EN Official Journal of the European Union C 260/43

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

2009/C 260/11

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

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘RICOTTA DI BUFALA CAMPANA’

EC No: IT-PDO-0005-0559-18.10.2006

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name:

‘Ricotta Di Bufala Campana’

2. Member State or Third Country:

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product (Annex II):

Group 1.4. Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various milk products, not including butter, etc.).

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

Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO is a fresh, i.e. not matured, dairy product that is produced through coagulation by heating of the protein in buffalo milk whey, a raw material which is a by-product of mozzarella di bufala production. Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO is characterised by a high water content (less than 75 %), and a fat content of not less than 12 % for the whole food. The high fat content in the dry substance (minimum 45 %) is responsible for the product’s specific properties in terms of creaminess and softness. In addition, Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO is characterised by a sweet and fragrant buffalo milk taste, made possible by a negligible fermentation acid content, not exceeding 0,3 % lactic acid, and enhanced by a limited sodium content, not exceeding 0,3 %. When placed on the market, ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO is presented in a truncated pyramid or truncated cone shape with a maximum weight of 2 000 gr, is porcelain white in colour, has no rind and a soft, grainy but not gritty consistency. The taste is unique, fresh, and delicately sweet and it smells of milk and cream. ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO is sold as ‘fresca’ and ‘fresca omogeneizzata’; for the latter variety, the ricotta, drained of the whey, is heat treated so as to lengthen its shelf-life (a maximum of 21 days from the production date) whereas the ‘fresca’ variety has a maximum shelf-life of 7 days.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):

The raw material for the production of ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO is the ‘first whey’ (or ‘sweet whey’) which is the by-product of processing buffalo milk, obtained by manually or mechanically milking buffalos of the Italian Mediterranean breed reared in the production area referred to in point 4. The ‘first whey’ (or ‘sweet whey’) must be obtained by draining the curds broken for the production of mozzarella di bufala. The maximum titratable acidity of the whey used for the production of ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO is 3,5oSH/50 ml, which means that the ‘acid whey’ resulting from the complete maturation of the curds cannot be used for the production of ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO. Heat-treated or pasteurised raw buffalo milk from the zone referred to in point 4 may be added up to a maximum proportion of 6 % of the quantity of ‘first whey’ (or ‘sweet whey’). Fresh buffalo milk cream from buffalo milk whey from the area referred to in point 4 may be added up to a maximum proportion of 5 % of the quantity of first whey. Such additions serve to thicken the consistency of the ricotta and facilitate its formation or extraction. Salt (NaCl) may be added up to a maximum proportion of 1 kg per 100 kg of ‘first whey’ (or ‘sweet whey’) or mixture of whey with milk and/or fresh cream.

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

Lactating buffalos are fed with fresh and/or dry fodder of which at least half originates from the area referred to in point 4, thus maintaining the vital link between this product and the land. The following indigenous plants provide the principal sources of fodder in the meadows and pastureland of this zone: Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia); Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.); Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum); Squarrose clover (Trifolium squarrosum L.); Berseem/egyptian clover (Trifolium resupinatum); Vetch (Vicia sativa); Rescue grass (Bromus catharticus) and Birdsfoot. In addition, the use of simple or complex feed concentrates with permitted mineral and vitamin supplement additives is permitted.

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

The production of the milk, whey and fresh cream from the whey as well as of the ricotta must take place within the area referred to in point 4.

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

As an unfermented, rindless product, ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO is 100 % edible and particularly subject, possibly even more than other fresh dairy products, to the risk of contamination after production and therefore deterioration through an increase in the level of environmental micro-organisms that could enter into contact with the product surface during the final draining process of the Ricotta. As a fresh product, Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO is not matured and therefore all microbial growth must be avoided during the shelf-life period. In order to avoid the risk of deterioration, the product should be packaged inside the same certified production facility. ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO has to be wrapped in paper and packed in closed food grade plastic containers or in other food grade packaging. If the product is sold for use as an ingredient in processed food, packs of up to 40 kg are allowed.

