EN Official Journal of the European Union C 101/20

Publication of an amendment 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 101/10

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

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

Amendment application in accordance with article 9

‘RICOTTA ROMANA’

EC No: IT-PDO-0105-0298-16.07.2008

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment:

—  Name of product — Description of product —  Geographical area —  Proof of origin — Method of production —  Link —  Labelling —  National requirements —  Other [to be specified]

2. Type of amendment(s):

— Amendment to single document or summary sheet —  Amendment to specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the single document nor summary has been published —  Amendment to specification that requires no amendment to the published single document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) —  Temporary amendment to specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

3. Amendment(s):

3.1. Description of product:

The figure for minimum fat content as a percentage of dry matter has been changed in point 2. This change was necessary because it had become clear that the figure given in the registered specification was not an accurate reflection of the reality. ‘Ricotta Romana’ was registered as a PDO by Regulation (EC) No 737/2005 of 13 May 2005. When implementing the control plan, the control body found that significant quantities of the product could not be certified. From careful checks and analyses on a suitable number of samples taken at various times of year, it was found that the fat content was much higher. The specification gave a range of 17 % to 29 %, whereas real levels are at least 40 % of dry matter.

3.2. Method of production:

The values given for whey from sheep's milk were also found to be unrealistic.

The values established through analysis were as follows:

— non-fat dry matter: 5,37 % or more,

— protein: 1,09 % or more,

— fat: 0,35 % or more,

— lactose: 3,55 % or more,

— ash: 0,4 % or more.

The discrepancies stemmed from a lack of rigour at the analytical laboratory used by the producers when the specification was being drawn up. The previous levels were clearly based on an insufficient number of samples which, in addition, covered only a limited part of the year. All this meant that the values produced were not accurate.

The new levels established by the analyses by the Certifying Body correspond to the actual characteristics of the product.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘RICOTTA ROMANA’

EC No: IT-PDO-0105-0298-16.07.2008

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name:

‘Ricotta Romana’

2. Member State or third country:

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product (Annex III):

Class 1.4. Other animal products. Ricotta

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

The use of the protected designation of origin (PDO) ‘Ricotta Romana’ is reserved exclusively for the dairy product made from the whey of the whole milk of ewes of the following breeds: Sarda, Comisana, Sopravvissana, Massese and their crosses. On release for consumption, it has the following characteristics:

— product: fresh,

— paste: white, with a lumpy texture,

— flavour: sweetish, milky taste,

— weight: up to 2 kg,

— fat content: minimum 40 % of dry matter.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):

The whole milk whey, a liquid product of the coagulation of the milk, is obtained by separating it from the curds intended for the production of sheep's cheeses from the milk of ewes in the Lazio Region.

The whey from the whole sheep's milk is pale yellow in colour and contains the following:

— non-fat dry matter: 5,37 % or more,

— protein: 1,09 % or more,

— fat: 0,35 % or more,

— lactose: 3,55 % or more,

— ash: 0,4 % or more.

To make ‘Ricotta Romana’ it is allowed, as the whey is being heated to 50-60 °C, to add whole milk of sheep of the above breeds that have been bred in the geographical area referred to in point 4, in quantities not exceeding 15 % of the total volume of the whey.

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

The sheep feed on the natural and sown pasture and meadow land typical of the production area (point 4). Supplementary dried fodder and concentrates may be used, but synthetic substances and genetically modified organisms may not. Milk ewes must not be subjected to forced feeding, environmental stress and/or hormonal alterations designed to increase production.

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

The farms rearing the sheep whose milk is to be processed into ‘Ricotta Romana’ are located within the defined geographical area.

The milk must be produced and processed within the defined geographical area.

A key factor in the quality of the product is the separation of the curd, which depends on the operating skills of the cheese-makers, themselves the result of centuries of competence and experience throughout the area covered by the PDO.

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

When the whey is almost fully separated, the ‘Ricotta Romana’ is packaged directly and put up for sale a few hours after production.

This is a fresh product that does not mature or season and quickly becomes rancid or perishes.

As it should be consumed whilst very fresh, it therefore has to be packaged in the geographical area referred to in point 4, in order not to impair its freshness, purity and quality, as well as to ensure traceability and allow for controls.

The cheese is packed in truncated conical wicker, plastic or metal baskets with a maximum capacity of 2 kg, the upper part of which is covered in a plastic sheet. The following other kinds of packaging are also allowed:

— parchment wrapping, and

— plastic and/or vacuum containers.

