# C_2023084EN.01000901.xml

| 7.3.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 84/9 |
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7.3.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84/9

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Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2023/C 84/05)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje'

EU No: PGI-HR-02632 — 11.9.2020

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje'

2.   Member State or Third Country

Republic of Croatia

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oils, etc.)

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is a virgin, edible oil obtained by roasting and mechanically pressing the seeds of the field pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.).

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is dark-green to black in colour with a reddish tint. The aroma is dominated by the smell of roasting, combined with a specific flavour reminiscent of nuts, and is devoid of any strange or rancid odour or flavour. 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is aromatic, with a smooth, subtle taste and a clearly identifiable scent of roasted pumpkin seeds. It has fragrant, spicy notes and a well-balanced bouquet. 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' contains at least 70 % unsaturated fatty acids and has a proportion of free fatty acids (expressed as oleic acid) of ≤ 1 % and a peroxide value of ≤ 4 mmol O2/kg. 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' has a harmonious, refined, visually attractive texture, with good viscosity and a shiny tint. 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is bottled in glass containers with a capacity not exceeding 1 l.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is produced from the dried seeds of the field pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.).

3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All stages of production of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje', from the cultivation of the pumpkins to the harvesting of the seeds and their processing into oil, must take place in the defined geographical area referred to in point 4.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

-

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

-

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area for the production of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje', from the planting of the pumpkins to the production of the oil, is the whole of Varaždin County. Varaždin County is bordered by Slovenia to the northwest, Međimurje County to the north, Koprivnica-Križevci County to the east, Zagreb County to the south, and Krapina-Zagorje County to the southwest.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The causal link between ‘Varaždinsko bučino ulje’ and the area in which it is produced is based on its reputation, which comes from the long tradition of producing the oil in Varaždin County.

Specificity of the geographical area

Most of the land in Varaždin County is arable land, which is why the people have been farmers since time immemorial. This geographical area has favourable climatic and soil conditions for cultivating the field pumpkin. According to the Köppen climate classification, Varaždin County has a moderately warm and a moderately cold climate. The climatic conditions during the flowering and harvesting of the pumpkins, measured over several years, show an average temperature of between 14,9 °C and 20,1 °C, relative humidity of between 78,3 % and 85 %, and average monthly rainfall ranging from 73 mm to 100 mm. The three summer months (June-August) are the wettest, with average precipitation of over 90 mm, accounting for about a third of annual precipitation. Some 60 % of the precipitation occurs during the vegetation period. That pattern of rainfall provides favourable conditions for the cultivation of the pumpkins and pumpkin seeds from which 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is produced. The soil and microclimate play a significant role in the cultivation of the pumpkins, which accounts for the particular quality of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' in these climatic and soil conditions.

The tradition of producing 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' in Varaždin County goes back hundreds of years. According to historical records, the local people of the village of Biškupec near Varaždin were already cultivating pumpkins and producing pumpkin oil 150 years ago. Pumpkin oil began to be manufactured in the mid-19th century, with producers presenting their pumpkin oil at various trade fairs. The only pumpkin oils to be exhibited at the first Dalmatian-Croatian-Slavonian Trade Fair that was held in August, September and October 1864 in Zagreb were produced in Varaždin County. They were produced by Baron Metel Barlabaševečki Ožegović from the village of Bela and Baron Juraj Rauch from the village of Martijanec, both in Varaždin County (Šuhaj & Devide, 1864, Prva izložba dalmatinsko-hrvatsko-slavonska mjeseca kolovoza, rujna i listopada 1864 obdržavana u Zagrebu [First Dalmatian-Croatian-Slavonian trade fair in August, September and October 1864 in Zagreb], Brzotisak A. Jakić).

Industrial production of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' dates back to 1917, when the First Varaždin Hydraulic Oil Production plant began operating in Varaždin. Production of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' increased thanks to the use of hulling machines, which eliminated the long process of hulling pumpkin seeds before processing, and a factory used to purchase the entire production of pumpkin seeds in Varaždin County.

