EN Official Journal of the European Union C 53/11

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

(2018/C 53/07)

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).

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED

‘KIEŁBASA KRAKOWSKA SUCHA STAROPOLSKA’

EU No: TSG-PL-02145 — 14.6.2016

1. Name(s) to be registered

‘Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’

2. Type of product

Class 1.2. Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.)

3. Grounds for registration

3.1. Whether the product

— ☒ results from a mode of production, processing or composition corresponding to traditional practice for that product or foodstuff — ☐ is produced from raw materials or ingredients that are those traditionally used

‘Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is a traditional product which results from a mode of production corresponding to traditional practice. Its method of production derives from the Cracovian tradition of making thick-cut sausages, which was written about as early as 1926 in the following publication: Krakowskie wyroby wędliniarskie — praktyczne wskazówki o wyrobie wędlin (Cracovian charcuterie — Practical advice on how to prepare charcuterie) by Polish author Andrzej Różycki. In view of its fine quality and character, the method of production for this type of sausage spread to other regions. The method of production is based on traditional processes: curing, resting, smoking and drying. During production, the process of resting, lasting between two and three hours, has a special role to play: complex physiochemical processes occur within the product, giving it a specific taste and smell.

3.2. Whether the name

— ☐ has been traditionally used to refer to the specific product — ☒ identifies the traditional character or specific character of the product

The name ‘kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is used to refer to a specific product which is manufactured according to the method of production of traditional, coarsely ground Cracovian sausages. ‘Kiełbasa krakowska’ has become a generic name. However, on registered products, the term ‘staropolska’ relates to the method of production and not to a geographical area. According to the etymological dictionary, the word ‘staropolski’ means that which is related to a bygone period of Polish history.

4. Description

4.1. Description of the product to which the name under point 1 applies, including its main physical, chemical, microbiological or organoleptic characteristics showing the product’s specific character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

‘Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is a dried, coarsely ground sausage. It appears in the form of a typical cylindrical sausage of around 300 mm in length, or in portions thereof, within a natural or protein casing of 50 to 70 mm in diameter, which is evenly wrinkled and has a dark brown outer colour typical of smoked products. The surface of the sausage is shiny, slightly wrinkled and dry to the touch. The ends of pieces are tied or stapled together.

The cross-section of the sausage clearly shows larger pieces of meat and smaller, lighter coloured pieces of fat surrounded by filling. The cross-section of the sausage clearly shows large pieces of lean pork of a pink to dark pink colour, surrounded by somewhat lighter coloured pieces of meat of other classes. All of the meat ingredients are firmly held together enabling the product to be easily sliced.

In the light, thin slices appear slightly transparent, creating a distinctive almost stained glass appearance.

The ‘feel to the touch’ is that of a smooth, dry and evenly wrinkled surface.

‘Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is characterised by the taste of cured, smoked and cooked meat, with distinct peppery overtones and a delicate aftertaste of garlic and nutmeg.

It has the typical smell of strongly smoked sausage with a very delicate scent of garlic. ‘Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is a long-lasting, smoked, cooked and dried sausage, produced using traditional recipes and only from meat of the highest quality. It is mainly produced from lean pork. The large pieces of pork are supplemented by filling to which is added a blend of only natural spices. All the spices, the quality of the selected meat, the resting and smoking process, and the final drying process result in an excellent and uniquely flavoured product.

4.2. Description of the production method of the product to which the name under point 1 applies that the producers must follow including, where appropriate, the nature and characteristics of the raw materials or ingredients used, and the method by which the product is prepared (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

Ingredients

Raw meat (in kg, per 100 kg of total weight of meat):

Class I pork — 70 kg

Class IIA pork — 10 kg

Class III pork — 10 kg

Up to 10 kg of fat — cutting fat — may be used.

10 kg of Class I pork may be replaced by up to 10 kg of Class II beef.

Pork classification

Class I — lean meat, without tendons,

Class IIA — moderately fatty meat, without tendons,

Class III — lean or moderately lean meat, tendons,

Fat

a) Outer Class I — without fat, Class IIA — layer of up to 8 mm, Class III — limited amount, 9-11 mm

b) intermuscular: Class I — layer of up to 2 mm, Class IIA — layer of up to 10 mm, Class III — limited amount of up to 15 mm

c) intertissue: allowed in all classes

Analytical fat content

Class I — up to 15 %

Class IIA — up to 30 %

Class III — up to 25 %

Fat colour in all classes: white, with a pinkish or creamy hue

Tendons

Class I — no tendons,

Class IIA — limited quantity of tendons, up to 10 %

Class III — unlimited quantity

Meat hyperaemia in all classes: prohibited

Lymph nodes in all classes: prohibited

Beef classification

Class II — meat with tendons, minimal outer fat of up to 2 mm and a layer of intermuscular fat of up to 2 mm

Fat

a) outer — layer of up to 2 mm,

b) intermuscular — layer of up to 2 mm,

c) intertissue — allowed up to 2 mm

Analytical fat content: 16 %

Fat colour: Pale cream to deep yellow

Tendons: No thick tendons

Hyperaemia and lymph nodes: prohibited

Colour of chilled meat: light red to dark red

The main raw material is lean, good quality pork and/or beef.