3.7. Specific rules on labelling:

In addition to the Community symbol, the relevant references and the information required by law, the packaging must display the following in clearly printed, legible letters:

— the term ‘Ricotta Romana’ must be printed in clear and indelible type, significantly larger and quite separate from any other wording, and must be followed by the words ‘Denominazione Origine Protetta (D.O.P.)’,

— the name, company name and address of the producing and packaging company,

— the product logo.

Any other description not expressly allowed, including the adjectives ‘fine’ (fine), ‘scelto’ (choice), ‘selezionato’ (selected), ‘superiore’ (superior) and ‘genuino’ (genuine), or otherwise praising the product is prohibited. Brand names may be used, however, provided these have no laudatory purport and are not such as to mislead the consumer, as may the name of the enterprise from the holdings of which the product comes, and other truthful and documentable indications that are permitted under Community, national or regional law and do not conflict with the purposes and content of the present specification.

The name ‘Ricotta Romana’ must appear in Italian.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The whey must be obtained from the whole milk of sheep from the Lazio Region. The whey must be processed into ‘Ricotta Romana’ and packaged within the region.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The soil and weather conditions in the Lazio Region are characterised by various types of relief (limestone and volcanic mountains, hills, alluvial plains), annual average temperatures varying from 13 to 16 °C, and annual minimum rainfalls of 650 mm along the coastal strip, 1 000-1 500 mm on the inland plains and up to 1 800-2 000 mm on Mount Terminillo and in the Simbruini range.

Given such conditions, the territory provides the best possible conditions for rearing sheep without them suffering any stress.

These natural factors make it possible to exploit the natural and sown pasture land as a food source for the sheep, so imbuing the milk used for cheese-making with particular qualities and establishing an exceptionally favourable synergy in terms of the product's quality and the homogeneous nature of its characteristics.

It is worth noting that the Lazio Region has a sheep population of over 440 000, with the ewes producing around 600 000 hl of milk a year.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

‘Ricotta Romana’ has the following characteristics:

— very fine paste, with a lumpy texture,

— a more distinctive colour than the equivalent cheese made from the whey of cow's milk, and

— a sweetish, milky taste.

These quality characteristics are linked to:

— the lactose content of 3,55 % or more in the whey of whole sheep's milk, giving it the sweetness deriving from the ewes' feed, which comes from the natural and sown pasture and meadow land typical of the Lazio Region, and

— the fact that no acidity adjusters are added to the whey during processing.

The resulting product, ‘Ricotta Romana’, has a characteristic sweetish taste distinguishing it from any other type of ricotta.

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 sheep's diet, together with the favourable environmental conditions in which they are reared — including the traditional practice of mountain-grazing, which allows them to escape from the summer heat and thus from the possible environmental and nutritional stresses they would be subject to in the lowlands — mean that the milk is of the highest quality and the resulting ricotta is very distinctive.

The historical presence of ‘Ricotta Romana’ on markets throughout the Lazio Region is illustrated by data from the market reports of the CCIAAs (Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture) in Rome (1922-65), Viterbo (1949-73), Frosinone (1955-99) and Latina (1951-77). Also, from the Rome CCIAA commodities market it is possible to see the variations in the price of the product between 1952 and 1998, showing its importance for the economy of the geographical area. There are many social and economic references, such as the presence of producers engaged in this type of production for years. Also, according to information supplied by its director, in 1969 Castel di Guido farm produced about 3 500 litres of sheep's milk, some of which was sold fresh and some used to produce ‘Ricotta Romana’, as shown in the farm accounts for 1958, 1960 and 1965, initialled by the shepherd and the director. The accounts of the Gasparri farm indicate the price per kilo and the total number of kilograms of ‘Ricotta Romana’ produced during the farming seasons between 1907 (70 centesimi/kg until 15 March and 45 centesimi/kg thereafter, total production being 850 kg) and 1924 (total production of 932,5 kg).

In addition, many historical references and traditional customs demonstrate the link between this product and the geographical area. Among the historical references is the description of the techniques for producing ‘Ricotta Romana’ in Trinchieri's Vita di pastori nella Campagna Romana (1953). As for traditional customs, one example is the country festival for ‘attozzata’ (sheep's ricotta) that has been celebrated for about 30 years in the municipality of Barbarano Romano (VT).

As well as being eaten as a dish in itself, ‘Ricotta Romana’ is widely used as an ingredient in traditional dishes from Lazio.

Reference to publication of the specification:

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

The Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposed amendments to ‘Ricotta Romana’ PDO in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 26 of 31 January 2008. The full text of the product specification is available on the Ministry's website:

— via the following link 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 (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti di Qualità’ (on the left of the display) and then on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE [regolamento (CE) n. 510/2006]’.

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