A Traditional Melon Seed Sherbet with Nutritional Value and Its Potential In Gastronomy Tourism

Turkish food culture has great importance in world culture. From Ottoman cuisine to Turkish cuisine traditional beverages culture has been moved. There is also a melon seed sherbet which is among the traditional drinks but has lost its importance.In the scope of culinary tourism, which can not only ensure the transmission of cultural data from the past to the future but also create financial income, is an interesting concept that involves many ingredients in the new industrial climates and the spreading international travel concept in the countries. In this study, because of being a drink with alternative and gastronomic value, analyzes were made to determine the nutritional content and value of sübye, which is locally produced in Izmir and supplied from public sales area. In study, we determined that the values of moisture, protein, ash, fat and sugar were 89.58%, 0.99%, 0.16%, 1.68% and 7.59%, respectively. The values of mineral content are magnesium 6.0 mg/100 g and iron 0.4 mg/100 g. Arsenic in the beverage was not detected. It has been found that with the high protein and low fat content of the sübye, it can be seen as a healthy and alternative drink which can be consumed by each age group. In terms of gastronomy tourism and sustainability, sübye stands out as a cultural beverage that can play a key role in both preserving traditional culinary heritage and offering a unique, health-conscious option in the modern food and drink market, making it an attractive feature for culinary tourism.