Elbistan Kelle Peyniri

Elbistan Kelle Peyniri is a regional cheese variety traditionally produced in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaraş Province. It has been officially protected and registered with a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. Elbistan Kelle Peyniri derives its name from its resemblance to a human head.

Color: White, cream or light yellow in hue and tone.

Texture: Firm and partially porous structure.

Taste: Distinctive and salty flavor.

Fat content: Produced as either full-fat or half-fat cheese.

The moisture content (m/m) is specified at a maximum of 60%, and the salt (NaCl) content in the dry matter is at most 7.5%.

No food additives, flavoring agents or aroma-enhancing food components are used in its production.

Approximately 8 to 10 liters of raw milk are used to produce one kilogram of Elbistan Kelle Peyniri.

To ensure food safety and preserve the product’s distinctive characteristics, it is aged for at least 90 days from the date of production before being placed on the market.

^{Elbistan Kelle Peyniri (}Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality⁾

Milk: A mixture of cow’s milk and sheep’s milk in equal proportions is commonly used. Depending on the season or preference, only sheep’s milk or only cow’s milk may be used. The raw milk used is sourced exclusively from Kahramanmaraş Province.

Milking and Milk Preparation: Raw milk must be subjected to thermal treatment or immediately processed into cheese. If not processed immediately, it must be stored in the cold chain at 0–4°C. The raw milk is filtered through a clean strainer before being transferred to vats or containers.

Thermal Treatment: The filtered raw milk may undergo thermization, pasteurization or an equivalent thermal treatment, in accordance with minimum technical and food hygiene requirements.

Coagulation and Curd Formation: After thermal treatment, the milk is cooled to the coagulation temperature (30–40°C, depending on the season). Rennet from sheep’s stomach is used for coagulation (approximately 2 ml per 10 liters of milk). Coagulation takes approximately 1.5 hours.

Curd Processing: The formed curd is cut into small pieces, allowed to rest for 15 minutes, and then transferred into clean, food-grade cloth bags for draining. The bags are tightly tied and weighted to remove excess liquid (whey), which typically takes about 3 hours. The drained whey is preferably separated for use in cooking.

Boiling: Once the desired curd consistency is achieved, the curd is boiled in the separated whey or in water.

Salting and Shaping: The boiled curd is salted and shaped into the characteristic “kelle” (head) form.

Aging in Brine: The shaped cheeses are immersed in brine and aged for at least 90 days. This aging process develops the cheese’s distinctive taste, aroma and odor.

Storage and Market Distribution: All stages from production to market distribution must comply with minimum technical conditions and food hygiene requirements. Storage, transportation and market distribution must be carried out in odor-free, clean and dry environments, in accordance with cold chain requirements.