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

(2022/C 385/13)

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 in the Commission’s eAmbrosia database.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED

‘Rögös túró’

EU No: TSG-HU-1113-AM01 – 1.6.2022

Member State or third country: Hungary

1. Name to be registered

‘Rögös túró’

2. Type of product

Class 1.3: Cheeses

3. Grounds for the registration

3.1. Whether the product:

☒ results from a mode of production, processing or composition corresponding to traditional practice for that product or foodstuff;

☐ is produced from raw materials or ingredients that are those traditionally used.

The technique for producing ‘Rögös túró’ differs markedly from that of other fresh cheeses. The superfluous quantity of whey is removed from the curd produced from the basic milk ingredient by acid or mixed curdling, gently, by gravitational means, and by decanting, i.e. by self-pressing, ensuring ultimately – even at the portioning and packaging stage – that the crumbly, lumpy, cauliflower-like texture is preserved.

‘Rögös túró’ differs from other types of curd cheese primarily in terms of the texture conferred by its curd-production and whey-separation processes.

No other fresh cheese or dairy product has a texture consisting of clumps of loose lumps reminiscent of cauliflower formed thanks to the production technique.

Made without any flavourings, this product, which is marketed in a slightly sour, characteristically wet and crumbly state, differs from other types of fresh cheese sold on the market, which are produced using heat-treatment and kneading, for example, or as a basic ingredient of sweet and creamy cakes or pastries.

‘Rögös túró’ is considered one of the staples of Hungarian cooking. Only ‘Rögös túró’ can be used in the preparation of numerous classic dishes.

3.2. Whether the name:

☒ has been traditionally used to refer to the specific product;

☐ identifies the traditional character or specific character of the product.

The term ‘Rögös’ [lumpy] in the name expresses the product’s specific character: it denotes the texture of the product, which consists of lumps of curd reminiscent of cauliflower. The term ‘túró’, which is difficult to translate into other languages, indicates an actual fresh cheese with a pleasantly sour, fresh, aromatic taste.

4. Description

4.1. Description of the product to which the name under point 1 applies, including its main physical, chemical, microbiological or organoleptic characteristics showing the product’s specific character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

Ivory or yellowish-white in colour, ‘Rögös túró’ is a dairy product reminiscent of cauliflower with its lumps of curd and has a pleasantly sour, fresh, flavoursome and aromatic taste. During production, the lumps remain whole; they are not damaged or crushed.

The surface of the lumps is covered by a whey film. The moisture content is distributed evenly within the lumps, so that the lumps are wet even on the inside.

Physical and chemical requirements:

Degree of fat Dry matter content, minimum, % (m/m) Fat content in dry matter, % (m/m) Acidity (°SH) full-fat 40,0 minimum 60,0 60 –100 fatty 35,0 minimum 45,0 lower than 60,0 partly skimmed 25,0 minimum 25,0 lower than 45,0 low-fat 20,0 minimum 10,0 lower than 25,0 skimmed 15,0 lower than 10,0 60 –90

Organoleptic requirements:

Appearance Uniformly ivory, or in the case of the fatty and full-fat variety yellowish-white in colour. Texture Clumps (4–20 mm in size) of loose lumps reminiscent of cauliflower, in addition to which small quantities of whey may appear. In the case of machine-packaged products a homogeneous block which may be broken into clumps of loose lumps reminiscent of cauliflower. Its lumpy texture is apparent in the mouth but does not impede swallowing. Aroma Pleasantly sour, aromatic, pure, free of any foreign odours. Taste Pleasantly sour, fresh and aromatic, flavoursome, pure, free of any foreign tastes.

4.2. Description of the production method of the product to which the name under point 1 applies that the producers must follow including, where appropriate, the nature and characteristics of the raw materials or ingredients used, and the method by which the product is prepared (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

Substances and instruments that may be used:

Substances that meet the quality standards laid down in the prevailing regulations:

a) raw or pasteurised cow’s milk, from skimmed milk to whole milk;

b) cream, whether or not homogenised;

c) lactic culture (e.g. in the form of a mass-produced culture or a deep-frozen or freeze-dried dairy starter culture);

d) rennet (for mixed curdling).