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is mentioned in the work 'Monografija Općine Vidovec' ['Monograph of the Municipality of Vidovec'] as one of the symbols of that area. Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin oil have been produced in the municipality of Vidovec near Varaždin for over a century, and the first oil mill processing pumpkin seeds into pumpkin oil was opened there in 1936. The people of Varaždin County have been producing top-quality 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' for decades thanks to the long tradition of production, their hard work and skill in tilling the land and producing and processing the seeds, and regular investment in know-how and technology.

The properties of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' are the result of the local practices used in its production. Thanks to the experience and know-how of producers, the seeds are processed at lower temperatures to produce 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje', which releases sweeter fragrant notes than would otherwise be the case if the seeds were processed at normal roasting temperatures. Furthermore, a small amount of cooking salt is added when ground pumpkin seeds are turned into a paste, which contributes to the specific quality of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' (Nenad Martinec, Sandra Balbino, Jasminka Dobša, Vesna Šimunić-Mežnarić, Saša Legen: Macro and microelements in pumpkin seed oils: Effect of processing, crop season, and country of origin, 2019, Food Science & Nutrition, pp. 1-11).

Specificity of the product

The process of transforming pumpkin seeds into 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is specific and differs from the production of other plant oils in that it is obtained by mechanical means and with the use of heat, without any additives, which results in a high-quality oil and one with specific organoleptic characteristics.

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is aromatic with a refined, subtle taste and aroma. The oil has fragrant, spicy notes with a clearly recognisable scent of roasted pumpkin seeds. 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' has a well-balanced bouquet of roasted pumpkin seeds, which contributes to the product’s pleasant, harmonious taste.

The scientific community is also showing a growing interest in 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje', which is increasingly the subject of works analysing the properties of this oil and comparing it with other pumpkin oils. Research has shown that 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' stands out according to the basic standard quality parameters. Accordingly, in comparison with the pumpkin oils produced in other areas of Croatia, the 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' oils produced in Varaždin County have the lowest multi-annual average values for the proportion of free fatty acids (expressed as oleic acid, with a value of ≤ 1 %) and the peroxide number (≤ 4 mmol O2/kg), in other words they are of better quality (Sandra Balbino: Vrhunska kvaliteta bučinog ulja – izazovi i mogućnosti, I. Znanstveni skup – Varaždinsko bučino ulje [Top-quality pumpkin oil – challenges and opportunities, first scientific conference –Varaždinsko bučino ulje], 2020, abstract). ‘Varaždinsko bučino ulje’ contains a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, like essential linoleic and oleic acid (at least 70 % unsaturated fatty acids).

Thanks to its fatty acid composition, 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is one of the most important sources of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, whose health benefits have been scientifically proven. (Ivančica Delaš, 2010: Zaboravljene vrijednosti – bučino ulje [Forgotten benefits of pumpkin oil], pp. 38-42, Hrvatski časopis za prehrambenu tehnologiju, biotehnologiju i nutricionizam 5 (1-2)).

Varaždin County is proud of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje'. Part of the information brochure entitled ‘Katalog poljoprivrednih proizvoda i proizvođača Varaždinske županije’ [Catalogue of agricultural produce and producers of Varaždin County] is devoted to it, and it is also covered in the promotional materials published by the county in cooperation with producers and chefs to promote the reputation of traditional products. Other publications include a leaflet entitled 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' and children’s picture books entitled 'Šetnja varaždinskim krajem' [A walk through the Varaždin region] and 'Dobrodošli u Bučograd' [Welcome to Pumpkin Town], which are devoted to 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje'. This all clearly shows the renown of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' in Varaždin County, and indeed throughout Croatia.

There is a rich tradition of production of the renowned 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' in the defined geographical area, and the name 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is still used today in everyday parlance (invoice and shipping note, 2018, issued by Uslužna uljara Patrčević [Patrčević oil mill]).

