EN Official Journal of the European Union C 312/25

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2010/C 312/15

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘ΞΥΓΑΛΟ ΣΗΤΕΙΑΣ’ (XYGALO SITEIAS)/‘ΞΙΓΑΛΟ ΣΗΤΕΙΑΣ’ (XIGALO SITEIAS)

EC No: EL-PDO-0005-0731-24.11.2008

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name:

‘Ξύγαλο Σητείας’ (Xygalo Siteias)/‘Ξίγαλο Σητείας’ (Xigalo Siteias)

2. Member State or third country:

Greece

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product:

Class 1.3. Cheese

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

Xygalo Siteias is a product of milk acidification. It is white, pasty and/or granular in texture and skinless. It tastes fresh, sourish, slightly salty and has a pleasant characteristic aroma. It has a maximum moisture content of 75 % and a maximum salt content of 1,5 %, whilst its fat in dry matter ranges from 33 % to 46 % and it has a minimum protein content of 31,5 %.

Xygalo Siteias is produced from goat’s milk or sheep's milk, or a mixture of both if the quantity of goat's milk is insufficient, with the fat content of the sheep's milk adjusted, so that the fat content of the final product remains under 46 % (in dry matter). The milk mixture is then pasteurised (optional) and cooled to 25 °C. Salt (NaCl) is added to a maximum of 2 % by weight, as are harmless acidic bacterial cultures and small amounts of natural rennet from animals’ stomachs (mainly if the milk has been pasteurised). Then the milk is left to ferment naturally in food-grade containers that are kept stationary and covered, but not hermetically sealed, for seven to ten days at a temperature of 15-20 °C. The excess fat and butter are removed from the surface of the curd. Ripening continues in these containers for approximately one month at a temperature of 10-15 °C, with no stirring of the curds for the entire duration of the acidification-ripening process. Finally the product is separated from the whey that is concentrated at the bottom of the containers, placed in food-grade casks and refrigerated at a temperature of under 4 °C. If the milk has not been pasteurised, Xygalo Siteias should remain refrigerated for at least two months before it is released for consumption so that checks can be carried out to ensure that the product is free from any undesirable micro-organisms.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):

The raw material used to prepare Xygalo Siteias is fresh milk from healthy sheep and goats that are reared in the traditional manner within the (former) District of Siteia, are entirely suited to the particular climate and flora of the region and stem exclusively from goat breeds indigenous to Greece and local sheep breeds (Siteia breed mainly, Psiloriti and Sfakia breeds and any cross-breeds thereof).

The milk should be the product of milking at least ten days after the animal has given birth, after which either the farmer transports the milk to the cheese dairy or it is refrigerated in milk chillers and collected frequently (usually under the cheese dairy’s responsibility) in a suitable vehicle or refrigerated tank.

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only):

The sheep and goats are reared extensively or, at most, semi-intensively in the traditional manner, in the lowlands and middle-mountain areas not exceeding 1 000 metres. In October and November (when the newborns are suckled), due to the sparsity of natural vegetation and the animals’ increased feeding needs, olive leaves and dried fodder (e.g. clover, hay, maize) are used at a rate of 30-40 % depending on the year.

From December to around April (higher milk production, after the newborns have been weaned), they feed on the local wild flora (grasses and bushes, mostly aromatic and indigenous), which is more abundant during winter and spring rainfall (sage (Salvia fruticosa & Salvia pomifera), rock-rose (‘aladania’ — Cistus creticus), heather (Erica manipuliflora), Jerusalem sage (Phlomis lanata), spiny broom (Calycotome villosa), oak (Quercus coccifera) and others). Right up to the beginning of March, these are supplemented by branches and leaves left over from the annual pruning and cleaning-up of olive trees. During this winter period, dried fodder is also supplied in quantities usually not exceeding 20 % in total so that the animals’ needs are covered during the days of heavy rainfall, snow and frost.

From May onwards and throughout the summer (reduced milk production), most flocks feed on various dried cereals originating in the area's fields, sown specifically for this purpose by the farmers, and graze on grasslands covered with local flora. Depending on the year, dried fodder from other areas (e.g. hay, clover, maize) may be given by way of supplement, at a rate of 30-40 %.

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

Both the production and the processing of the milk, and the production of the Xygalo Siteias, must take place within the defined geographical area.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

Packaging is required to take place within the defined area in order to safeguard the quality of the product (which deteriorates when transported unpacked), because of the greatly increased risk of the bulk product being exposed to the ambient air, which results in contamination by undesirable micro-organisms that diminish its organoleptic characteristics and considerably reduce its, already limited, shelf-life (maximum of six months after production).

