Publication of the amended single document following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

(2019/C 358/09)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

The application for approval of this minor amendment can be consulted on the Commission’s DOOR database.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ACEITUNA ALOREÑA DE MÁLAGA’

EU No: PDO-ES-0785-AM01 — 17.1.2019

PDO (X) PGI ()

1. Name(s)

‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’

2. Member State or third country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

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

A seasoned table olive obtained from the healthy fruit of the Aloreña variety of olive tree (Olea europaea, L.), harvested at the appropriate degree of ripeness before it changes colour, debittered in brine through natural fermentation and seasoned with thyme, fennel, garlic and pepper or extracts of these plants in a proportion ranging from 1 % to 3 %. This process is based on ancestral customs handed down from generation to generation.

The three types of ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’, verdes frescas (fresh green), tradicionales (traditional) and curadas (cured), share characteristics that are exclusively due to the variety and the preparation method used in the area in which they are grown and processed:

(a) the olives are pickled in brine. The low oleuropein content means that they do not require treatment with caustic soda to remove their bitterness, and so they are debittered solely in water and salt, and seasoned with thyme, fennel, garlic and pepper. The olives are fresh with a varying degree of fermentation;

(b) the free stone comes away easily from the flesh. This attribute is highly sought after in table olives;

(c) regarding the internal characteristics, tasting panels have awarded it excellent evaluations for its flesh-to-stone ratio, its homogeneity, crisp texture and the firmness of the flesh;

(d) since it is not treated with alkali, the olive stands out because of the presence of the skin and its fibrousness;

(e) regarding the smell/taste, tasting panels in various organoleptic tests have awarded it positive evaluations for its seasonings, highlighting qualities such as its aroma and the appropriate balance of salt to its faint bitterness (typical of the alkali-free preparation method). The bitterness depends on the degree of fermentation of the olives; the fresh green olives are generally more bitter than the olives that have undergone full fermentation.

The processing of ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ can result in three distinct products depending on the fermentation method used for the olives.

1. ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ verde fresca (fresh green)

The olives are immediately put into containers in a cool place, where they can be stored for as long as there is no alteration to the organoleptic characteristics typical of this type of olive, or in coldrooms where they are kept at a maximum temperature of 15 °C, and can remain in these conditions for as long as there is no alteration to the organoleptic characteristics typical of this type of olive. After the olives are cracked and placed in brine, there must be a minimum of three days before they are packaged.

Organoleptic characteristics

The fresh green olives are typically light green in colour with a very pleasant smell reminiscent of green fruit and grass evoking their freshness and recent harvest. Similarly, the presence of the characteristic seasonings used in their preparation is noted. The olive has a firm and crisp texture, the flesh is easily removed from the stone, and remnants of the skin remain after chewing. Basic flavours include a characteristic bitterness, while on occasions the presence of salt can be identified depending on the type of seasoning used. Sensations on the palate include astringency and pungency.

2. ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ tradicional (traditional)

Following delivery and grading, these olives are placed in containers in premises without air conditioning where they are stored for at least 20 days before being packaged for consumption. They can be stored in these conditions for as long as there is no alteration to the organoleptic characteristics typical of this type of olive.

Organoleptic characteristics

Traditionally seasoned olives are green to pale yellow rather than the intense green of the fresh olives. Their smell evokes fresh fruit and the typical seasonings used in their preparation rather than the fresh grassy notes particular to the fresh green olives. Less firm in texture, they retain their crispness, the flesh separates easily from the stone and the skin is present. These olives have a faint bitterness, with astringency and sharpness being less noticeable than in the fresh green olives.

3. ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ curada (cured)

Following delivery and washing, these olives are placed without being cracked in fermenting tanks and cured for at least 90 days before packaging. They can be stored in these conditions for as long as there is no alteration to the organoleptic characteristics typical of this type of olive.

Organoleptic characteristics

The cured olive is yellow-brown in colour and smells of ripe fruit and fresh grass. The aroma of the seasonings and lactic notes, characteristic of the preparation and curing method, is present. Less firm and crisp in texture, the flesh separates easily from the stone, and remnants of the skin remain after chewing. It has an acid flavour, loses its bitterness in the mouth and has a sharp aftertaste.

