Aydın Memecik Zeytini

Aydın Memecik Zeytini is a table olive produced from the Memecik variety of olive trees (Olea europeae L.) grown within the boundaries of Aydın province in the South Aegean region of Turkey. The European Commission entered it in the register of protected designations of origin on 12 March 2025, by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/470, published in Official Journal L 2025/470. The EU OJ C announcement (Single Document) was published on 15 November 2024 (C/2024/6963). The application was submitted by Aydın Commodity Exchange (Aydın Ticaret Borsası) under file reference PDO-TR-02813, with an EC application date of 12 November 2021. The Turkish domestic GI registration is No: 749 (Origin Name — Menşe Adı), protected as of 16 July 2019, registered 7 May 2021, published in TÜRKPATENT Official Geographical Indication Bulletin No: 101 of 17 May 2021.

The Memecik variety takes its name from the small protrusion (memecik — nipple) at the tip of the fruit. Although the variety is primarily cultivated for oil production, Aydın Memecik Zeytini is the protected designation for olives of this variety used as table olives. The product covers three variants — whole green, pink, and natural black — distinguished by harvest timing and processing method.

What makes it distinct

The defining character of Aydın Memecik Zeytini is its high polyphenol content, which persists above that of other olive varieties even after sweetening and fermentation. The phenolic compounds responsible for bitterness — luteolin-7-glycoside (1,266.84 mg/kg), rutin (491.67 mg/kg), trans-cinnamic acid (1,098.84 mg/kg), cyanidin-3-glycoside (212.73 mg/kg), and cyanidin-3-rutinoside (410.63 mg/kg) — are measurably higher in Aydın Memecik than in other varieties from the same region. For comparison, luteolin in Aydın Memecik stands at 1,266.84 mg/kg against 742.88 mg/kg in another regional variety; rutin at 491.66 mg/kg against 378.74 mg/kg. This elevated phenolic profile produces the variety's characteristic intense bitterness, pronounced astringency, and prolonged after-taste.

The olives cannot be consumed directly without processing due to this bitterness. The processing method — natural fermentation (4–6 months) or alkaline debittering — combined with harvest timing is what differentiates the three variants from one another and distinguishes Aydın Memecik Zeytini from other table olives.

Physical and morphological properties

The following values are taken directly from the EU Single Document (C/2024/6963) and the product specification (Ares(2024)3820724):

Morphological characteristics:

• Size: Large

• Shape: Oval

• Longitudinal symmetry: Asymmetrical

• Transverse symmetry: Asymmetrical

• Widest point: Near the middle

• Tip: Pointed bulge

• Fruit surface: Rough

• Fruit colour: Green to black, depending on the maturity index

Dimensional and compositional parameters:

• Minimum and maximum fruit length: 25.61–27.04 mm

• Minimum and maximum fruit width: 19.30–19.40 mm

• Minimum and maximum seed length: 16.5–17.4 mm

• Minimum and maximum seed width: 7.5–8.7 mm

• Minimum and maximum fruit weight: 3.5–4.78 g

• Minimum and maximum fruit flesh content: 75–88%

• Minimum and maximum seed content: 12–15%

• Minimum and maximum flesh to seed ratio: 7.53–7.60

• Minimum and maximum oil content: 20.00–24.50%

• Number of fruits per kilogram: 200–230 pieces

• Fruit index (fruit length / fruit width): 1.4–1.5

The three variants

1. Whole green — Olives harvested before winter, at maturity index 0–1 (skin colour deep green to yellow-green) per the International Olive Oil Council scale. Organoleptic characteristics: colour green to yellowy-green of low intensity; aroma intense vegetable (olive leaf) and mineral (brine); texture firm to the touch and barely deformable, high firmness and cohesion; flavour intense, balanced acid, salty and bitter; marked astringency and spiciness; prolonged after-taste. Biochemical: total sugar content 4.75 mg/100g; total organic acid content 3,146 mg/100g.

2. Pink — Olives harvested before winter, at maturity index 2–4 (skin colour with half the fruit surface turning red, purple, with green flesh). Organoleptic characteristics: colour green to yellowy-green turning red; aroma intensely vegetable with fennel clearly identifiable and a light hint of chilli peppers; texture soft, deformable and elastic, soft and unctuous in the mouth; flavour intense, salty and bitter; pronounced astringency and spicy sensation; prolonged after-taste. Biochemical: total sugar content 3.23 mg/100g; total organic acid content 4,010 mg/100g.