3.7. Specific rules on labelling:

In addition to the designation and Community logos and the information required by law, the packaging should clearly and legibly state the words ‘fresca’ or ‘fresca omogeneizzata’ that should be listed directly under the designation ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ in letters half the size of those used for the designation ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’.

Any other description not expressly allowed is prohibited including the following adjectives: ‘fine, scelto, extra, selezionato, superiore, genuino’ or otherwise praising the product; however, the use of brand names is permitted, provided they have no laudatory purport and are not likely to mislead the consumer, as well as other truthful and documented references that are compatible with the legislation in force. The words ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ must be in Italian.

The product logo has been issued by the inspection body as instructed by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy. The product logo is a loop of tri-colour ribbon encircling a buffalo head depicted in profile. Around this device runs the wording RICOTTA DI BUFALA CAMPANA printed in capitals.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The production area of ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO includes part of the administrative territory of the Regions of Campania, Lazio, Apulia and Molise as detailed below. In Campania, it concerns principally the area around the rivers Garigliano and Volturno and an area on the plain of the river Sele and the area of Cilento, i.e. on the coast and in the valleys; in Lazio, this area is concentrated between the valleys of the river Amaseno and the nearby plain of Pontina; in Apulia, it concerns the stretch of plains and hills of the province of Foggia on the foothills of the Gargano promontory; in Molise, Venafro is the only municipality affected, which has only recently come under the administration of Molise.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The orographic, soil and climatic conditions of the territory listed in point 4 are the principal factors that have been conducive to the spread of buffalo farming in these areas. The morphology of the buffalo makes it ideally suited to cope with any climatic or environmental difficulties and to being farmed in areas with a typically Mediterranean climate. The pedological characteristics of the plains, whose soil is of alluvial origin and/or originally marshy or swampy, and of the hills, among which there is land of volcanic origin, together with the macro-climate typical of this part of the Mediterranean, have dictated which plants grow wild and/or are cultivated in the fields and meadows and the choice of straw of various kinds used to feed the buffalo. Furthermore, for centuries this land has constituted a single territorial, political and administrative unit, as the Kingdom of Naples from 1282 until 1860. One of the factors uniting these land areas is that for centuries they have been used to raise buffalo farmed to produce milk to make cheese and ricotta. The geographical area, even after the draining of the swampy areas and the political and administrative changes, has retained many common features, including the tradition and development of a strong productive district in the form of hundreds of buffalo farmers and cheese makers. According to the data of the National livestock register for Teramo (2008), 92 % of Italy’s Mediterranean breed buffalo are to be found in this area.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ can be distinguished from other products in the same category and, more specifically, from other varieties of Ricotta, on account of the specific structural characteristics of creaminess and softness, for its white porcelain colour, and the unmistakable sensory properties that may be described as the scent of milk and sweetness. This product's uniqueness is attributable to the fact that the composition of buffalo milk whey (in terms of fats and protein) is qualitatively and quantitatively different from the cow’s and sheep’s milk whey used to produce other types of Ricotta. Buffalo milk whey is in fact richer in fat (up to 2,5 %) with regard to cow’s and sheep’s milk on account of the higher fat content (over 8 %) in whole buffalo milk, and contains whey protein levels (0,9-1,0 %) that are higher than that of cow’s milk, but which fluctuate depending on the protein level of the milk from which it was made. The specificity of buffalo whey protein is such that it can be distinguished in laboratory analyses from that of other animals. It even has distinct aromatic characteristics that are attributable to the natural starter whey used for the production of buffalo mozzarella whose characteristics, including aromatics, are transferred proportionally into the sweet whey used for the production of Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO. The natural whey may thus contain both aromatic ingredients naturally present in the milk, and also ingredients that are not present in the milk as they are produced by native microflora during the production of the natural whey itself. The high fat content in the dry substance and the specific characteristics of the triglycerides of buffalo milk, in which the fatty acids are esterified in a different position compared to cow’s milk fat, contribute to producing the physical and organoleptic characteristics that are absolutely specific, such as the creaminess and softness, as well as to preserving all the aromatic components. The absence of beta-carotene in buffalo milk is one of the causes of the typical white porcelain colour of buffalo milk and cheeses, among which Ricotta, as opposed to cow's milk cheese products. Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO is different from sheep’s milk Ricotta, as the cheese-making process for many sheep's milk cheeses involves the use of solid rennet, the richness of which in lipase can affect the sensorial qualities of the fat. The absence of lipolysis is therefore a characteristic trait of Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO which has the effect of heightening the qualities of sweetness and the fragrance of milk. Prohibiting the use of whey during the acidification process and applying specific requirements to the production process regarding the maximum shelf-life are two related safeguards that ensure and maintain this product’s specific characteristics that are unique throughout the whole range of Ricotta-type products. To guarantee the unique sweet and fragrant milk taste characterised by the absence of acid notes, only the ‘first whey’ (or ‘sweet whey’), separated immediately after the curds have been broken and therefore characterised by a maximum titratable acid content of 3,5oSH/50 ml, can be used. The ‘acid whey’, produced by draining the whey after breaking the curds as they are maturing, cannot be used for the production of Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO, as the high level of lactic acid would not bring out the specific characteristics of the Ricotta or would make it necessary to add alkalis as neutralising agents, which would affect the taste, structure and consistency. ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO is therefore also distinct from a generic buffalo milk ricotta, as the composition of the whey is intrinsically linked to the characteristics of the milk and how it is processed into cheese.

