Elazığ Orciği

Elazığ orciği is a traditional product made by dipping newly harvested local walnuts, threaded on cotton string, several times into a juice extracted from grapes native to Elazığ province. This product belongs to the cevizli sucuk family. It has been officially registered as a “Geographical Indication” by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office and placed under protection on 30 November 2018 with Registration No: 398.

^{Elazığ Orciği} (AA)

Elazığ orciği is produced using fresh grapes and local walnuts harvested in the same year from the Elazığ region. Orciğ is prepared during the grape harvest season. The walnuts threaded on string are immersed several times in the grape juice and then dried.

Distinctive characteristics of orciği include its exclusive production in Elazığ province using only locally grown fresh grapes and walnuts; the grape juice is boiled down into a thick paste; the threaded walnuts are dipped multiple times into this paste; and the product is dried under suitable conditions. The product contains no additives, flavorings, or added sugar.

• Moisture content (maximum): 23%
• Ash content (maximum): 2.2%
• Insoluble ash in HCl (maximum): 0.3%
• pH: 5.0–5.7
• Titration acidity (expressed as tartaric acid, maximum): 0.05%
• Walnut content (minimum): 30%

^{Elazığ Orciği  (Yapay Zekâ ile Oluşturulmuştur)}

The production process consists of the following stages:

1. Walnut Preparation: Newly harvested local walnuts are cracked and divided into four pieces, then threaded onto cotton string with the concave side facing upward. The threaded walnuts are hung to dry completely.
2. Juice and Paste Preparation: Grapes collected during the harvest are pressed to extract their juice. The juice is boiled and concentrated until its brix level reaches 70–72, then filtered. A portion is used for paste preparation.
3. Paste Boiling: Flour is added to the filtered juice in specific proportions (2.5 kg flour per 40 liters of juice) to prevent clumping. This mixture is passed through a fine sieve and added gradually to the hot juice in a cauldron, where it is continuously stirred and boiled.
4. Coating and Drying: The prepared walnut strings are immersed in the paste, removed, and left to dry. This process may be repeated one or two times. Drying takes several days depending on ambient temperature.
5. Cutting and Packaging: The dried orciği is cut to a length of 15–20 cm and prepared for consumption. When stored at room temperature in a dry environment, its shelf life is 7–8 months.

^{Elazığ Orciği} (AA)

Elazığ orciği is produced exclusively within Elazığ province and its districts. Monitoring is carried out by a committee composed of representatives from the Elazığ Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, the Fırat Development Agency, and the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, under the coordination of the Elazığ Governorship. Inspections are conducted at least three times per year. During inspections, the production materials, paste preparation, coating, drying, and labeling processes are verified. The use of added sugar, additives, or flavorings in the product is prohibited.