Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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

(2020/C 171/10)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘Casatella Trevigiana’

EU No: PDO-IT-0348-AM02 – 22.11.2019

PDO (X PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consorzio per la Tutela del formaggio Casatella Trevigiana [‘Casatella Trevigiana’ Cheese Protection Association]

Viale Sante Biasuzzi, 20

31038 Paese (TV)

ITALIA

Telephone and fax number: +39 0422951480

Email: info@casatella.it

This Association meets the requirements laid down in Article 13(1) of Ministerial Decree No 12511 of 14 October 2013.

2. Member State or third country

Italy

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

☐ Name of product

☒ Description of product

☐ Geographical area

☐ Proof of origin

☒ Method of production

☐ Link

☐ Labelling

☐ Other:

4. Type of amendment(s)

☒ Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

☐ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendments

Description of product

Article 2 of the current product specification and point 3.2 of the single document

Chemical characteristics

Current version:

‘Fat: 18-25 % on a wet basis’

New version:

‘Fat: 18-27 % on a wet basis’

This amendment reduces the risk of cheeses failing to comply with the rule on fat as a result of the changeable nature of the fat content of the milk used to make ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO, mainly driven by external factors such as the cows’ diet, climate, rearing system and milking intervals.

This risk is higher for small and medium-sized cheesemakers, both because they get their milk from a smaller pool of dairy farms and because it is not possible to correct the fat content of milk supplied in bulk, bearing in mind that ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO is made using whole milk.

Method of production

Article 5 of the current product specification and point 3.4 of the single document

‘At least 90 % of the diet must consist of feedstuffs originating from the area defined in Article 3.’

‘At least 60 % of the diet must consist of feedstuffs originating from the area defined in Article 3.’

Point 3.4 of the single document

The following is added after the third bullet point:

As there has been an irreversible decline in the amount of agricultural land used to grow animal fodder in the Province of Treviso, part of the diet must necessarily consist of feedstuffs from outside the area defined in point 4.

This amendment is needed because the amount of agricultural land being used to grow animal fodder in the Province of Treviso – the ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO production area – has declined considerably over the last 10 years.

This is mainly the result of:

a) land being used for major urbanisation projects and roads;

b) agricultural land being turned over from fodder cultivation to vine-growing.

To aid understanding of the extent of this issue, in the Province of Treviso:

— the land area used for permanent fodder crops fell by 50 % between 2010 and 2018;

— the land area used for temporary fodder crops fell by 26 % between 2010 and 2018;

— the land area under vines rose by 30 % between 2010 and 2018.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Casatella Trevigiana’

EU No: PDO-IT-0348-AM02 – 22.11.2019

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Casatella Trevigiana’

2. Member State or third country

Italy

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

A soft cheese made from whole milk from the Friesian, Italian Red Pied, Italian Brown and Burlina breeds of cow and crosses of those breeds. It has the following organoleptic characteristics when released onto the market: a soft, glossy, slightly creamy, melt-in-the-mouth consistency and a milky white to creamy white colour. Tiny, faint eyes may be apparent. ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO has a unique consistency that does not fit into either the ‘spreadable’ or the ‘very creamy’ category.

The cheese has little to no rind, and is made in the traditional wheel shape. It has a delicate, milky and fresh aroma.

The cheese tastes sweet and milky, with slightly sour veins.

Chemical characteristics

Moisture content: 53-60 %

Fat: 18-27 % on a wet basis

Protein content: > 12 % on a wet basis

Physical characteristics

Shape: Wheel-shaped

Weight

Large round: 1,8-2,2 kg

Small round: 0,20-0,70 kg

Diameter

Large round: 18-22 cm

Small round: 5-12 cm

Heel height

Large round: 5-8 cm

Small round: 4-6 cm

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The diet fed to the cows whose milk is used to make ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO must meet the following requirements:

— At least 60 % of the diet must consist of feedstuffs originating from the area defined in point 4.

— At least 60 % of the dry matter fed daily to lactating cows must come from fodder.

