KEBAB: LETTUCE, TOMATO, DOUGH? | Doc du dimanche | France 5

In France, twelve kebabs are sold every second. Inexpensive and easy to eat, the sandwich has never been so popular. They only cost €5 on average and the French just love them. In fact, the French are the second biggest consumers of kebabs in Europe. In France over the last few years, gourmet kebab shops have popped up like mushrooms. Some chefs still produce them in the purest tradition of the craft. Other businesses take inspiration from the veggie kebabs that have been watering the mouths of Berliners since the 70s. The kebab market is booming. It’s worth nearly 1.2 billion euros a year. The majority of the kebabs we eat are produced industrially. 90% of production plants are concentrated in Germany. There, in order to raise profitability, producers include additives that, when consumed in high doses, are said to be harmful to health. Despite the risks, producers in the chain are prepared to go to any lengths to continue using these chemical products. They wage a lobbying war backstage at the European Parliament in Brussels. But does the kebab really deserve its reputation as the king of junk food? From its origins in Turkey to the skewer factories of Germany by way of the European Parliament in Brussels, we investigate the well-oiled wheels of the professionals of the kebab.