Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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

(2020/C 115/06)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment 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.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘Piave’

EU No: PDO-IT-0686-AM02 – 5.4.2019

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consorzio di tutela del formaggio ‘Piave’ DOP [Protection association for ‘Piave’ PDO cheese] with registered office at Via Nazionale 57/A, 32030 Busche di Cesiomaggiore (BL).

The Association is made up of producers of ‘Piave’ and is entitled to submit an amendment application pursuant to Article 13(1) of Decree No 12511 of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy of 14 October 2013.

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

☐ Name of product

☒ Description of product

☐ Geographical area

☐ Proof of origin

☒ Method of production

☐ Link

☐ Labelling

☐ Other [to be specified]

4. Type of amendment(s)

☒ Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

☐ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

Product description

Characteristics of the cheese have been further specified. The amendment concerns the last paragraph of Article 2 (characteristics of the product) and the last paragraph of point 3.2 of the Single Document.

Current wording:

‘Consistency and appearance: characterised by a lack of eyes. It is white and smooth in the Fresco variety but becomes straw yellow with a drier, grainier and more crumbly consistency as it ages, with typical light flaking in the Vecchio, Vecchio Selezione Oro and Vecchio Riserva varieties.’

Amended text:

‘Consistency and appearance: closed, compact, light-coloured and smooth in the Fresco variety but darker in colour with a drier, more grainy and more crumbly consistency as the cheese ages. In all types, occasional small eyes and slight irregularities (flaking) of the cheese may be tolerated but eye formation that is pronounced and/or due to the activity of propionic acid bacteria is prohibited.’

The aim of the proposed amendment is to define the sensory profile of ‘Piave’ PDO in a more appropriate way by including terminology that is more suited and relevant to the dairy sector. The definition of the colour of the more mature cheeses has been broadened from just straw yellow to better reflect the darker and more variable colouring of these cheeses. This is due to the time of year that they are produced, which also depends on the inflorescences in the cows’ diet.

With regard to the presence of eyes, it is reiterated that ‘Piave’ PDO is a closed cheese which can however occasionally have small eyes, caused by mechanical means or otherwise, due on the one hand to the various pressing systems and on the other to the presence of sparse colonies of gas-producing microorganisms in the natural starter cultures. Pronounced eye formation, especially due to the activity of propionic acid bacteria is of course to be avoided, this being a sign of abnormal and uncontrolled fermentation. What is meant by the term ‘flaking’ has also been clarified.

These amendments are necessary because the previous wording does not provide any flexibility in terms of checking these characteristics and could result in some cheese not being certified as ‘Piave’ cheese despite having the necessary characteristics.

Method of production

The paragraph concerning the production of raw material in Article 5 of the product specification and point 3.3 of the Single Document has been reworded as regards cattle breeds and the cows’ diet.

Current wording:

‘All milk used to produce ‘Piave’ cheese comes from the area referred to in Article 3 of this document, with at least 80 % produced by cattle breeds that are typical of the production area and that are particularly hardy and suited to mountain areas, namely Bruna Italiana (Italian Brown), Pezzata Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Pied) and Frisona Italiana (Italian Friesian).’

Amended text:

‘All milk used to produce ‘Piave’ cheese comes from the area referred to in Article 3 of this document. At least 80 % is produced by cattle breeds that are typical of the production area and that are particularly hardy and suited to mountain areas, namely Bruna Italiana (Italian Brown), Pezzata Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Pied), Frisona Italiana (Italian Friesian), Grigio Alpina (Alpine Grey) and their crossbreeds.’