Method of production:

‘Rögös túró’ can be produced using a mixed, slow or fast-curdling method. There is no difference between the quality parameters of ‘Rögös túró’ produced using the three methods.

While the stages are the same, the technological processes are accelerated by raising the temperature and the amount of lactic culture (rennet) added. The primary aim of the fast curdling method is to increase efficiency and to make better use of the vessels.

1. Pre-maturation

This process applies under the fast-curdling method only. Under the slow-curdling method, the cow’s milk does not have to be pre-matured.

Under fast curdling, pre-maturing the cow’s milk shortens the curdling time. During pre-maturing, the milk, pasteurised at 6,0–7,2 °SH, is pre-matured until it reaches 9–11 °SH. Pre-maturation occurs at a temperature of 12–15 °C, for 6–8 hours.

The milk is pre-matured (pre-acidified) in tanks or milk silos. The pre-matured milk is then placed into a curdling device (vat) as quickly as possible.

2. Adjusting the fat content

Where fat adjustment is required, full milk or homogenised cream is added to the cow’s milk, depending on the final degree of fat of the ‘Rögös túró’.

3. Renneting

During slow curdling, the cow’s milk is renneted at 22–32 °C using an 0,5–1,5 % quantity lactic culture (or an equivalent powder or frozen lactic culture).

During fast curdling, the pre-matured milk is renneted at 30–32 °C using a 4–5 % quantity lactic culture.

4. Curdling

The renneted milk is curdled in a curdling vessel for 12–20 hours in the case of slow curdling and for 4–6 hours in the case of fast curdling, until it reaches 30–38 °SH. Slow curdling occurs at a temperature of 22–32 °C, fast curdling at 30–32 °C. When the acid value required is reached, the curd makes a clean break, and mild whey separation can be observed. Rennet is also used in mixed curdling.

5. Curd processing

The aim is to reduce the water content of the curd to the typical value for the product. The procedure consists of a first pressing, heating and second pressing stage. As the curd is quite crumbly, it requires careful processing.

During the first pressing stage, the curd is broken up using a device that ensures it is broken up gently, then chopped, mixed and left to rest if necessary. The aim at this stage is to ensure that the release of the whey from the curd (syneresis) happens quickly. During chopping, the solidified curd, having rested for a few minutes (at 30–38 °SH), is chopped into roughly walnut-sized (2–3 cm), granulated lumps. Once chopping has finished, some of the whey must be drained off. During the next stage, to prevent the curd from crumbling, a protective shield is placed on the cutting implement, or spatulas are used instead of the cutting implement. The chopped curd lumps still floating in the whey are kept in motion by stirring them. If the curd lumps do not solidify at the rate required to achieve the substance of ‘Rögös túró’, then the solidification process can be aided by letting them settle and rest for a short while. After resting for a short while, the curd lumps must be stirred again to prevent them from sticking together.

The first pressing stage is followed by heating. The aim is to shrink the curd lumps further and to release the whey. The curds are heated at an intensity of 1 °C per 2,5 minutes, stirring continuously, until a temperature of 30–40 °C in the case of slow curdling and 36–48 °C in the case of accelerated curdling is reached.

During second pressing, the wheyey curd must be stirred continuously and left to settle until the desired solidity of the curd is reached. The second pressing stage may be skipped in the case of production by slow curdling.

6. Cooling and draining

The aim is to prevent the over-acidification of the chopped and warmed curd and any microbial contaminants from spreading, to stop the curd from clumping together and to regulate compaction. The curd is cooled in a curdling device (vat or tank) at an intensity of 3–4 °C per minute until it reaches 18–22 °C.

The cooling environment may be the vat or tank’s own whey, which should be allowed to circulate on the plate heat exchanger built into the draining line, and cooled to less than 5 °C. Drinking-water can also be used for cooling once the whey has been drained. Cooling down in a cooling chamber also provides adequate safety. Contemporary cultures in themselves also prevent over-acidification.

The ‘Rögös túró’ whey and curd mixture is drained from the curdling device by gravitational means or through a pump which preserves the texture of the curd.

