customs and ensured transmission of culture to future generations by keeping it alive.

Reference to publication of the specification

Official e-Bulletin of Turkish Patent and Trademark Office No 26, 02.04.2018, pp. 31-34.

---

(1)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11.4.2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).