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

(This publication replaces the text published in OJ C 203, 17.6.2020, p. 7)

(2020/C 322/10)

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 3 months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Λουκανικο Πιτσιλιασ’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’

EU No: PGI-CY-02369 – 15.9.2017

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s)

‘ΛΟΥΚΆΝΙΚΟ ΠΙΤΣΙΛΙΆΣ’ / ‘LOUKANIKO PITSILIAS’

2. Applicant country(ies)

Cyprus

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.2. Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.)

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

The name ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ is used for an aged, smoked meat product marinated in wine, which is produced without the addition of any preservatives (e.g. nitrates, nitrites, polyphosphates), flavour enhancers or any other additives. The raw materials used to prepare it also do not contain any additives or preservatives (e.g. nitrates or nitrites).

The raw materials used in its preparation are:

— fresh pork mince from healthy animals that have been slaughtered in accordance with the law (completely bled and immediately refrigerated). Upon receipt, checks are carried out on the colour (characteristic light red), the smell (good) and the internal temperature (between 0 °C and 4 °C);

— pork casing which has already been cleaned and cured with salt at a temperature below 4 °C. Upon receipt, checks are carried out on its purity and smell (good);

— dry red wine from vineyards that grow vines of the local Mavro variety and possibly also of the Maratheftiko variety. Upon receipt of the wine, checks are carried out on the aroma (characteristic of the variety), the alcohol content (between 12 % and 15 %) and the sugar content (less than 4 g/litre);

— coarse (sea) salt;

— crushed coriander (Coriandrum sativum), ground cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and ground black pepper (Piper nigrum).

‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ has the following characteristics:

Physical characteristics

The product is presented for consumption as a series of paired ‘links’, or as individual sausages.

Each individual sausage is long, narrow and cylindrical in shape.

Diameter of individual sausage: 2-4 cm;

Length of individual sausage: 5-40 cm.

Organoleptic characteristics

Colour: dark greyish brown to black on the outside and pale purple on the inside with distinct white areas of fat at intervals.

Aroma: aroma of smoke, red wine, coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum).

Taste: lightly salted with distinctive flavours of red wine, smoke, coriander, cumin and black pepper (Piper nigrum).

Texture: cohesive in texture; when cut, each slice remains cohesive without the minced meat mixture being dispersed.

Chemical characteristics

Water content: 40 %-60 %;

Sodium chloride: 1,5 %-3 %;

Maximum fat percentage: 35 %.

‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ may be sold packaged or loose, whole or sliced.

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

The dry red wine used in the preparation of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ is produced in the defined geographical area from vineyards growing vines of the predominant local Mavro variety. These vineyards are located in the area of Pitsilia, where wines with a Controlled Designation of Origin are produced. The vineyards may also grow vines of the Maratheftiko (Vamvakada) variety.

The Pitsilia area is characterised by special soil morphology and quality, with characteristics beneficial to the cultivation of grapes for wine making, such as high altitude, barren and sloping soils, eroded volcanic rocks and the absence of rainfall while the grapes ripen. All of these climatic and morphological peculiarities give the wine produced in the Pitsilia area special organoleptic and quality characteristics which are transferred to the product and influence its organoleptic character, since immersion in wine is an important part of the preservation process.

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

The different steps in the preparation of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ which must take place within the defined geographical area are: dry salting the mince and soaking it in wine for at least 3 days, addition of spices, filling the mixture into pork casing, tying the casings at intervals to form a series of ‘links’ of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’, smoking for 2 to 5 days and keeping the sausage in the ripening room (as necessary) to give it the water content desired by the producer (section 3.2).

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

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

In whatever form the product is presented (packaged or loose, whole or sliced), it must bear appropriate labelling stating the registered name and the details of the plant where it was produced and/or sliced and packaged (if slicing and packaging do not take place in the production plant).

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area, Pitsilia, is known for being mountainous. It comprises areas with an altitude of 700 metres or more within the administrative boundaries of the following localities:

Nicosia District: Agia Eirini, Alithinou, Alona, Apliki, Askas, Gourri, Kannavia, Kourdali, Lagoudera, Lazanias, Livadia (Nicosia), Palechori, Platanistasa, Polystypos, Saranti, Spilia, Farmakas, Fikardou, Fterikoudi and Kambi;

Larnaca District: Odou;

Limassol District: Agios Theodoros, Agios Ioannis, Agios Konstantinos, Agios Pavlos, Agridia, Agros, Kato Amiantos, Pano Amiantos, Dymes, Zoopigi, Kato Mylos, Kyperounta, Pelendri, Potamitissa, Sykopetra and Chandria.

