The Food Programme: Halloumi and Hellim: The Story of an Island and its Cheese

Leyla Kazim journeys to Cyprus to investigate the halloumi industry, finding there is more to the hugely popular cheese than barbecues and fries. In 2021 halloumi gained Protected Designation of Origin status, meaning that any cheese labelled as halloumi has to be made on the Mediterranean island to a traditional recipe. Leyla finds how the dairy industry is coping, investigates the difference between Greek and Turkish halloumi and questions the officials behind the new PDO status