The purpose of the requested amendment is to reinstate the local Alpine Grey breed, which was abandoned in the past due to its lower productivity, but has been rediscovered in recent years due to its distinct rustic nature and its adaptability to the mountainous terrain. The Alpine Grey breed, which is a medium-sized, rustic and frugal cow, with a strong instinct for foraging for food even on inaccessible pastures, has proven to be particularly suited to exploiting the natural resources of the area. The dual purpose of the Alpine Grey, which is also used to produce meat, and its particular suitability for mountainous terrain, are characteristics that are increasingly encouraging the reintroduction of this breed on farms in the mountainous area of the province of Belluno. Cheese made using milk from the Alpine Grey fully corresponds to the characteristics of ‘Piave’ cheese. Another characteristic of cattle farming that is typical of the mountains and thus of the whole ‘Piave’ cheese production area has also been made explicit, namely the frequent crossing of the aforementioned breeds of cattle. Historically, the farms in the mountain area, which are not especially suited to targeted genetic selection, have used the usual progeny of the herd.

Current wording:

‘The ration may not include the following prohibited feedstuffs:

— industrial medicated feed;

— vegetables, fruit and rapeseed;

— urea, urea phosphate, biuret.’

Amended text:

‘The ration may not include the following feedstuffs:

— industrial medicated feed;

— fresh vegetables, fruit and rapeseed, used directly;

— urea, urea phosphate, biuret.’

The purpose of the amendment introduced is to make it clear that vegetables, fruit and rapeseed are prohibited as feedstuffs only if they are used directly in their fresh form, as their moisture content can result in unwanted fermentation which causes changes in the sensory profile of the milk. However, this problem does not arise if the same foods are used in the ration of the cows in a dry or concentrated form; there is therefore no need to prohibit such feedstuffs in the cow’s diet.

The adjective ‘prohibited’ repeats the concept of ‘may not include’ and has therefore been removed.

Article 5 Storage, collection and transport

The method of milk collection has been updated.

Current wording:

‘Milk is collected from two or four milking sessions, with a maximum of 72 hours between the first milking session and processing.’

Amended text:

‘Milk is collected over a maximum of three consecutive days.’

The purpose of the amendment is to move away from the idea of two or four milking sessions understood as traditional milking sessions, i.e. two per day. The introduction of automated milking has made it possible to increase the number of consecutive milking sessions over the course of the day. From a scientific point of view, the use of automatic milking systems does not affect the properties of the milk; in particular, its composition is statistically comparable, in terms of fats and protein content, to that of milk obtained by traditional milking. In fact, the use of these systems improves the cows’ health, as it eliminates the stress caused by milking them only twice a day during lactation peaks. The possibility of milking large quantities more than twice a day also has the effect of subjecting the udder and teats to less stress, improving the microbiological quality of the milk and reducing the occurrence of mastitis. In addition, it improves the rheological properties of the milk, which are a measure of the strength of the curds, i.e. how fast they react to the enzymatic effect of the rennet and how they resist the mechanical action of the ‘lira’ used to separate them.

With regard to the timing of milk collection/processing, the amendment is due to the fact that today’s milking and refrigeration systems and the milk storage conditions on the farm ensure optimal product hygiene standards and maintain the milk’s characteristics for more days than in the past, meaning that it is no longer necessary to put a limit on the time that passes between collection and processing; this is all supported by processing tests and microbiological findings, which show that the milk is suitable for processing for more than three days after milking.

This change should meet the needs of small livestock farmers who often, in particular during the winter, have to deal with road conditions affected by typical mountain weather conditions.

Heat treatment

The heat treatment method has been brought into line with actual production possibilities.

Current wording:

‘Milk pasteurisation at 72 °C +/– 2 °C for 16 seconds achieving a negative reaction to a phosphatase test.’

Amended text:

‘Heat treatment Milk used to produce “Piave” PDO cheese may be pasteurised.’

The amendment to the paragraph is justified by the fact that the parameters of the treatment may vary depending on the type of system used; it is thus necessary to provide also for systems that give the same result by applying different durations and temperatures (e.g. tubular pasteurisers compared to plate pasteurisers). Therefore, the pasteurisation stage remains unchanged, but, for the reasons stated above, no fixed reference values are indicated, as they are inherent in the definition of pasteurisation itself and are regulated by specific legislation.

