Chufa de Valencia

Dried tubers of Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck., grown and processed in l'Horta Nord de Valencia, registered as a PDO under file number PDO-ES-0055. The designation covers fresh tigernuts, dried tigernuts, and selected dried tigernuts meeting defined chemical and physical thresholds that distinguish Valencian production from tigernuts grown elsewhere.

About this designation

Chufa de Valencia is registered as a PDO with eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013452, file number PDO-ES-0055, with EU protection dating from 3 July 1998. The protected name is also recognised in Valencian as Xufa de València. The applicant body is the CRDOP CHUFA DE VALENCIA. The designation covers the tuber of the yellow nutsedge variety Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck., harvested, washed, dried to a moisture content of between 6,5 % and 12 %, and selected to a minimum size greater than 3 mm. The specification requires the following chemical composition in terms of weight in dry matter: sugars at least 11 %, fats at least 25 %, protein at least 6,5 %, starch at least 25 %, and raw fibre at least 5 %. The production area is confined to l'Horta Nord de Valencia and encompasses nineteen named municipalities: Albalat dels Sorells, Alboraya, Albuixech, Alfara del Patriarca, Almàssera, Bonrepós i Mirambell, Burjassot, Emperador, Foios, Godella, Massalfassar, Meliana, Moncada, Museros, Paterna, Rocafort, Tavernes Blanques, Valencia, and Vinalesa. Planting, harvesting, washing, drying, cleaning, sorting, and classification must all take place within this area. Planting takes place between March and June; harvesting takes place from the end of October. The drying process is artisanal and takes place over a period of three months.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 3 July 1998 under file number PDO-ES-0055, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013452.
• The specification requires a fat content of at least 25 % and a sugar content of at least 11 % in dry matter; the source states Valencian tigernuts have a higher fat and protein content than those grown elsewhere.
• Dried tigernuts must have a moisture content of between 6,5 % and 12 % and a minimum selected size greater than 3 mm.
• All production steps — planting, harvesting, washing, drying, cleaning, sorting, and classification — must take place within the nineteen named municipalities of l'Horta Nord de Valencia.

Tasting notes

Valencian tigernut DOP from Alboraya area, traditional cultivation. Small dried tubers, sweet nutty flavor.

HoReCa use

Foundation of Horchata de Chufa, the iconic Valencian drink obtained by crushing the tigernuts; occasionally used in Valencian desserts.

Packaging

• vacuum-pack-dried-200g
• vacuum-pack-dried-500g
• vacuum-pack-dried-1kg
• professional-bulk-5kg
• horchata-bottle-1L