Çukurören Pepper (Çukurören Biberi in Turkish) is a product registered as a Designation of Origin. This pepper, grown within the geographical border of the Çukurören village in the Bilecik province, is obtained from the Capsicum annuum species of plant. The product is strung on cotton threads with a needle and dried under sunlight. A portion of the dried peppers is marketed as is, while another portion is processed in stone mills into flake pepper. In production, peppers set aside as seeds from the previous production period are used each year.

Product Characteristics

Çukurören Pepper is obtained from the Capsicum annuum species of plant grown within the geographical border of the Çukurören village in the Bilecik province. The village's altitude of 350 meters above sea level and its clayey and calcareous soil structure give the product its unique characteristics. The plants from which the product is produced have a densely branched structure that can grow up to 0.5 - 1.0 m. The fruit, initially green, turns red when it ripens.

The product's suitability for drying is associated with it remaining shorter than normal (35-40 cm) due to cultivation methods, and this situation causes an increase in its fat and carbohydrate content.

The approximate nutritional values of the dried fruit are as follows:

• Energy value 215.0 - 220.0 kcal/100 g,
• protein amount 12.0 - 13.0 g/100 g,
• fat amount 2.5 - 3.0 g/100 g and
• carbohydrate amount 38.0 - 45.0 g/100 g'dır.
• Nem miktarı 5,0 - 6,5 g/100 g aralığındadır.

When turned into flake pepper, the product's characteristics are;

• total foreign matter amount % 0.1 - 0.5,
• moisture % 6.0 - 6.5 and
• ash amount % 1.5 - 2.0 as determined. In production, the product's unique structure is preserved by setting aside seeds each year for the next production period.

Production Method

• Peppers set aside as seeds from the previous season for the seedlings to be planted in the new season are carefully selected, strung, and dried. The dried peppers are stored in a cool and dry environment, in breathable sacks.
• One day before sowing, the seeds are soaked in warm water for approximately 8 hours. Those with deformed shapes or different appearances are sorted out.
• Sowing the seeds in the soil and germination are done in March. The seeds are sown using the broadcasting method.
• Until the end of April, water is given twice a day, in the morning and evening. After irrigation, the soil moisture is expected to be between % 65 - 70. Hoeing is done along with irrigation.
• After 3 - 4 leaves form on the seedlings, unsuitable seedlings are culled, and planting of the seedlings begins in the first week of May. In the week following the seedling planting, the temperature must not drop below 15 °C.
• Seedling planting is done during the hot hours of the day along with watering the furrows, and then life water (first irrigation) is given. The root collar level must remain below the soil.
• After the life water, the soil is left to dry. Approximately 3 days later, irrigation and hoeing are done together. Afterward, irrigation and hoeing are repeated 3 or 4 times at 3-day intervals.
• Shoots emerging on the stem are plucked by hand or cut. A shape is created to leave 2 or 3 main branches on the plant stem. Weak, inward-facing, and ventilation-blocking side shoots and old leaves are cleared.
• After the main branches form, hoeing is performed 4 or 5 times according to the plant's development.
• Regular irrigation continues once a week until the end of July.
• Peppers are harvested from the first week of August until the end of October. It is recommended to harvest in the early morning hours or in the afternoon.

Drying

• After the collected peppers are sorted, they are strung on cotton thread using a 10 - 15 cm long needle.
• The peppers are dried whole and marketed on strings after drying. Generally, 50 peppers are strung on one string.
• Drying is done naturally in the shade, by hanging them high above the ground on triangular displays made of wood, on the walls of houses, or in places called 'kuruluk' (drying spots), in locations that can best utilize sunlight. The products must not touch each other.
• The drying process takes 10 - 15 days, depending on the climate.

Turning into Flake Pepper

• Stone mills are used when turning a portion of the dried peppers into flake pepper.
• In the production of flake pepper, no additives are added, in accordance with the Turkish Food Codex Spice Communiqué. Since its water content is low, it is not subjected to any additional processes such as tempering, oiling, or adding salt.

Inspection

The inspection authority, under the coordination of the Bilecik Chamber of Commerce and Industry, consists of 3 people, with one person each participating from the Bilecik Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, the Çukurören Village Headman's Office, and the Bilecik Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Inspections are carried out periodically once a year, and always in case of a complaint. In the inspections, the conformity of the products to the physical characteristics specified in the registration, whether the seeds used were taken from the previous production period, the suitability of seedling cultivation and the production method, and the appropriate use of the logo with the phrase 'Çukurören pepper' and the designation of origin emblem are checked.