Manisa Mesir Macunu
Manisa Mesir Paste
Manisa Mesir Macunu is a traditional spiced paste produced in Manisa province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is made from 41 different spices, herbs, and fruits mixed into a sugary paste, and is presented either as a liquid paste in glass jars or as solid sticks wrapped in foil. The European Commission entered it in the register of protected geographical indications on 4 November 2024, by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2807, published in Official Journal L series 2024/2807. The Single Document was published in OJ C/2024/4420 on 10 July 2024 following no opposition. The EU file number is PGI-TR-02893, with a national application date of 5 January 2023. The application was submitted by the Association of Tourism and Promotion of Manisa and Mesir (Manisa'yi Mesir'i Tanitma ve Turizm Dernegi). In 2012, Manisa Mesir Macunu was entered into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
What makes it distinct
Manisa Mesir Macunu has a soft texture and a very sticky consistency. Its taste is sweet-spicy and bitter. The caustic, bitter, and harsh flavours of the spices come from non-volatile materials; the smell and aroma are generated by volatile oils. 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 a minimum 70% water-soluble solids content; solid sticks must have a minimum 80% soluble solids content.
The 41 ingredients
The following spices, herbs, and fruits are specified in the Single Document (OJ C/2024/4420) and product specification. All 41 must be present:
| # | Latin name | Common name | Part used | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papaver somniferum | Poppy | Seed | |
| 2 | Alpinia officinarum Hance | Galangal | Rhizome | |
| 3 | Brassica nigra, B. 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 |
Product forms and specifications
Solid mesir paste (stick form): 50 kg of sugar, 35 g of citric acid, and 10 kg of water are mixed and cooked continuously for 45 minutes at 136 degrees C until a paste (wax) consistency is reached. After maturing for one day, 41 ground herbs and spices are kneaded into the paste to form a homogeneous mixture. The paste is shaped into a rope and cut into sticks of 11-12 cm or 3-4 cm, individually wrapped in coloured foil. Each stick weighs 8-10 g; the larger bar format weighs 21-23 g.
Liquid mesir paste: A mixture of 25 kg of sugar, 12.5 kg of glucose syrup, 50 g of citric acid, and 600 g of the combined 41 herbs and spices is cooked with constant stirring for 30 minutes at 136 degrees C. After cooling for three hours, it is filled into jars of 200 g, 400 g, or 1,000 g.
Shelf life is three years when stored in a cool place.
Production zone
The defined geographical area for Manisa Mesir Macunu production is Manisa province. All stages of production - from heating and mixing of ingredients through to shaping - must take place within the geographical area.
Historical background
Manisa Mesir Macunu was first produced in the 16th century during the Ottoman era. The product is attributed to Muslihiddin Merkez Efendi, a physician at the hospital in Manisa founded by Suleiman the Magnificent. In 1527, Hafsa Sultan (Suleiman the Magnificent's mother) fell ill while he was serving as prince in Manisa, and Merkez Efendi prepared the paste for her recovery. After her recovery, the Sultan ordered the paste to be distributed to the people annually. The distribution was fixed to 21 March - the spring festival of Nevruz - and the tops of the Sultan Mosque's domes and minarets were chosen as the distribution point. The Mesir Celebration has been held in this form since approximately 1527-1528.
Each year on or around 21 March, thousands of people gather in front of the Sultan Mosque in Manisa to catch pieces of Manisa Mesir Macunu wrapped in paper and thrown from the mosque's minarets. The festival is held in cooperation with Manisa Governorship, Manisa Municipality, and the Manisa and Mesir Tourism and Promotion Association, running from 21 to 27 March.
In his 1963 publication on Manisa Mesir Macunu, Baytop established that the 41 ingredients were adapted from the 60-ingredient antidote attributed to Ibn-i Sina, reduced in number due to difficulty in sourcing some ingredients from Anatolian flora, and fixed at 41 for its mystical significance.
In 2012, Manisa Mesir Macunu was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The product name is used for streets, parks, and business premises throughout Manisa, reflecting its place in local cultural identity.
Control and certification
The competent control authority, as sourced from product specification section 7 (Register Extract field 5 shows a dash), is the Manisa Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (II. Anafartalar Mah. 1513 Sok. No:16, Sehzadeler, Manisa). Inspections are coordinated by the Association of Tourism and Promotion of Manisa and Mesir, which maintains a producer list for traceability. The inspection body audits production area, product characteristics, organoleptic qualities, and production method.
What CN classification applies to Manisa Mesir Macunu?
The EU Register Extract (PGI-TR-02893) classifies it under CN Chapter 19 - Preparations of Cereals, Flour, Starch or Milk; Pastrycooks' Products, commodity 1905. The EU product class is 2.3 (Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker's wares).
Is this a PDO or PGI?
PGI. The link to Manisa is based entirely on the product's reputation and traditional production skills. The specification does not require the 41 ingredient spices to be sourced from Manisa province - only the production process itself must occur within the geographical area.
What are the two product formats?
Solid sticks (11-12 cm or 3-4 cm, individually foil-wrapped, 8-10 g or 21-23 g) and liquid paste (in glass jars of 200 g, 400 g, or 1,000 g). Both formats have a three-year shelf life when stored in a cool place.
Why exactly 41 ingredients?
The specification and Single Document confirm that the 41-ingredient formulation was derived from Ibn-i Sina's 60-ingredient antidote, reduced due to availability of ingredients from Anatolian flora, and fixed at 41 for its mystical significance in the cultural tradition. All 41 must be present.
What is the Mesir Festival?
The annual distribution of Manisa Mesir Macunu from the minarets of Sultan Mosque in Manisa, held on or around 21 March (Nevruz). It has taken place in this form since approximately 1527-1528 and was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.
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