Delice Natural Source Salt

Delice Natural Source Salt is a natural, unadulterated and unrefined source salt produced for over a century using traditional methods in the Delice district of Kırıkkale Province, located in Türkiye’s Central Anatolia Region. The product, which was applied for on 15 November 2018, was officially registered as a “geographical indication” under Law No. 6769 on Industrial Property on 9 February 2022 and is now protected under geographical indication rights. The registering authority is the Kırıkkale Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

^{Delice Natural Source Salt} (AA)

The production area of the product is limited exclusively to the Delice district of Kırıkkale Province. The term “Delice Natural Source Salt” must appear on the product itself or its packaging; if it cannot be placed on the packaging, it must be visibly displayed at the production facility.

The salt is obtained by the controlled resting and evaporation of underground waters that emerge naturally to the surface at the foothills of Kılıçözü Mountain, without the use of drilling.

The process consists of the following stages:

• Underground waters are transferred via pipes to resting ponds, isolated from external contact.
• The resting ponds are covered with greenhouse-type glass and have an antibacterial membrane base.
• The rested water is transferred to greenhouse-type ponds with a depth of 20 cm and evaporated under sunlight.
• The generated water vapor is removed by a vacuum system; the crystallized salt is left to dry naturally in the environment.
• The salt is dried using warm air at 50–60 °C to reduce moisture content to a maximum of 0.5% before sieving.

Crystallized salt is classified into three distinct categories based on particle size. This process is carried out using sieving with mesh sizes determined by titration:

Ground table salt (fine)

• Salt particles passing through a 1000-micron sieve belong to this category.

Table salt for grinding (mill salt)

• Salt particles passing through a 2000-micron sieve belong to this category.
• This type is marketed in glass mill bottles.

Salt for brining

• Salt particles passing through a 2500-micron sieve belong to this category.

The pond floors are lined with food-grade antibacterial membranes, and the tops are covered with greenhouse-type transparent nylon that allows full sunlight penetration. The greenhouse structure protects the underground waters from rain and insects. Natural evaporation occurs during the summer months, after which the ponds are cleaned with pure water for maintenance.

Delice Natural Source Salt is white in color, odorless, cubic in structure, and has a soft texture. It is not refined and contains no additives. Its main characteristics are:

• Sodium chloride (NaCl) content: 98.79% ± 1.21
• Sodium content: 34.44% ± 0.98
• pH value: 7.38 ± 0.22
• Color and odor: White, odorless
• Foreign matter: None
• Moisure content (total solids): Minimum 0.301%, maximum 2%
• Iodine content: Maximum 1.42 mg/kg
• Insoluble matter in water: Minimum 0.16%, maximum 0.5%

Production and marketing processes are inspected at least once annually under the coordination of the Kırıkkale Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The inspection body consists of experts from the Delice District Governorship, the Kırıkkale Provincial and District Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Faculty of Engineering at Kırıkkale University. Inspection criteria include the suitability of the water source, adherence to production methods, accuracy of physical and chemical properties, packaging and storage conditions, and proper use of the geographical indication name.