Xygalo Siteias is packaged for sale in food-grade containers with a maximum capacity of 5 kg. The relatively large 5 kg containers are intended for the catering industry, where larger quantities are consumed immediately, so the product does not deteriorate.

The capacity has to be restricted so that the product is consumed by the final purchaser within a reasonable period of time after the packaging has been opened and none of its particular organoleptic qualities is lost. Being a soft spreadable cheese, Xygalo Siteias does not have its own protective coating in the same way as hard cheeses.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

The labelling of the product on the packaging must show in clearly visible and legible type:

— the product name ‘ΞΥΓΑΛΟ ΣΗΤΕΙΑΣ’ or ‘ΞΙΓΑΛΟ ΣΗΤΕΙΑΣ’ (and/or in Latin characters ‘XYGALO SITEIAS’ or ‘XIGALO SITEIAS’) followed by the words ‘Protected Designation of Origin’, or the equivalent in (an)other language(s) using the Latin or other script;

— the name and address of both the production and packaging enterprises.

Where raw (non-pasteurised) milk is used in the production process, the packaging should also bear the special marking prescribed in the relevant national and Community legislation.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The region in which Xygalo Siteias is produced comprises the territories of the former (pre-1997) district of Siteia in the Prefecture of Lassithi in Crete, which now (since 2008) correspond to the Municipalities of Siteia, Makry Yialos, Itanos, Lefki and all their municipal districts. This is essentially a peninsula comprising the whole of the eastern end of Crete, which has been isolated by nature from the rest of the island by the Thrypti and Orno mountains to the west, and is lapped by three areas of sea to the north, south and east.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

Geological relief — Climate

Siteia district covers an area of 786 km2. It comprises mostly middle-mountain terrain (altitude of 300-1 000 m with small plateaux), with less than 20 % of lowland (under 300 m) and few upland areas (1 000-1 500 m); the relief is devoid of the sudden projections seen in western and central Crete and this allows sheep and goats to be reared in most places (mainly in the middle-mountain areas and so a lesser extent in the lowlands).

The Siteia region has lower rainfall, stronger winds and higher temperatures than elsewhere in Crete at the same altitude.

The average annual rainfall never exceeds 1 100 mm anywhere; in the middle-mountain and central areas it ranges from 500 mm to 800 mm, in the north-east and south from 300 mm to 500 mm and on the south-eastern side it is less than 300 mm.

The annual average temperature on the north coast is 18,67 °C and it is at least 1 °C higher in the south, with an annual temperature span of 17 °C. In the middle-mountain livestock-rearing areas at an altitude of some 600 m, the expected annual average temperature is around 16,50 °C, with a temperature span of around 20 °C. The average temperatures at the same altitude in western Crete are 1 °C to 1,5 °C lower.

The prevailing winds are north-westerly and they are stronger in July and August, thus preventing very high temperatures during midday hours. Southerlies blow occasionally in the winter months and spring, making the climate milder and warmer.

The number of hours of sunshine is particularly high, ranging from 2 700 hours per annum in the north to over 3 000 hours in the south (highest in Greece).

Flora — Pastures

This particular relief and climate also give rise to special flora. Olives (Olea europaea) are cultivated extensively up to an altitude of around 600 m and vines (Vitis vinifera) are cultivated up to some 1 000 m. More than 700 plant species have been reported in the Siteia area to date, compared with around 1 800 species for the whole of Crete, which is over 10 times larger in area.

Brushwood is the main type of vegetation in non-cultivated areas, with large areas covered with bushy plants, such as thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum), broom (Genista acanthoclada), thyme (Thymus capitatus), sage (Salvia fruticosa & Salvia pomifera) and Cretan ebony (the indigenous Ebenus cretica).

The areas with the greatest concentration of indigenous plants are precisely those with the most, essentially free-range, sheep and goats, which feed on the rich and varied indigenous and aromatic plants, and bushy and herbaceous vegetation.

Tall bushy vegetation (maquis) predominates on rocky slopes, accessible primarily to goats and to a lesser extent to sheep, and includes lentisc (Pistacia lentiscus), Kermes Oak (‘prinos’ — Quercus coccifera), wild olive (‘argoulida’ — Olea europaea sylvestris), wild carob (Ceratonia siliqua) and spiny broom (Calycotome villosa).

Sheep and goat breeds — rearing method — the milk produced

There is a distinct local breed, the ‘Siteia sheep’, which is a subphylum of the Aegean Islands’ small mountain-breed sheep. It is suited to areas with limited vegetation and rainfall, like Siteia, and is not reared for milk alone, but also for meat and wool.