The amendment also meets the requirements of a number of undertakings in the Belluno area, such as mountain holdings or small mountain dairies, which do not have the possibility to pasteurise milk. This amendment will allow the use of raw milk in keeping with tradition.

Cheesemaking

Some technological parameters of the cheese-making have been better defined.

Current text:

‘Cooking at 44–47 °C and stirring-leaving to settle for a total duration of 1,5–2 hours’

Amended text:

‘Cooking at 44-47 °C’

This amendment will allow the processing times to be adapted to the type of system used. The various stages can vary depending on the type and capacity of vats. Setting a minimum and maximum duration has therefore been found, over the years, to limit the range of production systems that could be used.

Deleting the words ‘stirring-leaving to settle’ is justified because this stage is an intrinsic part of the production technology for cooked cheeses and specifying it is unnecessary and only serves to make the text more cumbersome.

Salting

Current text:

‘Salting is carried out by immersion in brine for a minimum of 48 hours.’

Amended text:

‘Salting is carried out by immersion in brine.’

Over the years, it has been found that setting a minimum duration for soaking in brine is a very limiting constraint which does not allow this stage to be adapted to different production situations. In fact, the methods and duration of salting vary according to the different types of brine, which differ in terms of volume, water circulation method, temperature, immersion method, procedures for cleaning the brine, etc. These differences mean varying degrees of effectiveness in terms of the salt’s penetration into the cheese; it was therefore considered appropriate to abolish the minimum duration for immersion in brine.

The removal of this constraint meets the production needs of the small undertakings that highlighted its limitations as they do not have the automated systems or staff necessary to manage this stage in a strict way. However, the correct degree of salting is guaranteed by the sensory profile of ‘Piave’ PDO.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Piave’

EU No: PDO-IT-0686-AM02 – 5.4.2019

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Name(s) of PDO or PGI

‘Piave’

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy.

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Piave’ is a hard, aged, cylindrical cooked cheese made from cows’ milk.

The cheese is marketed with the following types:

Fresco [fresh]: aged more than 20 days and less than 60 days; diameter 320 mm ± 20 mm; height of the heel 80 mm ± 20 mm; weight 6,8 kg ± 1 kg.

Mezzano [medium]: aged more than 60 days and less than 180 days; diameter 310 mm ± 20 mm; height of the heel 80 mm ± 20 mm; weight 6,6 kg ± 1 kg.

Vecchio [aged]: aged more than 6 months; diameter 290 mm ± 20 mm; height of the heel 80 mm ± 20 mm; weight 6 kg ± 1 kg.

Vecchio Selezione Oro [aged – gold selection]: aged more than 12 months; diameter 280 mm ± 20 mm; height of the heel 75 mm ± 20 mm; weight 5,8 kg ± 1 kg.

Vecchio Riserva [aged – reserve]: aged more than 18 months; diameter 275 mm ± 20 mm; height of the heel 70 mm ± 20 mm; weight 5,5 kg ± 1 kg.

‘Piave’ cheese has the following characteristics:

Fat content: Fresco 33 % ± 4 %, Mezzano 34 % ± 4 %, Vecchio > 35 %.

Protein content: Fresco 24 % ± 4 %, Mezzano 25 % ± 4 %, Vecchio > 26 %.

— Taste: initially it has a sweet, lactic taste, especially in the Fresco variety but also discernible in the Mezzano variety; as the cheese ages, the taste becomes stronger and steadily more intense and full-bodied until becoming slightly sharp in the more mature cheeses.

— Rind: obvious, soft and light-coloured in the Fresco variety but thicker and harder as the cheese ages, becoming hard and increasingly dark in colour tending towards ochre in the Vecchio, Vecchio Selezione Oro and Vecchio Riserva varieties.

