EN Official Journal of the European Union C 236/18

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

(2007/C 236/09)

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.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘ALHEIRA DE VINHAIS’

EC No: PT/PGI/005/0460/20.04.2005

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1. Responsible department in the Member State:

Name: Gabinete de Planeamento e Políticas Address: Rua Padre António Vieira, n.o 1-8.o P-1099-073 Lisboa Telephone (351) 213 819 300 Fax (351) 213 876 635 E-mail: gppaa@gppaa.min-agricultura.pt

2. Group:

Name: ANCSUB — Associação Nacional de Criadores de Suínos de Raça Bísara Address: Edifício da Casa do Povo, Largo do Toural P-5320-311 Vinhais Telephone (351) 273 771 340 Fax (351) 273 770 048 E-mail: ancsub@bisaro.info Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

3. Type of product:

Class 1.2 — Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked)

4. Specification:

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1 Name: ‘Alheira de Vinhais’

4.2 Description: Smoked sausage, made from the meat of pigs of the Bisaro breed or of cross-breeds that must be 50 % Bisaro (F1 animals, produced by cross-breeding pure-bred Bisaro pigs registered in the herdbook with pigs of other breeds), poultrymeat (only for the stock), regional wheat bread and olive oil from Trás-os-Montes (these being essential for giving the product a specific taste, smell and texture), seasoned with salt, garlic and paprika. The sausage is horseshoe-shaped, approximately 30 cm long with a cylindrical section of approximately 2 cm in diameter. It weighs between 170 and 200 g and is yellow-brown in colour. When the sausage is cut, the contents appear homogeneous although it is possible to distinguish the presence of strips of meat.

4.3 Geographical area: Due to the traditional production method, the sources of animal nutrition used, the local population's traditional know-how in terms of animal husbandry, and the pedological conditions needed to develop the food base used to obtain raw ingredients of an undeniably distinctive quality, the area in which the Bisaro pigs and cross-breeds used in the production of Alheira de Vinhais are born, reared, fattened, slaughtered and cut up is confined to the municipalities of Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Anciães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso and Vinhais in the Bragança district and to the municipalities of Alijó, Boticas, Chaves, Mesão Frio, Mondim de Basto, Montalegre, Murça, Régua, Ribeira de Pena, Sabrosa, Santa Marta de Penaguião, Valpaços, Vila Pouca de Aguiar and Vila Real in the Vila Real district, since only this area has the required food base and animal husbandry skills required.

Given the particular weather conditions required to produce Alheira de Vinhais, the people's know-how and the constant and unchanging local methods employed, the geographical processing area is confined to the municipalities of Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Anciães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso and Vinhais in the Bragança district.

4.4 Proof of origin: Alheira de Vinhais may be produced only in duly licensed processing plants situated within the aforementioned processing area. The entire production process is subject to a rigorous control system, thus ensuring the product's full traceability. The raw ingredients come from Bisaro pigs entered in the breed's zootechnical register or crossbred pigs (F1) one of whose parents is an animal of the Bisaro breed entered in the zootechnical register's book of adult animals, which are reared on holdings encompassing an area that lends itself to traditional, semi-extensive farming, and features traditional sources of animal nutrition. It should be noted that the pigs consume large quantities of chestnuts, which gives the meat its very distinctive and recognisable organoleptic qualities. The pigs are slaughtered and cut up in licensed plants situated, for both processes, in the product's geographical area. Processing may be carried out only in plants authorised by the group after the control body has given its approval. The certification mark on each unit is numbered, ensuring full traceability to the farm where the product originated. It is possible to prove the origin of the product at any point in the production chain by means of the serial number, which must be indicated on the certification mark.

4.5 Method of production: The pigmeat (from the head, flank and belly and off-cuts) is cut into medium-sized pieces and the poultry carcasses are cut lengthways and then boiled in salted water. The bread is cut into thin slices with the crust left on and then softened in the hot stock. The remaining seasoning (garlic, paprika and Trás-os-Montes olive oil) and strips of pigmeat are added to this mixture. Once the seasoning is right, the mixture is immediately stuffed into a pig's intestine, which is closed in a particular way by twisting the intestine and tying a knot in it. The sausage is smoked slowly using regional firewood (oak or chestnut) and cured or stabilised (for more than 8 days). Alheira de Vinhais is placed on the market as a whole sausage and is always pre-packed at the place of origin. Due to the product's characteristics and composition, it cannot be cut or sliced. Special material is used for its packaging, which, when it comes into contact with the product, is innocuous and inert in a normal or controlled atmosphere or in a vacuum. Packing may be carried out only in the geographical processing area so as to ensure traceability and control and to prevent any change to the product's taste and microbiological characteristics.

4.6 Link: Various zoomorphic sculptures and references made to taxes on pigs and their by-products in different municipal registers in the region prove that pig-breeding has been important in this area for a very long time. The relationship between the product and the geographical area stems from the (indigenous) breed of animal, the local sources of nutrition used, the know-how in terms of selection of the cuts of meat, slow smoking using regional firewood and a curing process that takes place in very cold and dry locations in the region.

4.7 Inspection body:

Name: Tradição e Qualidade — Associação Interprofissional para Produtos Agro-Alimentares de Trás-os-Montes Address: Av. 25 de Abril, 273 S/L P-5370-202 Mirandela Telephone (351) 278 261 410 Fax (351) 278 261 410 E-mail: tradição-qualidade@clix.pt

Tradição e Qualidade has been recognised as complying with the requirements of Standard 45011:2001.

4.8 Labelling: It is compulsory for the labelling to include the following: the wording ‘Alheira de Vinhais — Indicação Geográfica Protegida’ (Protected Geographical Indication), the Community's own logo, the logo for Vinhais products reproduced below and the certification mark, which must indicate the name of the product, the designation/indication concerned, the control body and the serial number (numeric or alphanumeric code ensuring the product's traceability).

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