EN Official Journal of the European Union C 52/19

Publication of an application 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

(2016/C 52/14)

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).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ΓΛΥΚΟ ΤΡΙΑΝΤΑΦΥΛΛΟ ΑΓΡΟΥ’ (GLYKO TRIANTAFYLLO AGROU)

EU No: CY-PGI-0005-01310 — 03.02.2015

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Γλυκο Τριανταφυλλο Αγρου’ (Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou)

2. Member State or Third Country

Cyprus

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares

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

‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ is a homogenous, thick mixture of rose petals, sugar and water, which has set during the preparation process. It is served with a spoon and eaten as a dessert.

Chemical characteristics

Moisture content: 20-24 %

Ash: 0,1-0,3 %

Carbohydrates: 70-85 %

Organoleptic characteristics

Colour: the characteristic colour of the sweet when in the jar is a deep, dark purple to brown. The sweet appears a lighter brown/orange when it is spread out, while the individual petals are translucent beige with brown tones.

Consistency: a thick mixture containing a high proportion of intact rose petals which give it a firm consistency.

Aroma: a strong rose fragrance

Taste: sweet, tasting of roses

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

To make the sweet the following ingredients are used, in a ratio of 1:1:1 to 1:1½:1 respectively:

— rose petals (without stem) of the variety Rosa damascena (damask rose), which have been grown on holdings located within the defined geographical area,

— sugar,

— water.

Lemon juice is also added to the final mixture (1 %).

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

— Harvesting of the raw material: the roses are harvested only during the cool hours of the morning, specifically between five and eight o’clock, when the flowers are not yet fully open and the petals are still moist. Delivery and storage: the roses are delivered fresh and still attached to the stems, within approximately three hours of harvesting. Next: (a) preparation of the sweet begins immediately; or (in exceptional cases where the volume of roses delivered is very large) (b) they are immediately chilled at a temperature of 0-6 °C with approximately 75 % relative humidity; they may not be stored for longer than 24 hours.

— Preparation: first the stems and any other woody material is removed so that only the petals remain, these are then screened to remove the pollen and finally they are washed in cold tap water.

— In the cauldron — first cooking: the rose petals are cooked in a little water with sugar. The initial amount of water added depends on how much remains on the petals after washing. At this stage, the cauldron is covered with a properly-fitting lid so that all the aromas are incorporated into the mixture, which helps to ensure that the sweet has the desired rose fragrance.

— In the cauldron — second cooking: the mixture continues to be cooked with the lid open after the remaining sugar and water and the lemon juice have been added.

— Cooling, packaging and heating in the oven: the sweet is left to cool at room temperature and it is then transferred to sterilised glass jars with lids, which can withstand high temperatures. The jars are placed in the oven and heated until the temperature in the centre of the mixture reaches 70-85 °C.

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

‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ is packaged in glass jars (which can be heated to high temperatures), but there is no minimum or maximum weight.

Τhese jars are packed in cardboard boxes and stored at room temperature (in a cool, dry place).

Shelf life: three years from the date of packaging.

Storage temperature: ambient temperature below 25 °C.

Packaging is part of the production process and must be carried out within the defined geographical area (see point 3.6 below).

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

In the interests of improved traceability, labelling must also take place within the defined geographical area. This is because the product is very susceptible to contamination. Contamination is prevented by packaging and then labelling, which ensures that all stages of the production process take place within the defined geographical area, including the final stage.

The regulations on the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, as amended or replaced, must be observed. In addition, it must be clearly stated on the label that the product is made from roses of the Rosa damascena variety grown in the Community of Agros.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ is produced within the administrative boundaries of the Community of Agros.

5. Link with the geographical area

Although small quantities of rose spoon sweet are prepared by other producers elsewhere in Cyprus and abroad, ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ is unique owing to,

(a) The raw material, i.e. the petals of the damask rose, which thrives in the Agros area.

(b) The link that has developed between damask rose products and the Community of Agros over the past hundred years or more and the reputation they have acquired;

(c) The know-how built up by the Community and in particular the only commercial producer of ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’, which has incorporated into its production process the methods and expertise of the local women who in times past would prepare the sweet at home as a medicinal remedy.

(a) Raw material and the local damask rose crop: ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ is one of the products made from the petals of the damask rose, which thrives in the defined geographical area. The link between Agros and products made from roses derives from the fact that the damask rose has been grown in the area for over a hundred years. A total of 70 % of all the holdings growing this variety in Cyprus are located in the Community of Agros, because it is well-suited to the area’s specific climatic conditions. The availability of large quantities of rose petals on holdings close to the processing facility means that a sweet (‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’) with specific characteristics deriving from prompt delivery of the raw material from field to kitchen can be prepared on a commercial scale.

The geographical area has a distinct microclimate, which is good for damask rose growing.

The link between the damask rose and the environmental characteristics of the Agros area derives from the climate (a cool, dry mountain climate) and the soil. Agros lies at an altitude of around 1 000 metres, which is ideal for rose growing as evidenced by the large quantities (around 70 %) grown in this Community. Moreover, it is located in a natural basin, so the roses are protected from northerly winds.