5. Link with the geographical area

The application to register the ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ PGI is based on the product’s physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics, which are developed and preserved as a result of a production process which does not require the use of any additives or other auxiliary substances.

The characteristics of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ are a result of the producers’ know-how, in particular the following:

It is up to each producer to select the meat. Producers use minced meat from different parts of the pig (other than vital organs) with a different fat content. This enables producers to add or remove fat. Producers draw on their experience to complete this process so as to ensure that the fat percentage in the ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ does not exceed 35 %, as this would make the product softer in texture than desired.

The minced meat is salted as the producers deem appropriate, based on their experience, and mixed at intervals in order to achieve both a uniform distribution of salt in the minced meat and the desired saltiness of the final product.

Salting and immersion in wine take place at the same time. The salted minced meat remains in the wine for at least 3 days, and it is mixed regularly to ensure that the wine’s characteristic taste, aroma and colour are consistent in the mince mixture.

The characteristic intense wine flavour and aroma and the characteristic colour of the inside of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ are influenced by the choice of the appropriate wine, in terms of aroma and chemical properties, and by the length of time the mince is immersed and soaked in the wine. The wine should be red and dry, from vineyards growing vines of the local Mavro variety that is predominant in the area (accounting for around 80 % of the total area planted with vines), possibly together with vines of the red Maratheftiko variety.

In a similar way to the salt and wine, spices are also added to the mixture.

The processes of salting, soaking in wine, adding spices and mixing the preparation are important stages of the production process in order to ensure that the sausages are prepared from the same mixture of minced meat and have the same quality characteristics.

Once the mixture has acquired what the producer deems to be the desired characteristics, it is fed into a natural pork casing. The casing is sealed at the ends and tied in a knot at intervals to form a series of ‘links’ of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’. An important element of producers’ know-how, when filling and tying the casings, is the creation of small holes that will prevent excess moisture from being locked in. If this were to happen, the final product would be very uneven and would have pockets of air.

Another important element of the producers’ know-how is smoking, as it determines the flavour, aroma, texture and colour of the final product. Smoking is also the stage of the production process that determines the colour of the outside of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ sausages, as the colour grows darker at the end of mild, gradual and cold smoking. The intensity of the fire, the duration of smoking, the distance of the sausage from the fire itself and how regularly the position of the sausage in the smoke house is changed are decided on the basis of the producers’ experience, resulting in a final product which is smoky without altering the flavour and aroma obtained at the stage where it is soaked in the wine and spices. The intensity of the fire varies depending on the climatic conditions to ensure that the flavour and texture of the product are not affected. If the fire is too intense during smoking, the texture of the final product will be crunchier and the outer colour darker, which are not desirable characteristics.

Smoking and the time spent in the ripening room (where required) are the processes which give the product the desired moisture levels and the characteristic firmer texture when consumed, as opposed to similar products which are not smoked or aged.

The climate of the Pitsilia area, which is characterised by cool dry summers and mild winters, combined with the sloping, relatively infertile land, helped to develop the process of producing and preserving processed meat products under ambient room conditions, which made it possible to have meat available to the family throughout the year. Expertise in producing these products has remained unchanged and has been handed down from generation to generation; this know-how is still used today by producers in the Pitsilia area in their modern facilities.

The soil and climate of the Pitsilia area have also contributed to a lesser volume of grapes being produced there than in other areas, with juice that is richer in polyphenols. Along with other production know-how, the producers of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’ also inherited the excellent black wine referred to by N. Ierides (1903: Brief History of Cyprus); this further strengthens the link between the product and the area, giving it the intense aroma and taste characteristic of the local Mavro wine.

The characteristics of ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’, which are the result of the producers’ know-how and the use of the area’s wine, are what earned it a reputation, together with Pafítiko Loukaniko, as the best Cypriot sausages, according to P. Xioutas, 1978: Kypriaki Laografia ton Zóon (Animals in Cypriot Folklore).

Pitsilia’s processed meat products, including ‘Λουκάνικο Πιτσιλιάς’ / ‘Loukaniko Pitsilias’, are inextricably linked to this particular area, so that any publications and/or websites with information on tourism and/or gastronomy make specific reference to them (Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, 2011: Gastronomikos Chartis tis Kyprou (Culinary Map of Cyprus), and Florentia Kithraiotou, 2009: Trofi: aformi schesis (Food: a basis for a relationship).

Publication reference of the specification

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

http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/FE9A90EB4A75497BC22583A9003E9C46?OpenDocument

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