Van Rose Jam

Van Rose Jam (Van gül reçeli) is a traditional jam produced in the Van region of Türkiye by boiling the petals of "jam-making rose" (Rosa damascena) and "everbearing rose" (Rosa damascena semperflorens, also known as Kral Gülü or King's Rose) varieties grown in the Van region with sugar and citric acid, and then allowing it to set and thicken in the sun.

Product Profile and Type of Geographical Indication

Van Rose Jam falls within the product group of processed and unprocessed fruits and vegetables, and fungi, specifically in the jams category. It has been registered as a "mahreç işareti^【1】 " (Protected Geographical Indication - PGI) by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

Product Description and Distinctive Features

Rose cultivation holds significant importance in Van, and the "Van rose" is mentioned in Ali Çelebi's work "Şükufename-i Musavver" (Illustrated Book of Flowers), dated 1078. Rose petals have been used in the preparation of various sweets and beverages in the region since ancient times.

Two different rose varieties are used in the production of Van Rose Jam:

• Jam-making Rose (Reçellik Gül / Gül-i Muhammedî - Rosa damascena): This variety imparts its characteristic scent, taste, and aroma to Van Rose Jam.
• Everbearing Rose (Yediveren Gül / Kral Gülü - Rosa damascena semperflorens): This variety gives Van Rose Jam its unique color.

Production Method

• Preparation of Rose Petals: The petals of the jam-making rose are gently collected and sorted. The base of the everbearing rose petals is cut off as it imparts a bitter taste to the jam.
• Color Extraction (from Everbearing Rose): 175 g of everbearing rose petals are boiled with 400 ml of water in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes. The resulting liquid is strained and set aside to be used for coloring the jam.
• Aroma and Taste Extraction (from Jam-making Rose): 175 g of jam-making rose petals are boiled with 400 ml of water in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes.

Syrup Preparation and Boiling

• After boiling, the water from the jam-making rose is strained into a container and topped up with additional water to make 1 liter.
• 2 kg of white granulated sugar is added to this water and brought to a boil.
• The previously boiled jam-making rose petals are added back to the boiling syrup and boiled together.

Consistency and Color Adjustment

• Care is taken to adjust the amount of syrup so that the petals do not clump together.
• Approximately 5-6 grams of citric acid, dissolved in 20-30 ml of water, is slowly added to the boiling jam.
• The previously separated water from the everbearing rose is added to the jam until the desired color is achieved.

Sun-Thickening

The prepared jam is placed in jars and left in the sun for an average of 2 days to achieve its final consistency.

Registration Process and Details

The application for the geographical indication registration of Van Rose Jam was filed by Van Yüzüncü Yıl University. The application was made on November 29, 2019 (as stated in the registration certificate, though this date appears later than the registration date, potentially indicating a typographical error in the source document) with the application number C2018/220. Following the evaluation process, the product was officially registered as a "mahreç işareti" (PGI) on July 16, 2020, with the registration number 505. The registrant's address is Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Kampüsü, 65090 Tuşba, Van.