Publication of an application for approval of non-minor amendments to a product specification 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

(2019/C 375/09)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months of the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘Queso de Valdeón’

EU No: PGI-ES-0267-AM01 — 5.7.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Name of the group: Consejo Regulador de la Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Queso de Valdeón’ (Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Queso de Valdeón’)

Address: C/El Cantón, s/n, 24915 Posada de Valdeón (León), Spain Tel. +34 987740514 Email: quesosv@quesospicosdeeuropa.com

The applicant group represents the collective interests of the producers of ‘Queso de Valdeón’. It is the legitimate interested party in the amendment application for the Specification of the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Queso de Valdeón’ and is also responsible for its protection.

2. Member State or third country

Spain

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

☐ Name of product

☒ Description of product

☐ Geographical area

☒ Proof of origin

☒ Method of production

☐ Link

☒ Labelling

☒ Other [inspection body]

4. Type of amendment(s)

☒ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

☐ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

Amendment 1

‘Description of product’ section

Grounds for the amendment

In the first paragraph, a more detailed description of the cheese has been given in order to provide a better characterisation of the product.

This amendment affects Section 4.2 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Current wording of the specification

The cheeses covered by the ‘Queso de Valdeón’ Protected Geographical Indication are full-fat blue cheeses made using cows’ milk or a mixture of cows’ milk and sheep’s and/or goats’ milk, marketed whole or creamed.

Proposed amendment

The cheeses covered by the ‘Queso de Valdeón’ Protected Geographical Indication are full-fat blue cheeses made from raw or pasteurised cows’ milk or a mixture of cows’ milk and sheep’s and/or goats’ milk, using lactic acid and enzymatic coagulation. The cheeses made from raw milk are ripened for at least two months, while the cheeses made from pasteurised milk are ripened for one month. They are marketed either whole or creamed.

Amendment 2

‘Description of product’ section

Grounds for the amendment

The weight range for the whole cheeses has been increased slightly (from between 0,5 kg and 3 kg to between 0,2 kg and 3 kg). This increase does not affect the characteristics of ‘Queso de Valdeón’. This amendment has been made because consumers’ eating habits have been changing as a result of sociodemographic shifts in the population, which have transformed consumption patterns. One pattern that has changed is the demand for food in smaller formats, due to the reduction in family sizes.

This paragraph also states that the cheese may be marketed in portions.

On the other hand, the rise in the use of ingredients with a quality mark by various establishments (such as hospitality establishments, retail chains and industrial plants) has led to an increase in demand for larger containers of non-solid ingredients such as the creamed cheese covered by this PGI. The permitted net content of the containers for creamed cheese has therefore increased to 6 kg.

Because of this demand, the group has to find new ways to market its products, adapting to market trends and requirements but without reducing the quality of the products.

These amendments affect Section 4.2 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Current wording of the specification

1. Characteristics of the whole cheeses — Morphological characteristics — cylindrical, with slightly concave upper and lower surfaces, — maximum height of 15 cm and maximum diameter of 25 cm, — weight from 0,5 kg to 3 kg.

2. Characteristics of the creamed cheese — Morphological characteristics

It is sold in containers with a net content of between 20 g and 1,5 kg.

The creamed cheese is perfectly homogeneous, with no rind whatsoever.

Proposed amendment

1. Characteristics of the whole cheeses — Morphological characteristics — cylindrical, with slightly concave upper and lower surfaces, — maximum height of 15 cm and maximum diameter of 25 cm, — weight from 0,2 kg to 3 kg. — The cheese may also be marketed in portions.

2. Characteristics of the creamed cheese — Morphological characteristics

It is marketed in containers with a net content of between 20 g and 6 kg. Containers with a net content of between 1,5 kg and 6 kg are only intended for catering establishments, retail chains and industrial plants.

The creamed cheese is perfectly homogeneous, with no rind whatsoever.

Amendment 3

‘Description of product’ section, 1.— Characteristics of the whole cheeses

Grounds for the amendment

The last paragraph in the section, which indicates the various ways in which the cheese can be sold, has been deleted. It seems more appropriate to move this information to Section 3.2, where it is stated that the product may be marketed in portions, and to Section 3.6 on labelling, which describes the option to market the product in portions, provided that it is packaged and its origin can be identified.

The description of the process of cutting the product into portions and the minimum portion weight has been deleted, due to consumer demand for even smaller portions and because the minimum portion weight of 250 g and the cutting method do not affect the quality of ‘Queso de Valdeón’.

This amendment affects Section 4.2 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Text deleted from the specification

The whole cheeses can also be marketed in portions obtained by making transverse cuts along the radius of the cylinder. These portions must retain their natural rind and weigh at least 250 g.

