Kayseri pastırma, one of Türkiye’s most distinctive cured meat products, has been granted geographical indication (GI) status by the European Union, becoming the country’s 46th registered product under the bloc’s quality scheme, the head of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) said Wednesday.

TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu announced the development on social media, calling it a milestone for both his hometown of Kayseri and the country’s broader efforts to protect local culinary heritage.

“May it be beneficial for my hometown Kayseri and our country,” Hisarcıklıoğlu said, noting that the registration process faced formal objections. “We worked intensively with our experts and legal teams. In the end, Kayseri achieved its goal.”

He also congratulated Kayseri Chamber of Commerce President Ömer Gülsoy, along with the chamber’s board, assembly and contributors involved in securing the designation.

Geographical indication status in the EU recognizes products with qualities or reputations linked to a specific region, offering legal protection against imitation and misuse.

Highlighting Türkiye’s rich diversity of local products, Hisarcıklıoğlu said the country possesses a range of goods rarely found within a single geography.

“As TOBB and the chamber-exchange community, we are making significant efforts for local and geographically indicated products,” he said, adding that work is ongoing for 46 additional GI applications and two traditional specialty names currently under review by the EU.