Publication of an application for registration of a name 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

(2021/C 20/10)

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) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ENNSTALER STEIRERKAS’

EU No: PDO-AT-02588 – 28.1.2020

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’

2. Member State or Third Country

Austria

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

‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ is a sour milk cheese made from raw or pasteurised skimmed cow’s milk. Milk is processed to achieve the form of a truncated cone weighing up to 4 kg, without adding rennet and only by acid coagulation. Usually, salt is the only ingredient used to season the product. Very small amounts of pepper, spices, herbs and berries may also be added. ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ is an age-old, crumbly low-fat cheese, with a distinctive aroma and a very characteristic flavour. The flavour is sour, strong and piquant, spicy to sharp. As the cheese ages, its odour becomes more intense, characterised by a robust and spicy aroma, accompanied by an earthy odour and a mild ammonia note. The flavour and intensity of the odour may differ slightly depending on the weather conditions at the time of production. Influenced by noble mould, the maturing process takes at least three weeks, starting on the outside of the product and proceeding inside.

The surface is dry, brownish or greyish, covered with a layer of green or white mould of varying thickness and with cracks resembling a map. The cheese is marbled inside, pale brown to brown-grey. Its structure is granular or crumbly to clammy, patterned here and there by mould veins.

The maximum moisture content of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ is 46 %, resulting in a substantially lower MFFB (moisture content on a fat-free basis) value than is usually the case for sour cheese.

Other chemical and physical properties of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ include:

Fat in dry matter (calculated): 0-12 %

Dry weight: Minimum 52 % – Maximum 62 %

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

Feed:

From the end of May until late September or early October, the dairy cows usually graze on upland pastures between 500 m and 1 800 m above sea level, where they feed on various types of grass. If no grazing takes place, it must be ensured that the cows are fed grasses from the demarcated area (this can also be in the form of silage). In the winter, the dairy cows are kept indoors and fed hay and silage from the demarcated area. The cows can be fed grass and herbs as fresh green fodder, as dry hay or as processed silage. Farmers mostly use their own feed, with a particular emphasis on quality during harvest.

To ensure the animals’ welfare, it is necessary and therefore permitted to supplement their feed with concentrate and roughage from other areas, which may account for up to 40 % of the dry matter on an annual basis, to ensure a balanced nutrient supply and adequate feeding during periods of high milk yield or in the event of exceptional weather conditions such as droughts. Concentrate may be bought from other areas since the geographical area, a typical mountain region characterised by grassland and a shallow humus layer, is not well suited to growing crops. This means that hardly any cereals or similar crops are grown or produced in the area, making purchases from other areas necessary. However, at least 60 % of the dry matter, on an annual basis, must come from the geographical area.

The percentage of fodder (roughage, silage and/or grass) from the geographical area may therefore not be less than 60 % of the total dry matter fed annually to the lactating cows. Less than 40 % of the dry matter of each ration may be made up of concentrate/hay from other areas.

The above derogation for feed supplements does not affect the high and constant quality of the milk as most of the roughage must come from the demarcated area.

Raw material:

Only cow’s milk from the defined geographical area is used for the production of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’.

Pasteurised or raw skimmed milk is curdled without adding rennet. If necessary, lactic acid bacteria cultures may be used to stimulate the acidification process. No colouring matter or chemical preservatives may be added.

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

The entire production (raw materials, processing and maturing) must take place within the defined geographical area.

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

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

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4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ has been traditionally produced is located in the north-western part of Styria (the district of Liezen).

5. Link with the geographical area

The unstable climate, the wealth of various rock formations (particularly mica schist, limestone, dolomite, marble, greenschist, amphibolite and sandstone), and the different types of terrain and soil make the local countryside and wildlife incredibly diverse. The specific local conditions (climate, terrain and soil), combined with extensive grassland farming, allow the growth of vegetation typical for mountain meadows and pastures, with a significantly higher proportion of herbs in its composition in comparison with valley areas and a special biodiversity conditioned by its location and use.

The quality of the milk fat is influenced by the alpine flora, which is rich in a wide variety of species. Milk from this mountain area has a fatty acid pattern with higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids) and beta-carotene.

This skimmed milk is used to produce very low-fat sour milk cheese, containing high-quality biological protein, trace elements and vitamins, which contribute significantly to the brownish to greyish colour, aromatic scent, and intense, multifaceted flavour of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’.

It was only a few decades ago that ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ began to be produced industrially, which underlines the importance of the human element and craftsmanship. To this day, many processing steps are carried out by hand.

The know-how related to the production of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ has often been handed down in families for generations. The Ennstal dairy farmers have also had intensive exchanges of information through regular meetings and shared training initiatives, which has contributed significantly to the preservation of knowledge on the production of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’.

The basis for the flavour of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ is the traditional and regional knowledge of the local famers and their ability to cope with the specificities of the local microclimate, which is directly reflected in the production process. Constantly dealing with the region’s weather allows farmers to compensate for its impact and to ensure a consistent quality of cheese. For instance, farming methods are adapted to the climate and vegetation to maintain the quality of feed. During adverse weather, acidification processes need to be supplemented with larger doses of lactic acid bacteria. The conditions for cheese maturation change with the air temperature and humidity levels. It is therefore necessary to carefully observe every stage in the production process and to know the right time for every step.

To produce ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’, sour milk is heated in cheese vats at a temperature of 75-100 °C to separate the curds and whey. This process is important for giving the cheese its long storage life, which is important on the pastures. At the same time, the milk must be handled carefully to ensure that a large part of the aromatic and microbiological characteristics and components and thus the specific qualities of the milk are retained. In addition, the naturally changing feeding conditions on the mountain pastures mean that the milk does not have any standard characteristics, but rather that its quality (in terms of protein content or fatty acid composition, for example) fluctuates. Their vast experience allows the makers of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ to amply compensate for these natural fluctuations.

Grating sour curds also requires a great deal of experience, resulting as it does in the surface area of cheese becoming larger, which additionally facilitates the process of drying. This results in very dry kernels, which explains the unique crumbly texture of ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’.

Careful handling is decisive for the maturing process and thus the quality of the end product. Influenced by noble mould, the maturing process takes place in well-ventilated ripening rooms or cellars, at temperatures between 6 °C and 14 °C and humidity levels between 60 % and 85 %, with the rounds of cheeses rotated regularly. This affords ‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ its typical dry, porous, brownish to greyish colour with a layer of green or white mould. Particular care must be given to the rounds of cheese during the ageing stage, since this stage also takes place on the pastures in cooler temperatures with higher (often fluctuating) levels of humidity. The cheese often matures in natural cellars, which need particularly careful monitoring by the alpine dairy farmers, as the maturing conditions here cannot be standardised through technology. During maturation it is particularly important for the rounds of cheese to be rotated regularly, so that they dry evenly. The farmer uses an experienced eye to decide when the rounds are ready to be turned, thereby contributing significantly to the cheese quality. Consideration must be given to the peculiarities of the local conditions and of the technical facilities.

The close connection of the cheese with its area of production is also evinced by the fact that almost no transport takes place during the production process. The milk is produced in the geographical area and processed either directly on site or after having been transported a relatively short distance.

‘Ennstaler Steirerkas’ should thus be considered as a product that is strongly shaped by the region and central to its identity.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://www.patentamt.at/herkunftsangaben/ennstalersteirerkas/

It can also be accessed directly via the Austrian Patent Office’s website (www.patentamt.at) by navigating to the following: ‘Markenschutz/Schutzrechte/Herkunftsangabe’ [Brand protection/protection rights/indication of origin]. The text appears under the name of the quality designation.

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