— Consistency and appearance: closed, compact, light yellow in colour and smooth in the Fresco variety but darker in colour with a drier, more grainy and more crumbly consistency as the cheese ages. In all types, occasional small eyes and slight irregularities (flaking) of the cheese may be tolerated but eye formation that is pronounced and/or due to the activity of propionic acid bacteria is prohibited.

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

The diet of the dairy cows must comply with the following requirements:

at least 70 % of the fodder and 50 % of the dry matter must be produced in the production area indicated in point 4, located wholly in mountain areas.

The ration may not include the following feedstuffs:

— industrial medicated feed;

— fresh vegetables, fruit and rapeseed, used directly;

— urea, urea phosphate, biuret.

The milk used to produce ‘Piave’ cheese comes exclusively from the province of Belluno, with at least 80 % produced by cattle breeds that are typical of the production area, namely Bruna Italiana (Italian Brown), Pezzata Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Pied), Frisona Italiana (Italian Friesian), Grigio Alpina (Alpine Grey) and their crossbreeds.

The other raw materials used also comply with the criteria of respecting local tradition. Use is made of a specific starter culture and whey starter which are produced locally from milk from the province of Belluno and from processing serum containing cultures belonging to indigenous strains.

The acidity of the starter culture is 10 °SH/50 ± 3.

The acidity of the whey starter is 27 °SH/50 ± 3.

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

The whole production process (milk production, titration, heat treatment, introduction of cultures, curdling, pouring/moulding, pressing, stamping, allowing to settle prior to ageing, salting and ageing) must take place within the area indicated 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

The name of the product (‘Piave’) is stamped vertically on the whole heel with the word shown in the opposite direction on alternate lines (height 70 mm ± 5 mm).

Each wheel of cheese must indicate the production batch allowing the day, month and year of production to be identified. The batch code must be stamped on the heel or on one side of the wheel.

A label is attached to the other side of the wheel, with the following wording:

— ‘Piave’ Denominazione d’Origine Protetta [Protected Designation of Origin];

— Fresco, Mezzano or Vecchio (Vecchio Selezione Oro – Vecchio Riserva);

— mark or trade name of producer.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The area of production of ‘Piave’ cheese comprises the territory of the province of Belluno.

5. Link with the geographical area

The province of Belluno is situated wholly in a mountain area and its geographic borders are marked by mountain ranges which separate the territory of Belluno from the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia to the east, the Veneto plain of the provinces of Treviso and Vicenza to the south, Trentino Alto Adige to the west and Austria to the north. The Piave river runs through the territory from the north to the south and south-east from its source on Monte Peralba in Val Visdende in the area of Comelico in the most northerly part of the province of Belluno.

The existence and distribution of the mountain ranges, specifically the Dolomites in the north-west and the Alpine foothills in the south-east, together with the Piave river, which runs through the area for its whole length, create a particular environment which differs from that of adjacent areas, with very high average annual rainfall and minimum average annual temperatures which tend to be lower than in neighbouring areas. These particular environmental features of temperature and rainfall permit typical mountain species of vegetation to develop. The province of Belluno is located in the Dolomite area of the Italian Alps and contains two important parks: the Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi [National Park of the Belluno Dolomites] and the Parco Naturale Regionale delle Dolomiti d’Ampezzo [Regional Natural Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites].

The territory of the province of Belluno is entirely mountainous. Because of the lack of low-lying and hilly areas and the altitude and slope of the terrain, the whole province is classified as a less-favoured area for farming, but the same features also contribute to its suitability for milk and cheese production. The province of Belluno is characterised by considerable grazing area totalling about 13 000 hectares, and the resulting figure of 4,38 hectares per animal is well above the average for neighbouring areas (0,67 hectares per animal).

‘Piave’ cheese has the following characteristics:

— a distinctive taste profile during the various stages of ageing, caused by processes of proteolysis and lipolysis which are the combined result of two types of culture and indigenous microorganisms;

— firmness as a result of the absence of fermenting gases;

— a lactic aroma, stronger in the younger products;

— a flavour which gradually becomes intense and full-bodied, and slightly sharp in varieties that have been aged for longer, without ever becoming excessive, thus typifying the unique, balanced and easily recognised flavour of ‘Piave’ cheese.