Olives classed as designation of origin ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ will necessarily be of best or superior quality:

Best quality olives: this category includes ‘Extra’ class olives, in accordance with the quality standard for table olives, with a size of 140-200.

Superior quality olives: this category includes class ‘I’ olives, in accordance with the quality standard for table olives, with a size of 140-260.

The evaluation method for organoleptic characteristics is based on COI/OT/NC No 1. The trade standard applicable to table olives is COI/OT/MO No 1, 2008. The method for the sensory analysis of table olives, based on research by the University of Córdoba’s Department of Food Science and Technology [Departamento de Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos de la Universidad de Córdoba], is set out in the control body’s manual on quality and procedures.

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

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

All steps in production must take place in the defined geographical area: production of the raw material, preparation of the product and final packaging.

Packaging takes place as orders arrive, and the olives must spend at least three days in the containers before being packaged. The seasonings that are typical of the local area are added to the olives at the packaging stage. The perishable nature of the product, its specific characteristics and the preparation method mean that packaging must always be carried out in the geographical area of the production and preparation of ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ PDO, in order to obtain and preserve the organoleptic characteristics of the Aloreña olives through to their placing on the market.

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

Packaging is based on the categories established in the quality standard for table olives. In this connection, the olives classed as designation of origin ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ will necessarily be of best or superior quality.

To lengthen the marketing period, the olives may undergo treatment such as pasteurisation or be vacuum packed in a controlled atmosphere, provided that the final product retains its original organoleptic and physical features.

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

The designation ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ must be shown on the label. Packages must have numbered quality seals that will be issued by the management authority.

The label must state the type of olive: fresh green, traditional or cured.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area is located in the south-east of the province of Malaga and comprises a total of 19 municipalities: Alhaurín de la Torre, Alhaurín el Grande, Almogía, Álora, Alozaina, Ardales, El Burgo, Carratraca, Cártama, Casarabonela, Coín, Guaro, Málaga, Monda, Pizarra, Ronda, Tolox, El Valle de Abdalajís and Yunquera.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

The natural district of Guadalhorce (Sierra de las Nieves and Valle del Guadalhorce) falls within the area of the Cordilleras Béticas mountain range. The Guadalhorce River and Valley are delimited by a series of mountain ranges and hills. This mountain system means that the production zone is clearly defined, with the only opening being at the mouth of the Guadalhorce River.

The district’s weather combines the continental climate and the typical climate of the Mediterranean basin, giving rise to a very singular microclimate that enables the production of a great diversity of crops from those common to tropical zones, such as avocados, to the cereal production found in flat farming plains. In this environment the olive is mainly located in dry zones on the slopes of the hills and mountains that surround the valley, which, together with the mildness of the climate, has a decisive influence on, amongst other things, the final characteristics of the product, the harvest date and tree habit.

The lie of the land is very uneven, with olive groves located on the slopes that surround the Guadalhorce Valley, which is clearly marked and encircled by the mountain range. Consequently, the olive tree grows on marginal and poor soils and is not of the highly productive sort found in cultivated farm land. Rather, this variety has low productivity, but yields a fruit whose quality is unsurpassed.

Of the cultivation techniques used to grow olives in the Guadalhorce Valley, pruning has the biggest impact on the final characteristics. In this district, it is noted for its severity and the final structure it gives to the tree. This pruning method involves cutting back the youngest branches, but leaving the main tree branches, which gives the tree a wine-glass structure, on which light vegetation is left, with most of the secondary branches having been removed. This gives a very singular goblet shape to the tree.

The preparation process includes the different treatments that the olives undergo to remove their bitterness as well as their seasoning. This process is based on ancestral customs handed down from generation to generation. It is practically the same as that used in bygone years, which makes it very distinct and unique to the zone from which this product hails.

5.2. Specificity of the product

1. Oleuropein content. Oleuropein is the polyphenol that gives olives their bitterness, and ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ contains approximately 103 mg per kilogram, meaning that the olives can be debittered through pickling alone. After just 48 hours in brine the bitterness is removed.

2. It has a free stone and so the stone comes easily away from the flesh. According to local tradition, harvest time is determined by cutting the olive in the middle to see if the flesh is easily separated from the stone. If so, this indicates that this is the ideal time to pick the olives. This is a highly sought-after quality in table olives, which few are able to claim.