3. Natural black — Olives harvested later in winter, at maturity index 5–7 (skin colour all purple or black, half the flesh turning purple). Organoleptic characteristics: colour dark brown, almost black; aroma average intensity; texture smooth and irregular to the touch, unctuous, soft and juicy in the mouth with low cohesiveness; flavour intense, with balanced acidic and salty flavours; slight bitterness and astringent note detectable; after-taste of average duration. Biochemical: total sugar content 3.76 mg/100g; total organic acid content 5,315 mg/100g.

Production zone

The geographical area is the entirety of Aydın province. Aydın province has 17 districts: Efeler, Bozdoğan, Buharkent, Çine, Germencik, İncirliova, Karacasu, Karpuzlu, Koçarlı, Köşk, Kuyucak, Kuşadası, Nazilli, Söke, Sultanhisar, Didim, and Yenipazar. All production steps — grafting, growing from seeds, fertilisation, pruning, harvesting, selection, separation, cleaning, adding brine, fermentation, and aeration — must take place within Aydın province.

Climate and geographical factors

A Mediterranean climate prevails in Aydın. Summers are hot and dry; winters are rainy. The annual average temperature is 17.6°C. Annual precipitation is between 580–1,000mm, with an average of 677.5mm per year, and an average of 80.6 rainy days. Snowfall is sporadic.

The province lies on the Büyük Menderes Basin, surrounded by mountains to the north and south. The Büyük Menderes Valley opens towards the sea, allowing westerly winds carrying warmth and precipitation to reach the interior regions. These winds give the olives their distinctive organoleptic properties and protect them from the olive fruit fly during ripening. The region is 21% plains, 15.6% plateaus, and 63.4% mountainous terrain.

Olive-growing soils in Aydın typically have lime-sand composition, nutrient-rich profiles, and a pH of 6–8, which supports the quality characteristics of the Memecik variety — size, colour, oil content, and phenolic compound levels. The only water supply in mountainous areas is rainwater, and the hand-picking required in these terrain conditions enables selection of olives at the ideal ripening point.

Production method

Propagation of Aydın Memecik Zeytini is carried out by grafting onto wild olive tree rootstocks (Delice), which grow naturally in Aydın and are valued for their hardiness. Registered seedling rootstocks include Frantoio, Leccino, Arbequina, and Uslu varieties.

Fertilisation is timed to coincide with the beginning of development and flowering (March–May) and the seed-hardening period (July), with application in February–March. Pruning encompasses shaping (single stem, 3–4 main branches), cropping (annually or every two years), and rejuvenation pruning for established trees.

For table olive production, harvesting method depends on terrain. Traditional hand-picking is required in mountainous areas. Machine harvesting is recommended for accessible groves; beating branches with poles is not recommended as it increases periodicity severity. Green olives for brine processing are harvested in September–October when the fruit reaches a yellowish-green colour; black olives for brine and oil start in November–December.

After harvesting, production continues through: selection, separation, cleaning, addition of brine, fermentation, aeration, and packaging. Natural fermentation takes 4–6 months, with olives placed directly in brine (drinking-quality water at 19–20°C, pH 6.5–7, salt content with 39.3% sodium and 60.7% chloride). Fermented black olive production uses alkaline debittering, followed by 10% brine and addition of lactic or citric acid; fermentation at 20–26°C completes in 1–3 months. Green table olives use 5–6% brine.

Packaged product must be clean and intact, without foreign tastes or odours, at proper eating maturity. Table olives intended for storage are held at approximately 7–10°C and 80–85% humidity.

Control and certification

The competent control authority listed in the EU register is the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Aydın Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry (Adnan Menderes Mahallesi Yahya Kemal Caddesi No: 2, 09010 Aydın; +90 256 211 30 00; www.aydin.tarim.gov.tr). The Provincial Directorate verifies that the product meets all specification requirements, originates from the defined geographical area, is produced according to the specified method, and complies with labelling requirements.

Aydın Commodity Exchange coordinates the supervisory authority secretariat and keeps records on farmer information, production areas, fruit growth, industrial facilities, processing, packaging, and storage. It performs annual joint inspections with the Provincial Directorate.