The pork must comply with the following quality parameters:

— water-holding capacity: 2-5 %

— pH value (5,5-5,9 — measured after 24 hours of chilling);

— raw pork from pigs showing clear signs of myopathy is not permitted (PSE, DFD, evidence of physiological processes or injuries, etc.);

— meat from sows and boars is not permitted;

— meat from animals showing unlawful characteristics, in particular porcine stress syndrome (PSS), which can be detected objectively and ‘post mortem’ in animals and products, is not permitted;

— the meat must not be subject to any other preservation process apart from chilling and it may not be frozen;

— chilling means the keeping of fresh meat, during storage and transport, at an ambient temperature of between – 10 C° and + 7 C°;

— meat used for production may not come from pigs slaughtered within less than 48 hours or more than 144 hours.

Additives in kg per 100 kg of total production weight

Natural black pepper — 0,05-0,10

Natural white pepper — 0,15-0,20

Nutmeg — 0,05-0,10

Fresh garlic — 0,30-0,40

Sugar — 0,15-0,20

Curing mix composed of: min. 98,5 % salt and 0,5-1,5 % nitrates (III) — approx. 1,5 kg.

Preparation of raw material and the production process:

— preliminary cutting up of all meat ingredients ensuring that the pieces of meat are of a uniform size (up to 5 cm in diameter);

— dry curing the meat for 24-72 hours and salting the fat for 24-72 hours;

— mechanical processing: Class IIA meat is ground to around 8-10 mm in size with a meat grinder, Class III meat is ground to around 3-4 mm with a meat grinder and/or is minced together with 2 kg of ice or up to 5 % water;

— semi-frozen pig fat is ground to around 8 mm in size with a meat grinder (or cut by hand into small chunks of around 5-8 mm);

— all of the meat ingredients and the seasoning are mixed thoroughly;

— the mixture is stuffed into casings (natural casings or protein casings);

— resting at a temperature not exceeding 30 °C for between two and three hours;

— drying of the surface followed by smoking using alder wood, beech wood, fruit wood or a combination thereof, scalding and baking until a temperature of at least 72 °C is reached inside the sausages. The use of smoke flavourings is prohibited;

— drying until the desired yield is obtained (not exceeding 70 %). The drying time is dependent on the product volume and prevailing external conditions,

— rapeseed oil or sunflower oil may be used in order to prevent a white coating from forming during storage. This is an optional step in the production process. Producers can choose to apply the abovementioned oil to the surface of the sausage to prevent protein coagulation which forms a white coating. The coating is formed naturally when surface coagulation of proteins occurs during storage and is a result of the product’s high protein content (condensation). Oil is applied to improve the product aesthetically. It does not have an impact on the quality of the product or its specific characteristics.

4.3. Description of the key elements establishing the product’s traditional character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

In Poland the tradition of meat processing dates back to the early Middle Ages. Poland’s cold and damp climate led to the use of several methods of preservation, i.e. salting, curing, pickling, smoking, scalding and drying, all of which were used in specific combinations in the production of various types of products. On noble estates and peasant farmsteads, the slaughter of animals was a family affair and was a time for preparing food stocks for the winter period and for intensive field work as well as for political and family events such as wars, travel, family reunions and expeditions. Over time, a surplus of meat brought about the need to process all of the meat ingredients obtained during slaughter, initially at home, then in workshops and today mainly in factories. The recipe and the unique taste of ‘kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ derives from the tradition of processing selected meat ingredients and a range of spices.

‘Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ owes its character to its traditional method of production, according to a traditional recipe, in particular the use of high-quality meat, the curing process and the lengthy resting process. The uniqueness of the product is also influenced by the smoking process.

The traditional character of ‘kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is revealed through its characteristic ingredients and balanced proportions. High-quality pork (Class I meat represents no less than approx. 70 % of the ingredients) is used in the production of the sausage. The coarsely ground pieces underline the superior quality of the raw material. This is reflected in the taste and appearance of the product. Garlic has served in the recipe not only to improve the taste, but also to extend the shelf life of the product.

The ingredients and recipes for processing this type of sausage (‘kiełbasa krakowska suszona oraz wędzona’ (‘dried and smoked kiełbasa krakowska’]) were also included, inter alia, in publications from 1985 and 1987 entitled Domowe wyroby mięsne (Home-made meat products) (Tadeusz Kłossowski) and Domowe przetwory z mięsa (Home-made meat preparations) (Władysław Poszepczyński). The dry-curing process preserves the colour of the product, gives the meat its characteristic taste and smell, and extends the product’s shelf-life.

Lengthy resting ensures that the colour and smell of the entire sausage is evened out before it is smoked, which is reflected in the distinctive final taste and appearance of the product.

The smoking process of ‘kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ is particularly important for the taste of the product. The sausages, which are hung from bars, are smoked by the rising heat and smoke generated by the burning wood (fire and smoke).

In the light of technological progress, smoke generators may also be used for smoking sausages. The same wood types are used for producing hot smoke in this process. However, other forms of the wood may also be used, e.g. woodchips.

Regardless of the smoking method, the choice of appropriate wood types ensures that ‘kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ has the characteristic taste and smell of cooked smoked meat, is not bitter, and is dark brown in colour.

All these processes were described in a publication dating back to 1926: Krakowskie wyroby wędliniarskie — praktyczne wskazówki o wyrobie wędlin (Cracovian charcuterie — Practical advice on how to prepare charcuterie) by Polish author Andrzej Różycki.

The method and recipe for producing ‘kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolska’ are also confirmed by Polish Standards published in 1959 and internal rules published by the Central Organisation of the Meat Industry in 1964, which were drawn up on the basis of rules and recipes already used before the Second World War.

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