Şalgam[1] or Şalgam Suyu[2] (Turkish pronunciation:[ʃal̴ˈɡam(suˈju)]; lit. "turnip (juice)"), pronounced "shal-gam",[3] is a popular Turkish traditional
fermented beverage[4] from the southern
Turkish cities of
Adana,[5][6]Hatay,
Tarsus,[7]Mersin,[8]Kahramanmaras,
İzmir[9][10] and the
Çukurova region. The name of the fruit is a
Persian loanword[11] meaning turnip. It is either called turnip juice, turnip water,[12] shalgam juice,[13] or shalgam water.[14]
The French traveler, naturalist and writer
Pierre Belon described its production method in the 16th century.[15] Şalgam is produced by lactic acid fermentation.[16][17] Studies have shown that the juice of the purple carrot used in Şalgam reduces the effects of high-carbohydrate, high-fat diets in rats.[18] It is one of the most popular beverages during winter in Turkey.[19]
A slice of purple carrot, wedges of
paprika and/or garlic is often added just before drinking.[20][21][22][23][24][25] Alongside
rakı and
ayran, it is typically drunk after eating kebab.[26]
Şalgam is often served alongside the alcoholic drink rakı in a separate glass as they complement one another.[27][28]
In some parts of Turkey, ayran and şalgam are mixed.[29]
Production
Although the
Turkish word şalgam literally means "
turnip", şalgam is made with the sour
[30] and salty brine[31] of purple
carrot pickles, salted, spiced and flavoured with aromatic turnip [32] (çelem) fermented in barrels [33] with the addition of ground
bulgur and rock salt.[34][35] It is sometimes sold by street vendors who serve it from large goblets,[36] but there are also specialized shops that sell pickles called turşucu that sell non-industrial versions of şalgam.[21][37]
There is no standard production technique used by the industry,[38][39] but the traditional method uses sourdough fermentation and carrot fermentation.[40] Since 1996 there exist factories for large scale industrial production of şalgam in Turkey [41][42] The biggest producer of şalgam is the company Doganay Gida, whose market share of the annual production is nearly 95%.[43] While the drink is exported to both Europe and Japan there exists no large scale importation into America, a company called Ersu tried to sell it as "Black miracle drink" but the campaign was eventually cancelled.[44][45] While the industrial method takes 4–5 days, the traditional method takes 10 to 12 days.[14] The special taste of şalgam comes from lactic acid [46] and ethanol [47][48] The special process is an adaption of yeast fermentation and spontaneous lactic acid fermentation.
[49]
Health benefits
While şalgam is commonly recommended as a cure [50] for
hangovers, consuming excess amounts may cause bloating according to some sources.[51] According to local Turkish custom it is drunk to help digestion.
[52]
It has been reported that the drink has positive health benefits,[53] because its
anthocyanin content reduce health disease risks and the probability of carcinogenic occurrences.[54] It has a high
sodium content that some researchers believe could be dangerous for people with
heart disease.[55][56] It contains β-carotene, group B vitamins, calcium, potassium, and iron and is drunk for its antiseptic effects.[14]
It was reported in academic journals that it helps to remove toxins from the human body, can also help with reducing kidney stones. It is also used to treat pubertal acne, eczema, abscesses, whitlow, and hematomas.[57]
Şalgam is considered a
functional food by some researchers since it is a diuretic that also cleans lungs and bronchi.[14]
Events
Şalgam, has been celebrated as a festival in
Adana since 2010. The
World Rakı Festival (
aka Adana Kebap ve Şalgam Festivali), emerged from a hundred-year tradition of enjoying
kebabs, with liver, şalgam and rakı. The event turned into a nationwide popular street festival; street musicians playing drums and
zurna entertain visitors all night long on the second Saturday night of December.[58]
^UTUS, D. 2008. The effect of black carrot (Daucus carota) size usage on the quality of shalgam production. MSc Thesis, p. 55, Cukurova University, Turkey (in Turkish).
^Erginkaya Z, Hammes WP (1992) Şalgam suyu fermantasyonu sırasında mikroorganizmalarin gelişimi ve izole edilen laktik asit bakterilerinin tanımlanmaları üzerine bir araştırma
^Ercelebi, E.A.; Özkanli, O. A traditional fermented beverage: Shalgam juice. In Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Traditional Foods from Adriatic to Caucasus, Tekirdag, Turkey, 15–17 April 2010; pp. 1019–1020. (In Turkish)
^Erginkaya, Z.; Aksan, E. Adana province traditional beverage: Shalgam. In Proceedings of the Traditional Foods Symposium, Van, Turkey, 23–24 September 2004. (In Turkish)
^Yener, D. A Research on the Physical, Chemical, Sensory and Microbiological Properties of Shalgam Taken
from Different Sales Places in Mersin Province Center. Master’s Thesis, Trakya University, Tekirdag, Turkey,
1997. (In Turkish)
^Tanguler H, Erten H (2012b) Chemical and microbiological
characteristics of shalgam (şalgam); a traditional Turkish lactic
acid fermented beverage. J Food Quality 35: 298–306.
^Geschichte der Rübe (Beta) als Kulturpflanze: Von den Ältesten Zeiten a bis zum Erscheinen von Achard’s Hauptwerk 1809, Springer-Verlag, 8 Mar 2013, By Edmund O. von Lippmann, page 89
^CANBAS, A. and FENERCIOGLU, H. 1984. A study on the
production of shalgam. Gida (Turk. Food J.) 9, 279–286 (in Turkish).
^CANBAS, A. and DERYAOGLU, A. 1993. A research on the processing techniques and characteristics of shalgam beverage. Doga-Turk. J. Agric. For. 17, 119–129 (in Turkish).
^OZTURK, O. 2009. A research on the composition of shalgam beverages obtained from Adana Market. MSc thesis, p. 43,
Cukurova University, Turkey (in Turkish).
^Erten, Huseyin; Tanguler, Hasan; Canbaş, Ahmet (30 May 2008). "A Traditional Turkish Lactic Acid Fermented Beverage: Shalgam (Salgam)". Food Reviews International. 24 (3): 352–359.
doi:
10.1080/87559120802089324.
S2CID85143324.
^Kelebek, H. Phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of shalgam: Traditional beverage from southern
Turkey’s cities. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Traditional Foods from Adriatic to
Caucasus, Struga, Macedonia, 24–26 October 2013; p. 551
^AYDAR, A. 2003. The influence of Lactobacillus Plantarum addition on the composition and quality of shalgam. MSc Thesis, p. 35,
Trakya University, Turkey (in Turkish).
^ANONYMOUS. 2003. TS 11149 Standard of Shalgam Beverage.
Turkish Standards Institute, Ankara.
^GUNES, G. 2008. A study on the determination of the most suitable
quantity of black carrot (Daucus carota) for the production of shalgam. MSc Thesis, p. 48, Cukurova University, Turkey (in
Turkish).
^ARICI, M. 2004. Microbiological and chemical properties of a drink called shalgam. Ernahrungs-Umschau 51, 10–11 (in
German)
^Erginkaya, Z.; Hammes, W.P. A research on the identification of isolated lactic acid bacteria and on the
developing microorganisms during the fermentation of shalgam juice. Gida 1992, 17, 311–314. (In Turkish)