7. Separating the whey

Having been separated from the curd, the whey must now be removed. The pivotal stage in the formation of the lumpy texture is the whey separation (decanting) method. During separation the curd is moved carefully from time to time to ensure that the cauliflower-like texture is not damaged. The separation continues until the dry matter content and acid value required for the degree of fat is reached.

8. Pouring, packaging, labelling and storage

During the pouring and packaging stage, it is important to ensure that the lumpy texture is not broken up or damaged. An inert protective gas may be used during packaging. The degree of fat referred to in point 4.1 must be indicated on the packaging.

‘Rögös túró’ must be stored at a maximum temperature of 10 °C using a method excluding any mechanical impact.

Minimum verification requirements

On account of the specific character of the product, the following items in particular must be examined when checking ‘Rögös túró’:

The specific quality characteristics of the following substances (cow’s milk, cream, pure cultures of lactic acid bacteria) used for production, including:

— fresh, max. 7,2 °SH cow’s milk;

— cream with a plasma acidity of max. 7,2 °SH;

— a lactic culture containing 36–40 °SH, acidifying and aroma-producing lactic acid bacteria with good acidification ability (e.g. in the form of a mass-produced culture or a deep-frozen or freeze-dried dairy starter culture);

The provisions of point 4 must be adhered to during the production process, in particular:

— curdling: acidity (30–36 °SH) and curdling time (4–20 hours);

— curd processing: checking the solidity of the curd (it should have a smooth feel, it should be possible to remove the curd from the lining with precision, 32–38 °SH);

— cooling the curd (until 18–22 °C is reached, at an intensity of 3–4 °C per minute);

— separating the whey (carefully, by draining without pressing, i.e. by gravitational means).

Quality of the finished product:

— the provisions of point 4 must be adhered to when checking the physical and chemical requirements (degree of fat, dry matter content, fat content, acidity);

— the provisions of point 4 must be adhered to when checking the organoleptic requirements (appearance, texture, taste and smell).

4.3. Description of the key elements establishing the product’s traditional character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

In the 18th–20th centuries curd cheeses were consumed fresh or preserved by grinding them in their natural state into grain- or hazelnut-sized pieces (Magyar Néprajz nyolc kötetben, Akadémiai Kiadó, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia).

One historical reference to the lumpiness of curd cheese dates back to the period after the First World War. It states that ‘curd cheese is chopped into hazelnut-sized lumps (…) the crumblier the curd cheese, the longer it keeps fresh’ (O. Gratz, A tej és tejtermékek, pp. 294-296, 1925).

The Tejgazdasági Szemle wrote in 1925 that curd cheese has a grainy or crumbly feel (A. Törs 1925, Tejgazdasági Szemle és Tejgazdasági Könyvtár (Tejgazdasági Szemle kiadása)).

Mihály Balatoni speaks of ‘curd lumps, a fine, loose, coarse, cauliflower-like texture, clumps and lumps reminiscent of cauliflower (Mihály Balatoni 1960, Étkezési Túró gyártása).

In 1979 Drs Sándor Szakály and Gábor Tomka published figures on consumption trends between 1970 and 1977 of this curd cheese with a ‘cauliflower-like texture’ (Tejipar, Vol. 28, No 1, 1979).

According to Dr Sándor Szakály, in Hungary ‘the lumpy variety accounts for 80 % of all curd cheese production’... ‘Rögös túró’ is fundamentally different from the other three types in that the curdling of the milk used to produce it can only occur by biological acidification… (Dr S. Szakály 1980, A rögös állományú étkezési túró korszerű gyártása, Magyar Tejgazdasági Kutató Intézet, Pécs).

According to Dr Sándor Szakály, ‘Rögös túró’, known only in Central Europe, is an ancient Hungarian dairy product originating to the west of the Ural Mountains and produced domestically through the centuries from raw milk (Tejgazdaságtan, 2001).

The traditional nature of ‘Rögös túró’ is demonstrated by the separate chapter devoted to it in the ‘Hagyományok-Ízek-Régiók’ [Traditions-Tastes-Regions] collection published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrármarketing Centrum in 2002. The collection is confined to products with a history that can be documented in line with the relevant criteria. To qualify, a product must be shown to date back at least two generations (50 years), and it must be a well-known, reputed product that is produced and distributed.

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