Bergama Kozak Pine Nut

Bergama Kozak Pine Nut is a variety of pine nut obtained from pine trees growing under natural conditions in the Kozak Plateau of the Bergama district in İzmir Province, Türkiye. It possesses specific physical and chemical characteristics meeting defined standards. It was officially registered as a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office on 10 June 2011.

Bergama Kozak Pine Nut has a plump body, large size, light cream color, soft texture, and a blunt tip. Physically, it contains an average of 138 kernels per 100 grams. Its average length is 14.25 mm, width is 5.48 mm, and kernel yield is 27.73%. Chemical analysis shows a moisture content of 4.64%, water activity of 4.52%, ash content of 4.193%, fat content of 44.90%, protein content of 31.97%, and carbohydrate content of 13.90%.

The Kozak Plateau where the product is grown has highly permeable soil composed of granite, gneiss, and crystalline schist. The region’s average annual temperature ranges from 15 to 16 °C, annual rainfall is between 700 and 800 mm, and relative humidity is approximately 70 to 80%. These conditions enable pine trees to produce fully mature fruit and ensure the high quality of the resulting pine nuts.

^{Bergama Kozak Çam Fıstığı} (AA)

Cones (künar) harvested from pine trees growing naturally within the geographical boundary are weighed upon acceptance and deposited into dry storage pools. They are then washed in a closed-system washing tank and stored in silos for one day. Subsequently, they are sorted into four sizes using calibrated sieves and separated into inner and outer shells using shell-crushing rollers.

The inner nuts are classified using pneumatic separators, rotating sieves, and optical systems, then spread in plastic trays with a thickness of 2 to 3 cm and left to dry naturally for 1 to 3 days. After drying, the seed coats and husks are removed using a brush system. The product is then washed again, pre-dried, dried in a furnace with circulating hot air at 80 °C, and disinfected.

The product exiting the furnace is transferred to a cooling unit and brought to ambient temperature. After inspection on a final sorting conveyor, the pine nuts are weighed in fabric bags, packaged, and stored at a temperature of +8 °C.

^{Bergama Kozak Çam Fıstığı} (Bergama Ticaret Odası)

Bergama Kozak Pine Nut is cultivated exclusively in the neighborhoods of Terzihaliller, Yukarıcuma, Yukarıbey, Aşağıbey, Aşağıcuma, Ayvatlar, Çamavlu, Demircidere, Okçular, Göbeller, Güneşli, Hacıhamzalar, Hisar, Kaplan, Karaveliler and Kıranlı, all of which are under the Bergama district of İzmir Province.