These quality characteristics are linked to two main factors:

(a) the milk used for production, which is creamier and richer in protein than milk in other areas (even other parts of Veneto). The milk used to produce ‘Piave’ cheese comes exclusively from the province of Belluno and its average fat content (3,93 %) and protein content (3,35 %) are higher than those of milk produced in other provinces of the Veneto region (3,69 % for fat and 3,27 % for protein) and also above the national average (3,7 % for fat and 3,28 % for protein).

(b) the typical lactic microflora used, which are indigenous. The starter and whey cultures used to produce ‘Piave’ are produced locally from milk and processing serum containing cultures belonging to indigenous strains. Since they are reproduced directly in the area, the microbial flora produced by these natural cultures represents a kind of microbiological imprint of the geographical area of production. The complex interactions which take place between the various organisms which they contain may be considered one of the decisive factors in achieving the particular organoleptic characteristics of ‘Piave’ cheese.

The organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of ‘Piave’ cheese are derived from the particular geographical, environmental and production features of the mountain area where it is produced.

The notable properties of the milk used to produce ‘Piave’, with its higher fat and protein content, are a result of farming in mountain areas.

A feature of mountain areas in general but especially of the province of Belluno is their low production indices for milk. The production of milk per hectare of permanent forage area/grazing in the province of Belluno (less than 10 litres compared with an average of 272 litres per hectare of grazing in other provinces) and the productivity per animal (44 hectolitres per year compared with a regional average of 57 hectolitres) are well below the average figures in other areas. The grazing load of animals in the province of Belluno is also much lower than in neighbouring areas and provinces. As indicated earlier, the area of permanent forage/grazing available to cattle in the area where ‘Piave’ cheese is produced (4,38 hectares per animal) is well above the figure for neighbouring areas and the regional average (0,67 hectares per animal).

An additional factor is that the environmental conditions, such as temperature and average rainfall, which differ significantly from adjacent areas, permit the development of typical mountain species of vegetation which provide particular aromatic components to milk in the province of Belluno and thus to ‘Piave’ cheese.

All these factors – low milk production indices in the identified area, the large area available for grazing and the ample supply of fodder and typical mountain species of vegetation for cattle feed – result in a specific ecological niche and create the particular features which typify the quality of the milk produced in the province of Belluno.

These particular qualities, together with the use of two locally produced cultures (starter culture and whey starter), are the decisive factors which give ‘Piave’ cheese its particular organoleptic characteristics.

The production of ‘Piave’ cheese has been handed down from generation to generation in the province of Belluno. Its origin dates from the end of the 19th century when the first rotating dairies were set up in mountain areas in Italy.

The first products classified as ‘Piave’ – a river of renown for a product of renown – date back to 1960, when a third of the 10 tonnes of milk per day supplied to the dairy cooperative Latteria Sociale Cooperativa della Vallata Feltrina was set aside for the production of ‘Piave’ and ‘Fior di Latte’ cheeses.

‘Piave’ cheese takes its name from the river of the same name, which crosses the whole province of Belluno from the north to the south and south-east.

Nowadays the product is well known and appreciated by consumers, so much so that since the 1980s it has received important awards for its particular and typical characteristics both nationally, where it obtained the Spino d’Oro award in 1986, 1992 and 1994 at the 23rd, 26th and 27th Mostra delle Produzioni Casearie cheese fairs in Thiene, and at international events, such as the Mountain Cheese Olympics in Verona in 2005 when it won the Buonitalia flavour award for the best exported cheese, at the World Cheese Awards in Dublin where it won first prize for mature cheeses and at the World Food Exhibition in Moscow in 2007.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The full text of the product specification is available on the following website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità’ (at the top right of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.

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