EN Official Journal of the European Union C 316/6

Publication of an amendment 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

2014/C 316/06

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).

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2)

AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9

‘BROCCIU CORSE’/‘BROCCIU’

EC No: FR-PDO-0217-01164 — 18.10.2013

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment

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2. Type of amendment(s)

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3. Amendment(s)

Description of product

The following descriptive elements have been added in order to define the product in a more precise manner:

— it has been specified that ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ is made ‘exclusively’ from fresh whey and from fresh whole ewe’s and/or goat’s milk ‘used in its raw state’;

— it has been specified that the ripened cheese corresponds to the ‘passu’ variety;

— it has been specified that the fat content of 40 grams for every 100 grams ‘of cheese’ after complete desiccation refers to fresh ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ (‘frais’ variety).

Proof of origin

Owing to developments in national legislation and regulations, the section ‘Evidence that the product originates in the defined geographical area’ has been supplemented and now includes provisions on declaration obligations and on the keeping of registers for tracing the product and monitoring production conditions.

In particular, provisions have been included for authorising operators so as to acknowledge their ability to meet the specification of the designation from which they wish to benefit.

Method of production

In order to clarify certain provisions regarding the production method, some specific details have been added:

— Provisions on feed and supplementary feed, particularly their geographical origin, have been added in order to ensure the link between the geographical area and the product: — feeding is predominantly by rough grazing; — supplementary fodder and cereal-based concentrates produced in the area are authorised; however, up to 20 % of the supplementary feed may consist of fodder and concentrates from outside the production area; — the use of any kind of fermented fodder is not permitted;

— in order to better define the raw materials used to make ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’, provisions on the milk used to produce the curd, the whey and the additional milk have been added: — the whole milk intended to produce the curd must be used within 40 hours of the first milking; — the milk is curdled using traditional or commercially produced rennet; no other coagulating enzymes, in particular those of fungoid or microbial origin, are permitted; — the removal of lactose is not permitted; — the pH of the whey must not be less than 6,20; — the additional milk must be used within 24 hours of milking;

— in order to better describe the various stages of production and to maintain know-how, the following provisions have been clarified or added: — as regards the heating of the whey, the vague wording ‘direct method’ has been removed, and it has been specified that the flocculation of the whey proteins is achieved ‘exclusively by heating the receptacle or vat containing the whey over a direct flame (naked flame), without the use of any heat-transfer fluids’; — it has been specified that the whey is ‘heated slowly and gently stirred’ in order to facilitate the coagulation of the lactoproteins; — to provide a more accurate reflection of production practices, a temperature range (40–50 °C) has been specified for the temperature of the whey instead of a single value (approximately 40 °C); — it has been specified that salt is added at the same time as the milk; the quantity of salt added (between 0,5 and 1 % of the initial volume of liquid) has also been stipulated; — it has been specified that the subsequent stirring is ‘slow’; — it has been stated that regular skimming must take place as the temperature rises, and until flocculation begins, in order to remove impurities;

— size criteria have been specified for the strainers in order to more clearly define the various sizes: — for 3 kg cheeses: the top diameter must be 200 mm, the bottom diameter 145 mm and the height 180 mm; — for 1 kg cheeses: the top diameter must be between 155 and 160 mm, the bottom diameter between 90 and 120 mm and the height between 85 and 120 mm; — for 500 g cheeses: the top diameter must be between 110 and 115 mm, the bottom diameter between 90 and 92 mm and the height between 80 and 82 mm; — for 250 g cheeses: the top diameter must be between 90 and 110 mm, the bottom diameter between 75 and 85 mm and the height 65 mm;

— The salting requirements for the ‘passu’ variety of ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ have been clarified in order to provide a framework for production practices: salting may take place ‘once or in stages’ and the initial salting must be carried out within 24 hours of transfer to the mould.

Labelling

This section has also been updated in order to facilitate identification of the product:

— it has been specified that whey cheeses with the protected designation of origin ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ must be marketed with an individual label;

— the words ‘Appellation d’Origine contrôlée’ and the abbreviation ‘AOC’ have been replaced by the European Union ‘AOP’ (PDO) logo

— it has been stated that the various provisions also concern crates and other packaging containing ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’.

National requirements

Owing to developments in national legislation and regulations, the ‘National requirements’ section now contains a table indicating the main items to be checked, their reference values and the evaluation methods to be used.

Other

— Contact details of the group:

The contact details of the group have been updated.

— Monitoring:

The contact details of the inspection bodies have been updated.

As regards monitoring compliance with the specification for the ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ PDO, it has been specified that this is carried out according to a monitoring plan drawn up by an inspection body.

— Packaging:

As regards packaging, the packaging and preservation arrangements have been added in order to preserve the quality of the product: ‘The packaging arrangements for “Brocciu corse”/“Brocciu” must ensure that the physico-chemical and organoleptic qualities of the product are preserved during the period it is on sale until the consumption date indicated on the label by the packer. The addition of substances that are not connected to the production of “Brocciu corse”/“Brocciu” — except for packaging gases authorised under the legislation on food additives that may be used in the manufacture of foodstuffs intended for human consumption — is not permitted’.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (3)

‘BROCCIU CORSE’/‘BROCCIU’

EC No: FR-PDO-0217-01164 — 18.10.2013

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name

‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ is a whey cheese in the shape of a truncated cone.

It weighs between 250 grams and 3 kilograms, depending on the type of mould used (3 kg, 1 kg, 500 g or 250 g).

It is made exclusively from fresh goat’s and/or ewe’s milk whey supplemented with fresh whole ewe’s and/or goat’s milk used in its raw state and salt.

It is sold either fresh (‘frais’ variety) or ripened (‘passu’ variety).

