*****

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 21 December 1988

on the adoption of standards on tinned mushrooms

(89/12/EEC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and in particular Article 155 thereof,

Whereas threre are at present no standards in the Community on tinned mushrooms, either as regards the manufacturing processes and ingredients which may be used in mushroom preparations or as regards the protection of certain descriptions and keeping certain descriptions for certain methods of preparation; whereas two Member States only have introduced provisions with the aim more or less of achieving those objectives;

Whereas, in view of experience gained and in order in particular to avoid barriers to the free circulation of tinned mushrooms and to encourage sound competition in the Community, the Member States should be encouraged to introduce, in the abovementioned areas, national provisions complying with the common reference term which is the subject of this recommendation;

Whereas recommendations are an effective instrument as they encourage cooperation between Member States on a voluntary basis enabling the initiative of the interests concerned to be stimulated; whereas that procedure should be applied before drawing up binding rules by the establishment of common quality standards for products intended to be consumed in the Community or exported to third countries,

RECOMMENDS THE MEMBER STATES:

1. to adopt manufacturing standards for tinned mushrooms in accordance with the following provisions:

All tinned cultivated mushrooms with the exception of culinary preparations such as 'mushrooms à la grecque' etc., must be prepared from fresh mushrooms (of cultivated varieties (1) of Acaricus Bisporus or Psalliota bispora) and water or mushroom cooking juice with the optional addition of salt (NaCl), vinegar or crystallized citric acid for cooking, spices, aromatics, ascorbic acid used as an anti-oxidant and possibly sodium glutamate.

In accordance with that definition, proteins, starch and other substances intended to limit the loss of weight of the mushrooms (possibly by increasing water retention) must not be used;

2. to reserve:

the descriptions 'mushrooms' or 'cultivated mushrooms' for preserves comprising mushrooms and water, with or without added salt and/or acids as mentioned above, and excluding any other ingredients.

Those descriptions may be supplemented by the expression 'au naturel' (plain) where the immersion liquid comprises water and salt only;

the descriptions 'à l'étuvée', 'à l'étouffée' (braised) and 'préparés dans leur jus' (prepared in own juice) solely for preserves comprising mushrooms and mushroom cooking juice with the optional addition of salt, acids as listed in point 1, spices and aromatics.

Any other method of culinary preparation must be indicated on the label by an appropriate expression;

3. to lay down methods of examination and analysis using the following principles:

Samples collected by designated national bodies to carry out the analyses shall be taken from the raw materials during processing before the mushrooms are cooked. The soaking liquid must contain water and the substances indicated in point 1 only.

4. to forward to the Commission, within three months of notification of this recommendation, the legislative and administrative provisions adopted pursuant to this recommendation.

This recommendation is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 21 December 1988.

For the Commission

Frans ANDRIESSEN

Vice-President

(1)CN-code 2003 10 10.