EN Official Journal of the European Union C 459/28

Publication of an 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

(2016/C 459/12)

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).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘NOVAC AFUMAT DIN ŢARA BÂRSEI’

EU No: RO-PDO-0005-01183 — 20.11.2013

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name

‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’

2. Member State or Third Country

Romania

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.7. Fresh fish, molluscs, and crustaceans and products derived therefrom

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

‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’ is a smoked fish fillet obtained from the bighead carp (Arystichthys nobilis) species. It is placed on the market in smoked form.

Organoleptic characteristics:

Appearance:

— smoked fish fillets with a weight of 100-400 g,

— smoked fish fillets with a smooth surface that is free of any discolouration or skin tears.

Colour:

— golden on the skin side,

— reddish-brown on the muscle side.

Aroma and taste:

— no aroma or taste of silt, alluvium or grass,

— specific aroma of hot-smoked fish.

Physical-chemical characteristics:

Sodium chloride: maximum 5 %

Moisture content: 65-75 %

Protein: minimum 11 %

Fat: maximum 4 %

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

Bighead carp feed mainly on zooplankton and also consume small quantities of planktonic algae and insects or insect larvae.

Bighead carp is the raw material for the finished product ‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’, and is obtained from a 3-year growth cycle in fish farms within the defined geographical area. The fish is selected from the 1 200 to 2 000 g weight group.

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

All the steps in the production process used to obtain ‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’ take place within the defined geographical area. The production of ‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’ involves the following stages: rearing the bighead carp, acceptance (conditioning and storage), preliminary processing (scaling, decapitation, evisceration and washing), filleting, salting, smoking and maturing the fish.

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

—

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

—

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area comprises the administrative territories of the municipalities of: Dumbrăvița, Feldioara, Hălchiu, Bod and Hărman. These are localities in the lowlands of the Olt and are bordered by: the administrative boundary of the municipality of Măierus to the north; the river Olt to the east; the administrative territory of the municipality of Prejmer to the south-east; the administrative territory of Brașov and Sânpetru to the south; the administrative territory of Codlea to the south-west; the Perșani mountains to the west; and the administrative territory of the municipality of Crizbav to the north-west.

5. Link with the geographical area

Natural factors

Groundwater:

From a hydrogeological point of view, the area has aquifers in the calcareous rocks and the conglomerate on the edge of the Bârsei depression. The fissures and holes through which water from atmospheric precipitation (rain, snow) flows and the slopes with their numerous springs feed the hydrographic network. The water in the streams running through these areas characterised by hard siliceous rocks is clear and pH neutral, optimum for the development of bighead carp.

Soil:

Even though it is situated in a mountain area, the defined geographical area has some of the characteristics of plains. Fish farms in the defined geographical area have hydromorphic soils that include swamps (gleysols, black soils) and climo-hydromorphic soils (meadow soils) which are favourable to the development of the organisms on which this species of fish feeds.

Protected rural areas:

The production of ‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’ is closely linked to its place of origin in the defined area in which the sources of water essential for fish farming are located, thanks to the natural proximity of the floodplain of the river Olt and its tributaries.

The rate of production and the quality of the bighead carp are enhanced by the soils on which the fish farms have been built and the diversity and quality of the natural resources for feed.

Human factors

The high yield (300 kg/ha) lent itself to processing and preservation of bighead carp. One of the processing methods is hot smoking, used since ancient times.

Most of the activities related to the production of ‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’ are carried out by hand. This means that the experience and know-how of local people play an important role.

Ancient local salting and smoking techniques are used, which form part of the stages of production that define the characteristics of the product.

Specificity of the product

The characteristic features of ‘Novac afumat din Ţara Bârsei’ are:

— the low fat content (below or equal to 4 %) compared to fish grown in other fish-farming areas outside the geographical area, due to the slower growth rate of the bighead carp in water that has lower temperatures (24 °C — summer maximum),

— the compact structure of the fillets, resulting from the fish’s feed; the quality of the plankton is determined by natural factors that are specific to the area, namely the pure water and hydromorphic soils that enhance the development of the organisms that constitute the feed for this fish species,

— the pleasant aroma, conferred by the method of hot smoking using beech sawdust from the defined geographical area,

— in general, fillets obtained from bighead carp from outside the geographical area have a 2-year growth cycle and weigh over 4 000 g.

The natural factors of the defined geographical area influence the product’s qualities. However, it is the combination of the natural factors with the technical experience in rearing the fish and smoking the fillets that define the specific character of the product.

Since time immemorial, the people of this area have practised fishing and fish preservation methods, including hot smoking using beech sawdust. The preservation process follows the tradition of hot smoking. The smoking and cooking procedure takes place inside a chamber at a temperature of 75-80 °C, with the centre of the product reaching a temperature of 70 °C, for a minimum of 5 minutes at 25 % humidity.

The characteristics of hot-smoked bighead carp fillet are appreciated by consumers at specialised trade fairs.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

www.madr.ro

http://www.madr.ro/docs/ind-alimentara/produse-traditionale/caiet-sarcini-novac-afumat-din-tara-barsei-igp-.pdf

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