The cheese contains a minimum of 40 grams of fat per 100 grams of cheese after complete desiccation, and the ‘frais’ variety must contain at least 20 grams of dry matter per 100 grams of cheese.

The ‘passu’ variety contains at least 35 grams of dry matter for 100 grams of cheese.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

Only Corsican breeds of sheep and goats are authorised.

The whey used must derive from the rennet-based production of fresh ewe’s and/or goat’s curd.

The whole milk intended to produce the curd must be used within 40 hours of the first milking.

The milk is curdled using traditional or commercially produced rennet; no other coagulating enzymes, in particular those of fungoid or microbial origin, are permitted.

The removal of lactose is not permitted.

The fresh, unadulterated whey is used within two hours of the cheese being produced.

The pH of the whey must not be less than 6,20.

The additional milk is fresh whole ewe’s or goat’s milk used in its raw state within 24 hours of milking.

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

Feeding is predominantly by rough grazing.

Supplementary fodder and cereal-based concentrates produced in the area are authorised.

However, up to 20 % of the supplementary feed may consist of fodder and concentrates from outside the production area.

The use of any kind of fermented fodder is not permitted.

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

The production of the milk and whey, as well as the production and maturing of the whey cheese, must take place in the defined geographical area.

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

The packaging arrangements for ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ must ensure that the physico-chemical and organoleptic qualities of the product are preserved during the period it is on sale until the consumption date indicated on the label by the packer.

The addition of substances that are not connected to the production of ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ – except for packaging gases authorised under the legislation on food additives that may be used in the manufacture of foodstuffs intended for human consumption – is not permitted.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

In addition to the regulatory information requirements applicable to all whey cheeses and to pre-packed food, whey cheeses with the protected designation of origin ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ must be marketed with an individual label bearing the name of the designation of origin and the European Union ‘AOP’ (PDO) logo in characters at least two-thirds the size of the largest characters used on the label. The designations ‘frais’ or ‘passu’ must be included on the label. The date of production must be included on the label of cheese marketed with the designation ‘frais’.

This information is also added to tubs and other packaging containing these whey cheeses.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area consists of the departments of Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Natural factors

The island of Corsica is characterised by the originality of its natural environment. Resembling a mountain in the sea, its relief captures precipitation supplied by the surrounding water. Furthermore, the typical Mediterranean climate disappears above a certain altitude.

Temperatures in Corsica are mild and rainfall is substantial but irregular. The average annual volume of precipitation is relatively high. This irregular and seasonal rainfall pattern, which is typically Mediterranean and occurs over the whole of the island, is characterised by very dry summers.

The local breeds of ewes and goats have adapted extremely well to the island’s particularities, the climate, the rugged, mountainous terrain and the maquis vegetation which has a very dense ground cover and rich, fragrant flora.

Corsican breeds of ewes and goats produce a lot of milk because of their weight and the conditions under which they are reared.

Human factors

Undoubtedly, one of the foundations of Corsica’s cheese-making tradition is the special milk production process. Fodder growing wild locally is exploited through the use of small ruminants.

Shepherds work in the traditional way: the animals live in free range and are herded to the mountains in summer and to the lowlands in winter.

Using know-how acquired over centuries, Corsican shepherds make ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ from whey leftover from the production of other cheeses, which may vary depending on the microregion of the island (soft or hard-pressed ewe’s and/or goat’s cheese). Thus, ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ follows logically from this traditional cheese production which involves the use of non-matured fresh milk and the production of slightly acidic curds using rennet. The whey produced is sweet whey used to make ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’.

This fresh whey is heated in a large vat. One of the secrets of success lies in the heating, which has to be slow and gradual in order to allow the soluble lactoproteins in the fresh whey and the additional goat’s and/or ewe’s milk to coagulate. Salt is used as a catalyst.

5.2. Specificity of the product

‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’, which can range from pure white to cream in colour, is characterised by a firm texture, a creamy consistency and a mild, pleasant, slightly salty flavour. The fresher the cheese, the softer and creamier its consistency.

The manufacturing process for ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ has certain specific features which give the cheese its distinctive characteristics in terms of fineness, texture and flavour, particularly since salt and raw whole milk are added during production.

As well as being directly consumed in fresh or ripened form, ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ is used in the preparation of typical regional specialities such as omelettes with wild mint, Imbrucciata (a tart) and Ciaccia (doughnuts).

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)

Corsica has a history of rearing sheep and goats due to the prevailing climatic and geographical conditions.

The local breeds of sheep and goats have adapted extremely well to the geographical environment and produce highly nutritious milk which gives a high cheese yield. While there may be seasonal variations in the physico-chemical quality of the milk, i.e. during periods of migration during which animals travel long distances, the fat and protein content of the milk remains high.

Furthermore, the management of natural resources and the extensive animal husbandry allow relatively steady lactation curves to be achieved during the milking period.

The richness of Corsican ewe’s and goat’s milk makes it possible to produce ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’. The production process, which occurs after the traditional production of Corsican cheese, involves using the serum proteins and fats found in the whey.

As well as the quality of the milk, the traditional method of producing cheese also explains this secondary production. Rennet-based curdling is fast and the curd produced is high in calcium, which means it can be cut into very thin slices. This cutting releases a large amount of soluble proteins and fats into the whey, which is then used to make the ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’.

It is the richness of Corsican milk that makes ‘Brocciu corse’/‘Brocciu’ such a unique cheese, as milk is also added in its pure, raw state (‘u puricciu’) during production. This gives the product its very soft texture and its special taste that no other whey cheese has.

Reference to publication of the specification

[Article 5(7), of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4)]

http://agriculture.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Cdc-Brocciu_BO_cle8279f6.pdf

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

(2) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3) Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(4) See footnote 3.