Amendment 4

‘Evidence that the product originates from the geographical area’ section

Grounds for the amendment

This section has been completely rewritten to improve its readability and adapt it to the current regulations.

References to authorisation or inspection by the Regulatory Council have been deleted so as not to restrict the free movement of goods and the freedom to provide services.

This amendment affects Section 4.4 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Current wording of the specification

— The cheese must come only from cheese dairies and ripening establishments registered with the Regulatory Council.

— An initial evaluation must be carried out on cheese dairies and ripening establishments before they are registered with the Regulatory Council and evaluations must then be carried out on a regular basis to ensure that they still fulfil the requirements for registration.

— The cheese must be produced in accordance with the method described in this specification.

— Only cheese that has passed all the checks laid down may be marketed with the guarantee of origin certified by the Regulatory Council’s approval mark.

— The number of secondary labels issued by the Regulatory Council to each cheese dairy must tally with the volumes of milk processed and the types and quantities of cheese produced.

— The regular checks and evaluations must include analyses of the milk when it is placed in the curdling vats, inspection of the method of production, checks on documentation, checks on stocks, sampling and tests on the product.

— Where appropriate, the Regulatory Council will apply the penalties laid down in its rules where irregularities are detected.

— The Regulatory Council has a register showing the quantities of numbered labels, membership documents and certificates issued and to whom they are issued.

Proposed amendment

— The cheese must come only from registered cheese dairies and ripening establishments which are subject to checks.

— An initial evaluation must be carried out on cheese dairies and ripening establishments before they are registered and evaluations must then be carried out on a regular basis to ensure that they still fulfil the requirements for registration.

— The cheese must be produced in accordance with the method described in Section E of this specification.

— Only cheese that has passed all the checks laid down may be marketed with the guarantee of origin certified by the label identifying the protected geographical indication.

— The regular checks and evaluations must include analyses of the milk when it is placed in the curdling vats, inspection of the method of production, checks on documentation, checks on stocks, sampling and tests on the product.

— All operators must be able to identify: (a) the supplier, the quantity and the origin of all milk received; (b) the recipient, quantity and destination of all cheeses labelled; (c) the correlation between the milk received, as referred to in point (a), and each batch of cheese labelled, as referred to in point (b).

Amendment 5

‘Method of production’ section

Grounds for the amendment

The minimum ripening period for cheeses made with pasteurised milk has been changed from one and a half months to one month. This decrease, which is adapted to the reduction in weight of the whole cheeses, affects neither the natural ripening processes nor the final characteristics of the cheese.

This amendment affects Section 4.5 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Current wording of the specification

The cheeses are ripened for a minimum of two months for cheeses made from raw milk and one and a half months for cheeses made from pasteurised milk.

Proposed amendment

The cheeses are ripened for a minimum of two months for cheeses made from raw milk and one month for cheeses made from pasteurised milk.

Amendment 6

‘Method of production’ section

Grounds for the amendment

The text concerning the labels and secondary labels for the cheeses has been deleted, as this information is better suited to the section on labelling. Please see the text included in the amendment to the section on labelling, which indicates the new location of that text in the specification.

This amendment does not affect any sections of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Text deleted from the ‘Method of production’ section of the product specification

Labels and secondary labels must be affixed to the cheeses and the containers of creamed cheese immediately before they are placed on the market.

Amendment 7

‘Labelling’ section

Grounds for the amendment

This section now contains all references to the possibility of marketing the cheese whole, creamed or in portions, provided that it is packaged and its origin can be identified.

The requirements regarding authorisation and checking by the Regulatory Council have been deleted, so as not to restrict freedom of movement.

The content of some of the mandatory terms has been laid down, and the logo of the protected geographical indication, which does not appear in the current specification, has been included.

The text removed from the ‘Method of production’ section referred to in amendment 6 has been included.

The text has been rearranged to make it easier to understand.

This amendment affects Section 4.8 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Current wording of the specification

The words ‘Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Queso de Valdeón’’ (‘Queso de Valdeón’ protected geographical indication) and the logo of the Regulatory Council must be visible on each registered company’s commercial labels. These must be authorised by the Regulatory Council.

They must also be accompanied by the conformity mark of the protected geographical indication, which is the numbered secondary label issued by the Regulatory Council. This conformity mark guarantees the product’s traceability.

The numbered secondary label must be attached in such a way that it cannot be reused. It must include the words ‘Consejo Regulador de la Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Queso de Valdeón’’ (Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Queso de Valdeón’) and the logo of the protected geographical indication.

The Regulatory Council must set out in its quality manual the supplementary rules on the use of the protected geographical indication’s conformity mark with regard to its size and location on the product.