Temperatures range from -5 °C to 35 °C. However, during the months when vegetative growth begins they are stable, which is important. Major fluctuations in temperature from March to June could have an adverse effect on the crop. Rainfall is also stable; likewise, any variation could adversely affect flowering and therefore the yield. In May when the roses bloom and are harvested there is usually little rain and therefore little risk of fungal disease, and the conditions for harvesting are ideal. Lastly, the rock (gabbro and diabase) in combination with the soil type (medium texture and rich in organic matter), provide suitable soil conditions for this variety of rose.

Owing to the specific climatic and soil conditions, the Community of Agros has come to be identified with damask rose growing and processing and over the years a number of cultural traditions have developed in connection with this. The first references to damask rose growing in Cyprus date back to the end of the 19th century and the only areas ever recorded as producing a sizeable crop were the Communities of Mylikouri and Agros, which attests to their distinct characteristics. In both areas rose growing gained momentum after 1940 but Agros produced more roses than Mylikouri and it still does today, which leads to the firm conclusion that specific climatic conditions combined with human factors are the reason why damask roses continue to thrive there. Moreover, there are no written references to a sweet being made from damask roses in Mylikouri; only rosewater appears to be produced in that area.

In addition to the fact that the Agros area is well suited to damask rose growing, it should be noted that according to scientific studies, only 20 % of all rose species are classed as scented, 50 % are weakly scented and the remaining species are unscented. The damask rose is among the 20 % classed as scented and the research also shows that where scent is concerned it differs from other hybrids. It can therefore be concluded that the specific fragrance of ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’, which is prepared from the petals of the damask rose, is due to the specific aromatic properties of that variety of rose.

(b) Link and reputation of the Community of Agros: in Agros, the processing of damask roses into a sweet began when they started being grown on a commercial scale at the beginning of the 1940s. References dating back to 1940 explain how women in the Community of Agros would prepare ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ at home not only to be eaten as a simple, traditional sweet but also as a remedy for constipation. Up until 1985 it was made only in private kitchens, not on a commercial scale. Around 1985 Niki Agathokleous started to produce it commercially, deploying the expertise she had acquired from her mother-in-law. To this day, this is still the only authorised commercial producer of ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’, although during the harvesting period many women in the village continue to prepare small quantities at home for private consumption.

Besides the historical link between Agros and the rose spoon sweet, the Community’s link with damask rose products is also evidenced by its cultural life. Every year in mid-May (depending on the weather), i.e. at harvest time, the Community holds an annual rose festival where the local damask rose products are presented, including the local sweet. The rose has become an emblem of the Community, so to speak, and this is evidenced by publications (recent and less recent) featuring the village that specifically mention its damask rose products.

(c) Expertise: although the fragrance of the damask rose is the basic factor that makes the product distinct, the expertise acquired over time is also very important. This is deployed in: harvesting of the roses, (they are picked every day during the harvesting period and this is done very carefully so that the petals yield as much fragrance as possible), post-harvest handling and preparation of the final product. The expertise built up over the years is reflected in:

(i) the fact that the petals remain intact and their firm consistency in the final product;

(ii) the firm consistency of the final mixture;

(iii) the high proportion of rose petals in the final mixture.

More precisely, the human factors that help give ‘Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou’ its specific characteristics, especially as regards fragrance, colour, intactness of the petals and the high proportion of petals in the mixture are described below:

1. The roses are harvested only during the cool hours of the morning from five to eight o’clock, when the flowers are not completely open and the petals are still moist. Picking the flowers when it is hot reduces their oil content, as the essential oil evaporates from tiny hairs on the petals. The roses are then transported immediately to the processing facility so that preparation of the sweet can begin while the petals are still moist and fragrant. The proximity of the holdings to the processing facility is also crucial, as it cuts the transport time of the rose petals to a minimum so that their quality and aromatic properties are unimpaired when they are processed.

2. When the roses are first cooked with the water and sugar, the cauldron is covered with a lid, to minimise the evaporation of essential oil and ensure that the sweet absorbs as much fragrance as possible. The steam released at the beginning of cooking has the highest essential-oil content (fragrance) — because this has a lower boiling point than water and evaporates first — and it needs to come into contact with a cool surface in order to condense and return to the mixture to be absorbed.

3. The careful harvesting by hand and the very short distance to the processing facility also help to ensure that the rose petals remain intact, which is crucial to ensuring that the final product has a firm consistency.

4. The proportion of rose petals in the mixture is another crucial factor, ensuring that the mixture has a thicker consistency and is more aromatic.

5. The gradual (in two stages) addition of sugar during preparation (cooking) helps the rose petals to cook gradually and evenly; this is decisive in determining the colour and firm consistency of the final product.

Publication reference of the specification

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

http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/F3FF567F4E8FF1C5C2257B970039D8EF/$file/Προδιαγραφες%20Γλυκο%20Τριανταφυλλο%20Αγρου%20final.pdf

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