— The following feedstuffs, which are not typical of the production area, may not be used: fodder beet; citrus fruit, olives, or residues from processing them; sainfoin and sulla; whole vegetables; or residues from processing artichokes, cauliflowers, turnips and tomatoes.

As there has been an irreversible decline in the amount of agricultural land used to grow animal fodder in the Province of Treviso, part of the diet must necessarily consist of feedstuffs from outside the area defined in point 4.

The milk used to make ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO must come from farms within the relevant geographical area (Province of Treviso).

The milk must have a fat content of more than 3,2 % at the time of processing. The milk must not contain any preservatives and the use of beestings or milk from evidently diseased cows is prohibited. The milk must be chilled on the farm. In any event, the cheesemaking process must begin within 48 hours of milking.

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

The entire production process (cow rearing and milk production, coagulation, working the curds, forming the cheese rounds, draining off the whey, salting and maturing) must take place within the area defined in point 4.

The cheesemaking process consists of the following stages: rearing the cows, producing the milk, processing and maturing.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO must be packaged when marketed. Since ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO is a highly perishable and delicate soft cheese, long journeys in its unpackaged state could undermine its organoleptic, chemical and physical properties and in particular could affect how it is matured and how long for.

Therefore, to ensure that the product retains its typical quality features, packaging must not be left too late after production. For this reason, the product must be packaged within the production area to guarantee traceability and control and to ensure that ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO retains its specific features and chemical, physical and organoleptic properties.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO cheese is identified by the following logo:

The words Denominazione d’Origine Protetta [‘Protected Designation of Origin’] may be replaced by the acronym DOP [‘PDO’].

The proportions of the upper and lower parts of the logo as shown above may not be changed. The logo must appear on the outer protective wrapping of the cheese.

The outer wrapping may not contain any promotional or misleading information.

The size of the logo must be proportional to the size of the packaging as follows: the total width of the word ‘Casatella’ may not be less than 80 % of the diameter of the package.

Given the type of cheese, no information of any kind may be displayed directly on the cheese itself.

The use of packaging containing the logo and wording as described is mandatory.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The whole of the Province of Treviso.

5. Link with the geographical area

The properties and quality characteristics of ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO can be traced back to its local, family-based and rural origins, as well as developments in the craft of cheesemaking and the native strains of bacteria selected in the production area. Specifically, the quality and distinctiveness of ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO cheese are a direct result of the characteristics of the indigenous microbiotic flora contained in the milk and of the temperatures and timings used in the cheesemaking process, as these influence the selection of species, strains and concentrations.

‘Casatella Trevigiana’ has a soft, glossy, slightly creamy, melt-in-the-mouth consistency and a milky white to creamy white colour. Tiny, faint eyes may be apparent.

It has very little to no rind, is made in the traditional wheel shape, and has a delicate, milky and fresh aroma, and a sweet, milky taste with slightly acidic veins.

Recent studies show that the microbial flora selected within the defined area over the years contain different strains of Streptococcus thermophilus, the properties and metabolic activities of which are key not only for the acidification process but also for shaping the sensory properties of the product, such as the distinctive, slightly sour taste of the mature cheese.

Likewise, the presence – albeit in a smaller concentration – of strains of Lactobacillus thermophilus, which have higher proteolytic activity, ensures that caseins are broken down, with the production of molecules or their precursors that influence the consistency, maturing and taste of the cheese, all of these being conditions that are unique to this specific area and cannot be reproduced elsewhere.

The particular cheesemaking technique used by the producers, consisting of coagulation at a low temperature is a tradition that was developed in order to exploit and increase the presence of strains of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus thermophilus.

This brings out and shapes the main sensory and organoleptic characteristics of ‘Casatella Trevigiana’ PDO.

This typical Treviso cheese comes from a long-standing tradition of home cheesemaking. Production techniques were passed down by word of mouth and based on very simple methods. The true origin of the cheese, therefore, was at traditional Treviso dairies, classified since 1962 as ‘remote’.

There are many written records testifying that Casatella cheese originates in Treviso.

Reference to publication of the product specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The consolidated text of the product specification can be consulted on the following website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità’ (at the top right of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.

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