Karaman Divle Obruğu Tulum Cheese

Karaman Divle Obruğu Tulum Peyniri is a traditional tulum cheese produced in the village of Üçharman (Divle) and surrounding villages in the Ayrancı district of Karaman province, using milk from goats, sheep and cows that are entirely fed on natural pastures. The milk is blended in specific proportions and aged in a unique cave system. This cheese was officially registered as a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office on 8 December 2017 under the name “Karaman Divle Obruğu Tulum Peyniri”.

The production process begins with the filtration of raw milk from animals grazing naturally on highland pastures, using clean cloths. The milk is then heated to 32–34°C, after which 10 millilitres of cheese starter culture (typically rennet) is added per 100 kilograms of milk and left to coagulate for 80–90 minutes. The resulting curd (teleme) is broken into pieces and heated to 55°C for 1–2 minutes to facilitate separation of the whey. After heating, the curd is allowed to rest for 15–20 minutes before being placed into cloth bags and pressed for 24 hours to drain excess moisture. The pressed curd is sliced and washed at least three times in clean water at 20–22°C until the water no longer changes colour. The washed curd is then pressed again for 24 hours, after which it is crumbled and mixed with salt at a rate of 2.7% to 3%.

^{Karaman Divle Obruğu Tulum Peyniri (}Karaman Governorate⁾

The prepared cheese is tightly packed into tulum containers made from cleaned and year-old goat or lamb skins, ensuring no air remains inside. The tulum containers are inflated to expel excess moisture and left for 8–10 days in a cool location on a sandy floor. Following this, the tulum containers are lowered into the Divle Obruğu, the traditional aging environment. This cave, 36 metres deep and 233 metres long, maintains an internal temperature of 4±1°C and relative humidity of 80±5% during summer months. Approximately one month after placement in the cave, moulds begin to form on the surface: first blue, then white, and finally brick-red. The appearance of the red mould indicates that the cheese has matured. The aging period varies between 90 and 120 days depending on the weight of the tulum, and the cheeses are generally stored in the cave for a total of five to six months. The matured cheeses are removed from the cave in October–November for sale.

The key distinguishing feature of Divle Obruğu Tulum Peyniri, compared to other tulum cheeses, is that its aging process occurs exclusively within the Divle Obruğu cave, which harbours a unique fungal flora. This environment imparts the cheese with its characteristic aroma and texture. The chemical properties of the product include a fat content of 29.80–37.20% in dry matter, a salt content of 2.90–3.80%, and a pH range of 4.54–5.14. Compliance with the geographical indication registration is monitored at least once annually by a commission composed of Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, the Karaman Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, the Üçharman Agricultural Development Cooperative, and the Ayrancı Municipality.