Rize Simidi

Rize Simidi is a sesame-free variety of bread ring specific to the city of Rize in Türkiye’s Black Sea Region, classified among bakery and confectionery products. This product has been registered as a geographical indication under the type of “mahreç mark,” with official registration granted on 24 January 2019 under number 410. The registration application was submitted on 15 November 2017 under reference number C2017/196. The registered holder is the Rize Municipality.

Rize Simidi (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)

Distinctive Characteristics

Rize Simidi is a dough product made from flour, fresh yeast, salt, water, and pekmez derived from the aromatic black grape (Vitis Labrusca L.) grown in the Rize region, which is boiled and then baked. According to written sources, the product’s history dates back to the 1930s. A municipal decision published in the Rize Local Newspaper on 5 August 1939 regulated aspects such as weight and price. Interviews conducted with individuals aged 63 to 91 in Rize revealed that these individuals had consumed Rize Simidi since childhood.

Unlike bread rings produced in other provinces, Rize Simidi stands out due to the following distinctive features:

• The product contains no sesame.
• Before baking, the bread rings are dipped in regional grape pekmez.
• A boiling process is applied.
• The aromatic grape pekmez ensures even baking of the product.
• The bread rings are rested on wooden boards called “pasa,” made from pine or chestnut wood.

In addition, the humid climate of Rize affects fermentation and baking times in dough products. Rize bakers are known for their skill in maintaining product quality under these conditions. In Rize, each bakery sells its simits in groups of 25 or 50, tied with strings of different colors.

Chemical and Microbiological Properties

Chemical Properties

• Moisure content: Maximum 26%
• Salt (in dry matter): Maximum 2%
• Acidity: 6 ml of 0.1 N NaOH required to neutralize 100 g of product

Microbiological Properties

• Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria: Maximum 10⁶ cfu/g
• Rop spore count: Maximum 10² cfu/g
• Mold: Maximum 10² cfu/g
• Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus: Must not be detected

Properties of Grape Pekmez

The pekmez used in Rize Simidi is made from the Isabella variety of grape, known locally as “aromatic grape.” Its physical and chemical limits are as follows:

• Total ash: Maximum 2.5%
• Soluble dry matter (Brix): Minimum 68%
• HMF (Hydroxymethylfurfural): Maximum 75 mg/kg
• pH: Must be outside the range of 3.5–5.0
• Sucrose and raffinose: Each maximum 1.0%
• Maltose: Maximum 0.2%
• Fructose/glucose ratio: 0.9–1.1
• δC13 value: More negative than -23.5‰
• Tartaric acid/malic acid ratio: ≥ 1

Production Method

The following raw materials are used in the production of Rize Simidi:

• 50 kg flour
• 20 g fresh yeast
• 900 g salt
• Water
• Grape pekmez (derived from Isabella grapes)

The production process consists of the following stages:

1. Dough is prepared using flour, fresh yeast, water, and salt, with drinking water conforming to TS 266 standards.
2. The dough is rested for 1 to 2 hours.
3. It is divided into 65 g portions and shaped into simit rings by hand.
4. The simits are rested for 10 minutes on wooden boards called “pasa.”
5. They are boiled in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. They are dipped in a cold mixture of grape pekmez and water and rested for 5 minutes.
7. After the pekmez on the surface dries, they are baked for 7 to 10 minutes in ovens measuring 2.20 x 2.20 m, made of karataş stone, at temperatures of 270–300 °C.
8. Each baked simit must weigh at least 50 g. Products below this weight cannot be sold as “Rize Simidi.”

Simits are traditionally marketed in bundles of 25 or 50. Each bakery is identified by the color of its tying string.

Production Stages of Rize Simidi (Türk Patent)

Geographical Boundary and Production Conditions

The production of Rize Simidi is restricted exclusively to the boundaries of Rize Province. The product must be prepared using traditional methods and must be made using pekmez derived from grapes grown in the region. The unique humid climate of Rize and the local knowledge accumulated in production are fundamental elements determining the product’s distinctive characteristics.

Monitoring

Monitoring of the production and marketing process is carried out under Law No. 6769 on Industrial Property. The following institutions are represented in the monitoring authority:

• Rize Municipality (coordinator)
• Rize Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry
• Rize Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Rize Commodity Exchange
• Rize Union of Craftsmen and Artisans
• Bakers’ Chamber

Monitoring inspections are conducted at least three times annually. Additional inspections are carried out in the event of complaints. Inspection results are reported annually by the Rize Municipality to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. Support may be obtained from public or private institutions or expert individuals as needed.