Causal link between the geographical area and the product

The causal link between 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' and Varaždin County is based on the centuries-old tradition of production, through which the product has become renowned over time.

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is an integral part of the culinary heritage of the Varaždin region. Thanks to its gastronomic properties – its characteristic nutty taste (Petra Regović, thesis, 2013, pp. 1 and 53) and its smell of roasted pumpkin seeds – 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' has been an indispensable product in the traditional preparation of dishes of the Varaždin region for more than a century.

Various publications about the preparation of delicacies, recipes and tourist guides describe 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' as a typical product of the Varaždin region which many consumers consider to be a speciality of Varaždin (Čuvari tradicije, okusa i mirisa varaždinskog kraja [Guardians of the traditions, flavours and aromas of the Varaždin region], 2016; 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje', leaflet).

The famous chef Damir Crleni has invented simple recipes for various dishes in which the main ingredient is 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje'. These recipes have been brought together in a cookery book published by Varaždin County (Damir Crleni 2018, 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje', Knjiga recepata ['Varaždinsko bučino ulje' recipe book), whilst his traditional cookery book of the Varaždin region is entirely devoted to pumpkins and 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' (Damir Crleni 2019, Tradicijska kuharica, knjiga recepata [Traditional cookery and recipe book]).

The fact that 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' is regularly showcased at festivals, exhibitions and events in Varaždin County also demonstrates the renown of this product. The 'Izložba bučinog ulja' [pumpkin oil exhibition] has been held since 2011 in order to raise producers’ and consumers’ awareness of the importance of consuming this product. The exhibition is held every year, and since 2018 it has taken on an international character thanks to the participation of pumpkin oil producers from Austria, Slovenia and Hungary. Pumpkin oil tastings are organised and the properties of the various oils are assessed, with certificates and prizes being awarded to the best producers. Over several decades the quality of 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' has been recognised in exhibitions outside Croatia, as demonstrated by the many awards and prizes it has received in recent years in Paris, Belgium and Austria (Monde Selection, GOLD QUALITY AWARD on the 59th World Selection 2020 of Food Products; Agence pour la Valorisation des Produits Agricoles, 18ème Concours International 'Les Huiles du Monde' AVPA-Paris 2020; third Alpe-Adria Ölprämierung, Austria, 2020).

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' also occupies pride of place alongside other traditional products in the tourism promotion activities of Varaždin County, whilst the promotional material 'Varaždinska županija: Put kroz vrijeme' [Varaždin County: A journey through time] emphasises that, since time immemorial, 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' has been an essential condiment for dishes whenever a spread is put on for guests in the local area in order to give them a taste of traditional products (tourist board of Varaždin County, 2014, Skromni i svečani objed, Na seljačkim kolima [Everyday meals and feasts, On a farm cart], p. 14).

All the available documentary records testifying to the link between 'Varaždinsko bučino ulje' and the geographical area have been included in the monograph, which provides an overview of traditional production, the state of the art and the latest scientific knowledge on the nutritional and health benefits of this oil (Roman Ozimec, Dragutin Vincek, Sandra Balbino, Mara Bogović, Davor Hostić, Damir Crleni, Ivan Goričanec: Varaždinsko bučino ulje – monografija [Varaždinsko bučino ulje: a monograph] 2020, pp. 1-208).

’Varaždinsko bučino ulje' has succeeded in preserving its reputation thanks to the small-scale local producers who, through the generations, have tended to use this name in their everyday parlance and when putting the product on sale at local markets (Varaždinske vijesti, 1982, Potvrda dobrog ugleda [Confirmation of good reputation], p.12; Varaždinske vijesti, 1984, Bogata i raznovrsna zimnica [The rich diversity of provisions for winter], p. 10).

Reference to publication of the specification

https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/hrana/proizvodi_u_postupku_zastite-zoi-zozp-zts/Varazdinsko_bucino_ulje_specifikacija_14092022.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

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