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):

The specificity of ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’, described in point 5.2, is intrinsically determined by the quality of the raw materials: whey, fresh cream from buffalo whey and milk that, only if produced in the area of production referred to in point 4, can boost superior characteristics with regard to the same products produced in other areas. The orographic, soil and climatic conditions and macroclimatic characteristics of the area in question are the principal factors that contribute to give the fodder plants that are grow in the meadows and, in consequence, the milk and therefore the whey used to produce ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ PDO, the specific organoleptic characteristics that make this Ricotta unique and recognisable. As compared to other cheeses, the causal link between geographic area, raw material and product is even more complex, as Ricotta is a product whose raw material, whey, is a by-product of processing milk into cheese. The link with the geographic area therefore depends on the producers’ capacity to obtain whey that retains, within the limits of the inevitable difference, the original characteristics of the milk. Choosing to use only sweet whey, that is to say unfermented whey produced when the fresh buffalo milk curd is broken, is the only way of being able to transfer the characteristics of the milk into the Ricotta, and these characteristics are in turn intrinsically linked to the territory of origin. The richness of buffalo milk fat means that the whey has a fat content even higher than that of cow’s milk whey and this enables the aromatic qualities of the milk that are specifically encapsulated in the fat molecules to be retained. The human factor is clearly essential for maintaining this strong link and through it obtaining a unique product.

The centuries-old production practices for Ricotta di Bufala in the territory of the former Kingdom of Naples and subsequently in the current geographic-administrative subdivisions had already understood the need to use only fresh milk and genuinely fresh whey, i.e. separated as soon as the curds are broken. In 1859, Achille Bruni, Professor of the Regia University of Naples, in his monograph ‘On milk and its derivatives’ published in the New Agricultural Encyclopaedia described how Ricotta di Bufala was produced at that time: ‘Take the milk fresh from the buffalo and pour it into the vat, add the goat rennet; once it has set, cut it into large bits with a wooden spatula. Then with a wooden ladle drain off the whey and boil it to extract the ricotta.’

Reference to publication of the specification:

The Government launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Ricotta di Bufala Campana’ as a protected designation of origin in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 75 of 30 March 2006.

The full text of the product specification is available on the following web site: http://www.politicheagricole.it/DocumentiPubblicazioni/Search_Documenti_Elenco.htm?txtTipoDocumento=Disciplinare%20in%20esame%20UE&txtDocArgomento=Prodotti%20di%20Qualit%E0>Prodotti%20Dop,%20Igp%20e%20Stg

or

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti di Qualità’ (on the left of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE [regolamento (CE) n. 510/2006]’.