Russia is set to introduce a national state standard for shawarma that will come into effect in 2025, aiming to improve the quality of the street food and reduce health risks.
Maxim Protasov, head of Roskachestvo, the Russian quality control organization, announced that the first draft of the shawarma standard was completed this week and will soon be published for discussion. "There is a need to maintain control over this type of product," said Protasov, according to Lenta.ru.
The new standard will specify the meats that can be used in shawarma, stipulating that it can only be made from beef or veal, lamb, mutton, goat meat, chicken, turkey, or pork. According to RBC, the assortment of meats used will depend on the production conditions of the manufacturer.
In addition to meat specifications, the composition of shawarma under the new standard will include flatbreads such as lavash and pita, sauces like sour cream, mayonnaise, kefir, cream, and tomato, as well as fresh and pickled vegetables, potatoes, herbs, spices, cheeses, nuts, seeds, eggs, and other products.
The standard will also address health and safety concerns by specifying permissible norms for toxic elements in shawarma. According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, acceptable levels include lead at no more than 0.5 mg/kg, arsenic at 0.1 mg/kg, cadmium at 0.05 mg/kg, and mercury at 0.03 mg/kg. Furthermore, the standard outlines permissible levels of radioactivity, including cesium-137 at 180 Bq/kg and strontium-90 at 80 Bq/kg, as reported by RBC.
Detailed procedures for the preparation of shawarma are included in the document to ensure consistency and safety. The process of forming a doner kebab is described as follows: "When starting to form the doner kebab (wrapping), first, strong and large pieces of meat (slices) are laid out on the skewer base, and their middle parts are layered on the skewer in such a way that a round layer 5-6 cm thick is formed. On top of this, a layer of fat slices from tail or back fat is placed to cover the entire surface of the skewer. In this order, the layering of slices continues," according to RBC.
Labels on semi-finished doner products must include detailed information such as the name and address of the manufacturer, product name, net weight, composition, date and time of production, storage conditions, shelf life, nutritional value, and information on compliance declarations, as outlined by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
The standard also officially acknowledges both names for the dish—shawarma and shaverma—reflecting regional differences in Russia. In Moscow, it is commonly called shawarma, while in Saint Petersburg, it is known as shaverma.
Pavel Krupin, the founder of the street food network Vlavashe, expressed doubt about compliance at smaller establishments.
The standard specifies that ready culinary products are prohibited from being left until the next day, as detailed by RBC.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq