Carob Industry and Processing Facilities in Turkey
Carob is a fruit that can also be consumed as it is collected from the tree; however, most of its economic value emerges in the processing industry. The pod is broken and separated into pulp and kernel; pulp crushing is divided into products such as flour, powder, molasses and extract, and the kernel is separated into shell, endosperm and germ and converted into products such as gum and germ flour.
In this article, we discuss the processing chain of the carob industry in Turkey step by step, examine which product emerges at which stage, current trends in the sector and value-added production targets with their sources.
The Basic Logic of the Carob Industry
The basis of the carob industry lies in the separation of the two main components of the pod: the sweet and fibrous pulp and the hard-shelled kernel. Sources report that the pulp makes up approximately 80–90 percent of the pod's weight and 10–25 percent of the kernel (Correia & Pestana, 2024). Since the properties and uses of these two components are very different from each other, the processing chain is also divided into two branches.
In the FAO-supported Feedipedia database, based on the monograph of Batlle and Tous (1997), the processing chain is summarized as follows: The dried pods are sent to the processing plant and crushed to separate the beans from the pulp. The pulp is ground into different sizes depending on whether it will be used for feed or food purposes. It is also possible to grind whole pods in hammer mills for feed purposes. The hard shell of the beans is removed by acid treatment or roasting; then the core is divided into endosperm and germ. Endosperm is ground to obtain gum, and germ mill to obtain germ flour (Feedipedia).
A review states that harvested pods often go to small industrial units that perform core separation (Correia and Pestana, 2024). This indicates that the first link of industry consisted of regional crushing and separation plants before large factories.
Stage One: Acceptance, Cleaning and Crushing
The processing chain begins with the acceptance of the raw material into the facility. During this stage, the pods are checked for criteria such as moisture, foreign matter, mold, and insect damage. The BAKA report states that the harvested produce is either sent directly to the processing plant or stored in a covered area (BAKA, 2024).
The cleaned pods are shredded in crushing machines. The purpose of the crushing process is to separate the seeds from the pulp without damaging them. The seeds are separated from the crushed material; pulp pieces are classified according to their intended use. Pulp pieces with separated seeds are called "kibble" in international trade and carob kibble or granules in Turkish.
- Raw material acceptance and quality control
- Separation of impurities
- Crushing
- Core–pulp separation
- Classification of pulp according to its dimensions
For the characteristics of carob kibble What is Carob Kibble (Granule)? You can review our article.
Pulp Sleeve: Crushing, Flour, Powder, Molasses and Extract
Deseeded pulp is the branch that constitutes the widest product range of the carob industry. According to the product table in the BAKA report, the following products can be obtained from pulp (BAKA, 2024):
| Process | Product and area of use |
|---|---|
| Crushing / direct use | Dry feed for horses and ruminants |
| Grinding | Flour/powder for food and feed purposes; cocoa substitute, ingredient in dietary and pharmaceutical products |
| Extraction and purification | Sugar and molasses |
| Fermentation and distillation | Alcohol and microbial protein |
| Extraction | Tannins |
Flour and powder: The pulp is dried and ground to obtain carob flour or powder. Depending on whether roasting is applied or not and the fineness of grinding, different products emerge. In the BAKA report, referring to Whiteside (1981), it is stated that carob powder contains approximately 46 percent sugar and 7 percent protein (BAKA, 2024). For details What is Carob Flour Powder? You can check our article.
Molasses: The water-soluble sugars of the pulp are extracted into the liquid phase, filtered and condensed. There is a Turkish Standard for carob molasses in Turkey, numbered TS 13717, and the BAKA report includes this standard and the traditional production stages (BAKA, 2024). Molasses production process What is Carob Molasses and How is it Made? It is explained in detail in our article.
Extract: It is produced through extraction and concentration processes aimed at obtaining specific components or soluble substances. On the subject What is Carob Extract? and What is D-Pinitol in Carob? You can read our articles.
Core Arm: Debarking, Endosperm, and Germ
The kernel is a small raw material in volume but important in value. In a source based on Batlle and Tous (1997), it is stated that approximately 30-33 percent of the kernel is the seed coat, 42-46 percent is the endosperm and 23-25 percent is the embryo (germ); when the endosperm is ground, carob gum (galactomannan), which is used as a thickener and stabilizer in food, is obtained (Çetinay et al., 2014).
According to the product table in the BAKA report, portions of the core turn into the following products (BAKA, 2024):
| Endosperm | Carob gamut by grinding (E410); stabilizer and thickener in food, dietary fiber, pet food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics |
| Embryo (germ) | Germ meal ground and used in human and animal nutrition |
| Seed coat | Tannins used in leather tanning by extraction |
The report cites Jones (1953) and states that approximately 20 kg of pure dry gum can be obtained from approximately 100 kg of nuclei (BAKA, 2024). This ratio indicates that gum production is a process that requires a large amount of nuclei and requires technical knowledge. For more information about the nucleus itself What is Carob Seed? You can check our article.
Structure of Industry and Demand in Turkey
For this article, we could not reach a tidy, up-to-date and official data on the number and capacity of carob processing facilities in Turkey; therefore, we do not provide a number of facilities or capacity figures. However, sources indicate that the demand of the industry is increasing.
In the news regarding the investor guide published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2020, it was emphasized that the demand for the product of carob processing factories in Turkey has increased and that production should be done in gardens rather than wild trees. In the same news, it was stated that the fruit of carob is used in the production of molasses in the food industry, as well as table consumption, and its seeds and other parts are used in the paper, paint, textile, plastic, petroleum, furniture, matches, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries (Habertürk/AA, 2020).
One of the main problems of the industry on the raw material side is the inability to maintain the quality depending on the origin in the processing process. In a review, it is emphasized that storage companies and processing facilities do not follow the origin or variety of the pods, so the chemical properties depending on the origin are lost in the industrial process (Correia and Pestana, 2024). Increasing traceability can provide advantages to the industry in terms of both quality management and marketing.
Initiatives for Value-Added Production
In the latest evaluations of the carob sector in Turkey, the production and export of processed products instead of raw products is the prominent target. At the Antalya carob workshop in 2023, it was recommended to support industrialists who produce value-added products; Prof. Dr. Hamide Gübbük called for value-added exports instead of raw fruits or seeds (Politika Newspaper, 2023).
Within the scope of the "Those in Anatolia: 81 Provinces 81 Products" project initiated in Alanya, initiatives such as processing and packaging facilities, branding, e-commerce and new product development are planned. The aim of the project is defined as transforming carob into high value-added products by taking it beyond the sale of raw products (Ekonomi Gazetesi, 2026).
Quality and Food Safety in Industry
In carob processing plants, product quality is determined at every stage, from raw materials to the final product. Prominent quality elements are as follows:
- Acceptance of raw material with proper moisture and clean
- Managing the risk of mold and pests in storage
- Foreign matter control in crushing and separation processes
- Standardization of roasting, grinding, and extraction parameters
- Batch-wise traceability and analysis
- Packaging suitable for the product and target market
It is known that pests such as the locust bean moth can damage the product both in the garden and in the warehouse (Gugliuzzo et al., 2019). For this reason, raw material storage conditions in industrial facilities are also determinants of the quality of the final product.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is carob processed at the factory?
The pod is cleaned and broken, the kernel is separated from the pulp. Pulp crushing is converted into flour, powder, molasses or extract; the kernel is converted into gum and germ flour after the shell is separated.
Where is carob gum obtained?
It is obtained by grinding the endosperm part of the kernel. According to sources, approximately 20 kg of pure dry gum can be obtained from approximately 100 kg of kernels.
What is Kibble?
It is a broken carob pulp with a separated seed; It is also known as carob kibble or granule in Turkish.
How many carob factories are there in Turkey?
We could not reach a compact and up-to-date official data on this subject; however, sources show that the raw material demand of the processing industry is increasing.
Carob Türkiye Processed Carob
Each piece of carob becomes a raw material for a different sector when processed correctly. As Carob Türkiye, we supply carob fruit, cracks, flour/powder, seeds and extracts. Carob Kibble (Granular), Carob Flour / Powder, Carob Seed, Carob Extract and D-Pinitol Extract You can review our pages. For your wholesale and export requests Contact Now You can contact us on our page.
Domestic resources
Erbaş, S., "Carob Agriculture and Industry Feasibility Report", Western Mediterranean Development Agency (BAKA), Publication No: 153, 2024. DEVELOPMENT LIBRARY.
gov. en/ assets/ upload/ files/ Keciboy... Çetinay, Ş., Güler, S., Coşgun, S., Şahin, M., Güngöroğlu, C., "Natural and Grafted Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Comparison of Trees in Terms of Fruit and Seed Characteristics (Köprülü Canyon National Park Example)", Journal of Süleyman Demirel University Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, 17(1), 64–69, 2014. dergipark.
org. en/ en/ pub/ sdufenbed/ article/ 222049 Anadolu Agency / Habertürk, "Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry made a call for investment for carob production", 11 December 2020. haberturk.
com/ AGRICULTURE- and- forest- Ministry- Carob- production... Politika Newspaper, "Another benefit of carob has emerged!" (Antalya carob workshop news), 7 August 2023. my policy.
com/ carob- one- BENEFIT- more- revealed- output Economy Newspaper, "Alanya carob will become a brand", 22 July 2026. economy newspaper.
com/ cities/ alanya- Carob- If it were branded... Foreign sources
Feedipedia – Animal Feed Resources Information System, "Carob (Ceratonia siliqua)" datasheet (processing information based on Batlle and Tous, 1997). feedipedia.
org/ node/ 320 Correia, P. J., Pestana, M., "Sugars and phenols in carob tree fruits from different producing countries: A short review", Heliyon, 10, e30922, 2024. doi.
org/ 10. 1016/ j. helion. 2024. E30922 Gugliuzzo, A., Mazzeo, G., Mansour, R., Tropea Garzia, G., "Carob pests in the Mediterranean region: bio-ecology, natural enemies and management options", Phytoparasitica, 47(5), 605–628, 2019. doi.
org/ 10. 1007/ S12600- 019- 00766- 7 Batlle, I., Tous, J., "Carob tree. Ceratonia siliqua L. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops 17", Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben / International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, 1997. feedipedia.
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