Siteia sheep comprise the majority of the sheep reared in the Siteia area (28 000-30 000 animals in 1995-2000). Over the past 30 years, a smaller number of the Psiloriti and Sfakia breeds have also been reared; they are also suited to middle-mountain conditions. These breeds are also cross-bred with Siteia sheep to increase the latter’s milk yield. Siteia sheep are perfectly suited to their rearing environment; this is demonstrated by their resistance to the outbreak of piroplasmosis (affecting nearly one in 1 000 animals per year, of which only 25 % of cases are fatal). According to recent studies, Siteia sheep yield a relatively smaller quantity of milk per animal, i.e. 106-115 kg per annum per ewe on semi-intensive farms and 72-80 kg on extensive farms in Siteia, whereas the average yield for the whole of Crete is 110-150 kg and 78-98 kg per annum per ewe respectively.

The goats in the Siteia region (18 000-20 000 animals) are breeds indigenous to Greece that are perfectly adapted to inaccessible areas with limited shrub-like vegetation.

The sheep and goats in the Siteia area are reared in the traditional manner on extensive or, at most, semi-intensive farms, less on lowlands and more in middle-mountain areas (altitude of 300 m-1 000 m), on the basis of a repeated annual rearing cycle (see also paragraph 3.4) and on grasslands with a multitude of indigenous and aromatic plants that give the milk particularly tasty characteristics. Sheep and goat reproduction occurs by natural mating within the flocks, meaning that the characteristics of the local breeds are maintained.

Extensive farming means farming where the sheep and goats graze in open ‘extended’ pastures, feeding on the area's vegetation (self-seeded or sown following human intervention). A number of herds change pastures with the seasons and are brought down to lower altitudes during the winter months (November to April).A number of herds change pastures with the seasons and are brought down to lower altitudes during the winter months (November to April) To protect and monitor the animals, traditional enclosures are used which are usually fenced off with stone walls and roofless. Semi-intensive farming is where there are roofed areas where the sheep and goats can stay and be fed and milked, whenever necessary during the cold winter months; for the best part of the year, however, they graze in open pastures owing to the mild climate of the Siteia area. Over the past 20 years, many farmers have built housing and milking installations, moving towards semi-intensive farming, combining the positive elements of extensive and intensive farming methods.

The Siteia region’s tradition in livestock-rearing and cheese-making

From a historical point of view, since as early as Minoan times the Siteia region has always been and still is associated with its inhabitants’ developed livestock-rearing and cheese-making tradition. The following evidence and testimony are cited by way of indication:

— ceramic vessels for cheese preparation, perforated near the base, excavated from a Minoan house in Palaiokastro (capital of the present-day Municipality of Itanos) in Siteia;

— coins from Praissos, the most powerful town in the region in classical and Hellenistic times, portraying a she-goat, which is an indication of its value to the region’s economy;

— written agreements, at least for the years from 1347 up to and including 1450, relating to the frequent loading in Siteia harbour of cheeses bound for Venice, Egypt (Alexandria), Cyprus and elsewhere;

— reference to Siteia as one of the seven regions in Crete in which sheep and goat-rearing flourished in the 13th to 14th century;

— reference to ‘good cheese’ being the main product of the Siteia region in the 19th century;

— the Siteia district’s constant position as one of Crete’s eight livestock-rearing districts in the 19th and 20th centuries and the production, in absolute terms, of the greatest quantity of cheese and wool out of all Crete’s districts in both 1847 and 1929;

— reference to production of hard and soft cheese, butter and wool in statistical data on the Prefecture of Lassithi (whose largest district is Siteia) for the years 1937 to 1938;

— production of Xygalo in Siteia, mainly in the hot summer months from the small quantity of low-fat sheep’s and goat’s milk by both housewives in the home and livestock farmers in stone huts called mitat. They used special ceramic vessels, small earthenware jars (called kouroupia), which had a hole in the lower part so that the whey could be removed without breaking the supernatant curd: — the written reference to Xygalo as being a product of Siteia from as early as 1957 and being produced in at least one of the middle-mountain farming settlements (Mysirgio in the former commune of Mitato, mitato meaning cheese dairy in the Cretan dialect); — the setting-up in the 1970s of the first modern milk-processing unit in the Siteia area; — the fact that there are now two units operating in the Siteia area that have a code number as Approved Installations for the Production of Milk and Dairy Products and produce traditional dairy and cheese products on the basis of a long-established tradition and the special milk-processing methods applied by the region’s livestock farmers and cheese-makers.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

Xygalo Siteias is a special product prepared on the basis of the long-established tradition of livestock farming and cheese-making in the geographical region of Siteia, using special manufacturing technology and milk with special characteristics attributable to local breeds of goat and sheep, the traditional rearing method, and the climate and flora.