3. The flesh-to-stone ratio of a minimum 3:1 is one of the highest for table olives.

4. The ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ has a size of 140 to 260, a range that classes it in the ‘Extra’ category under point 3.2.1 ‘Qualitative Classification’ of standard COI/OT/NC No 1. Traditionally this parameter is highly prized by producers and consumers alike, and specific cultural practices are put in place to achieve this.

5. Organoleptic description of the different types of ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’: 5.1. Fresh green The fresh green olives are typically light green in colour with a very pleasant smell reminiscent of green fruit and grass evoking their freshness and recent harvest. Similarly, the presence of the characteristic seasonings used in their preparation is noted. The olive has a firm and crisp texture, the flesh is easily removed from the stone, and remnants of the skin remain after chewing. Basic flavours include a characteristic bitterness, while on occasions the presence of salt can be identified depending on the type of seasoning used. Sensations on the palate include astringency and pungency. 5.2. Traditional Traditionally seasoned olives are green to pale yellow rather than an intense green. Their smell evokes fresh fruit and the typical seasonings used in their preparation rather than the fresh grassy notes particular to the fresh green olives. Less firm in texture, they retain their crispness, the flesh separates easily from the stone and the skin is present. These olives have a faint bitterness, with astringency and sharpness being less noticeable than in the fresh green olives. 5.3. Cured The cured olive is yellow-brown in colour and smells of ripe fruit and fresh grass. The aroma of the seasonings and lactic notes, characteristic of the preparation and curing method, is present. Less firm and crisp in texture, the flesh separates easily from the stone, and remnants of the skin remain after chewing. It has an acid flavour, loses its bitterness in the mouth and has a sharp aftertaste.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product

As previously explained the olive tree is very sensitive to the environmental conditions in which it is grown and to handling. It is highly versatile and able to adapt to the ambient conditions. In this connection, it should be pointed out that the production zone of the Aloreña olive is clearly delimited by a chain of mountains that determine its special characteristics with regard to the climate, soil and the lie of the land of the production zone. Together with the knowledge of the local people, this has produced a table olive that stands out from others available on the market.

The oleuropein content of ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ is one of the traits that has had the greatest influence on the preparation of this type of olive. The low content of this polyphenol means that the olives can be debittered in just a few days using a simple pickling method. It has also led to the olives being split to let the brine penetrate the flesh of the fruit more easily to remove the compound responsible for its bitterness.

Pickling ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ in brine has resulted in this product’s fleshy and firm texture, since the fibrousness of the fresh fruit is not lost due to the use of caustic soda. The fibrous texture is also influenced by the type of soils in which the olives grow, usually in marginal land in mountainous areas.

The ease with which the stone is separated from the fruit, known locally as hueso flotante, has had a decisive influence on the preparation of ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’. This characteristic means that the olives can be split during preparation, leaving the stone loose inside the flesh. To decide if the olives were ripe for harvesting, locals would traditionally cut the olive in the middle and if it could be separated into two halves this indicated that harvest could begin.

The unique flavour and aroma of the ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ are also closely tied to its preparation method, which is a human factor unique to its area of origin, since the ancestral customs have been handed down over the years, using the traditional seasonings, which are a combination of local aromatic plants typically used in olive dressings in this geographical area (thyme, fennel, pepper and garlic), which historically were grown or picked in this district, although they could come from other areas too.

The size of the ‘Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga’ is another much appreciated and valued feature of this product. To obtain this size farmers must adhere to local pruning techniques that are noteworthy because of their severity, the circular form and the light vegetation. This cultural practice also has an influence on the flesh-to-stone ratio, classed as excellent by tasting panels.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

The full text of the product specification can be found at:

https://juntadeandalucia.es/export/drupaljda/Pliego_Aceituna_Alore%C3%B1a_modificado.pdf

or via the homepage of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development

(http://juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/agriculturapescaydesarrollorural.html), by following the navigation pathway ‘Áreas de actividad’/‘Industrias y Cadena Agroalimentaria’/‘Calidad’/‘Denominaciones de Calidad’/‘Otros Productos’; the specifications are located under the name of the quality designation.

(1) OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.