Xygalo Siteias is described by well-known Greek tasting experts as ‘a nice little cheese with a pasty texture produced exclusively in Siteia; it has a rich and slightly sour flavour and is fresh’. It found its place on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus in Eastern Crete as early as the beginning of the 1990s, whilst since at least 1999 it has been specifically described as a special dish in (traditional, but also gourmet) restaurants in Athens and Thessaloniki.

On the internet, CONCRED (Conserving Cretan Diet — an initiative backed by the Regional Authorities of Crete), which certifies restaurants that offer dishes in line with the Cretan diet, recommends Xygalo as an excellent hors d’oeuvre going by the name of ‘Xygalo Steiako’.

Differentiation from other spreadable cheeses

The density of Xygalo (75 % moisture) is the same as that of Galotyri cheese from Epirus and Western Greece and Katiki cheese from Domokos, but it is less salty. Kopanisti cheese from the Cyclades and Anevato cheese are denser (maximum moisture content of 56 % and 60 % respectively) and also have more salt than Xygalo. The density of Pihtogalo cheese from Hania lies between the above (maximum moisture content of 65 %).

The salt in Xygalo is added and dissolves in the milk prior to its acidification, which results in the final drained product having a milder, less salty taste. In the case of the other products (Kopanisti, Anevato, Pihtogalo, Katiki), the salt is added to the drained cheese curd after the whey has been strained. Only in the case of Galotyri is the salt added to the milk, but 24 hours after it has started to acidify.

The feature that greatly distinguishes Xygalo from other similar products is its lower fat content, which (in dry matter) must be a minimum of 33 % and a maximum of 46 % by weight.

In contrast, in the case of Hania’s Pihtogalo, the minimum fat content is much higher (50 % by weight) and it is 40 %, 43 % or even 45 % in the case of the other cheeses. The low fat content is achieved by using a high proportion of goat’s milk and/or removing/skimming fat from the milk or the actual Xygalo during its production. There is no equivalent skimming stage in the methods used to produce the other, similar, cheeses, which undergo stages of homogenisation instead.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):

In summary, there are four main points that are crucial to the quality and characteristics of Xygalo Siteias that bind the product to the geographical area (environment and people) and, at the same time, differentiate it from other similar products:

— the use of high-quality milk produced exclusively from local breeds (Siteia sheep and, to a lesser extent, Psiloriti and Sfakia sheep or crosses between them, and goats indigenous to Greece) reared using traditional livestock-farming methods (extensive or, at most, semi-intensive) within the defined area and suited to its particular climate (low rainfall, large number of hours of sunshine, relatively high average temperature, but without significant fluctuations in the day, strong winds, etc.);

— existence of a population of indigenous and aromatic plants on natural grasslands in the designated area which livestock farmers use to feed sheep and goats, making optimum use on the basis of their experience of the geology of the terrain in all seasons of the year, the special climatic features, and the particular flora of the region, which contributes to the milk production and imparts a special quality and pleasant organoleptic characteristics to Xygalo Siteias;

— use of special technology to produce Xygalo Siteias, the main features of which are as follows: — control of fat content by skimming either the milk at the outset or the product after the first acidification stage, so that the product is kept as ‘light’ as possible; — addition of salt to all the milk prior to acidification, resulting in its minimally salty taste; — not stirring the curd at any point during the acidification/ripening process, which takes place in the natural environment, so that the microflora required for natural fermentation develop; and — separation of the Xygalo Siteias from the whey performed successfully (in terms of time and quality) after ripening, so that the curd splits as little as possible;

— survival of the ancient name of the basic product of natural milk acidification ‘Οξύγαλα’ (Oxygala or acid milk), slightly corrupted in the local dialect of Siteia to ‘Ξύγαλο’ (Xygalo), whose production method is extraordinarily close to that in Hellenistic and Roman times. Similar products now have names that are quite different, whilst other dairy products have a far shorter history in the geographical area of Crete, and Greece in general.

Reference to publication of the specification:

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

http://www.minagric.gr/greek/data/Προδιαγραφές%20προϊόντος%20ΞΥΓΑΛΟ%20ΣΗΤΕΙΑΣ.doc

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.