Proposed amendment

‘Queso de Valdeón’ may be marketed whole, in portions or creamed, provided that it is packaged and its origin can be identified.

The commercial labels used to market the protected product must bear the name and logo of the protected geographical indication.

Cheese marketed whole or creamed must bear a secondary label, each with its own serial number. This secondary label must display the name and logo of the protected geographical indication.

The labelling for cheese marketed in portions must bear the name and logo of the protected geographical indication, along with references that allow the origin of the cheese to be identified.

Labels and secondary labels must be affixed to the cheeses and the containers of creamed cheese before they are placed on the market.

The designation’s logo is:

Amendment 8

‘Inspection body’ section

Grounds for the amendment

The inspection body is the Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (Castile and Leon Institute of Agricultural Technology), which is the competent authority.

This amendment affects Section 4.7 of the original Single Document or the equivalent thereof.

Current wording of the specification

Name: Consejo Regulador de la Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Queso de Valdeón’ [Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Queso de Valdeón’]

Address: C/El Cantón, s/n. 24915 – Posada de Valdeón (León) Telephone: +34 987 740 514 Fax +34 987 740 568

The Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Queso de Valdeón’ must be able to comply with standard EN 45011 ‘General criteria for certification bodies carrying out product certification’.

Proposed amendment

Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León [Castile and Leon Institute of Agricultural Technology]

Ctra. de Burgos Km 119. Finca Zamadueñas 47071 Valladolid (Spain) Telephone: +34 983 412 034 Fax +34 983 412 040 Email: controloficial@itacyl.es

Verification of compliance with the conditions described in the product specification for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Queso de Valdeón’ is the responsibility of the Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León, through the Subdirectorate for Food Quality and Promotion, in accordance with Article 139 of Law No 1/2014 of 19 March 2014 on Castile and Leon Agriculture.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Queso de Valdeón’

EU No: PGI-ES-0267-AM01 — 5.7.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name

‘Queso de Valdeón’

2. Member State or third country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

The cheeses covered by the ‘Queso de Valdeón’ Protected Geographical Indication are full-fat blue cheeses made from raw or pasteurised cows’ milk or a mixture of cows’ milk and sheep’s and/or goats’ milk, using lactic acid and enzymatic coagulation. The cheeses made from raw milk are ripened for at least two months, while the cheeses made from pasteurised milk are ripened for one month. They are marketed either whole or creamed.

1. Characteristics of the whole cheeses Morphological characteristics Cylindrical, with slightly concave upper and lower surfaces. Maximum height of 15 cm and maximum diameter of 25 cm. Weight from 0,2 kg to 3 kg. The cheese may also be marketed in portions. Physical and chemical characteristics Fat content equal to or greater than 45 % in dry matter. Minimum moisture content of 30 %. Salt content of less than 3,5 %. Organoleptic characteristics The rind is natural, thin, tender and of yellowish colour with grey tones. The cut is smooth, with numerous evenly distributed irregular eyes of various sizes and a greenish-blue appearance. The body of the cheese is of ivory to cream colour and is shiny with a faint aureole depending on the degree of ripeness. It has low elasticity, brittleness and firmness and medium flexibility, melts in the mouth, has good solubility and reduced adhesion. Its aroma is lightly acidic or lactic when the cheese is semi-ripe, with a very specific scent of mould. As the cheese continues to ripen, the lactic scent disappears, the aroma becomes more persistent and intense, and spicy, fruity and even aromatic scents develop, although the scent of mould remains. The flavour is intense, salty and piquant, lightly ardent, and becomes more pronounced as ripening progresses and when goats’ or sheep’s milk is used. The flavour is persistent, particularly in riper cheeses.

2. Characteristics of the creamed cheese Morphological characteristics It is sold in containers with a net content of between 20 g and 6 kg. Containers with a net content of between 1,5 kg and 6 kg are only intended for catering establishments, retail chains and industrial plants. The creamed cheese is perfectly homogeneous, with no rind whatsoever. Physical and chemical characteristics Fat content equal to or greater than 45 % in dry matter. Minimum moisture content of 30 %. Salt content of less than 3,5 %. Organoleptic characteristics The cream is ivory white with greenish-blue tones, and is not very shiny. The cream is sticky, increasingly so as it gets warmer, with a medium, almost buttery consistency. The aroma is lightly acidic or lactic, with a persistent and intense scent of mould. The cream melts in the mouth, with good solubility and medium adhesion. The flavour is intense and piquant, and intensifies when goats’ or sheep’s milk is used. The cheese has an intense salty flavour, with a light ardent sensation. The taste lingers in the mouth.

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

Once the milk from different species has been mixed together, the minimum analytical levels in the curdling vat are as follows:

— fat: 3,5 %

— protein: 3,1 %

— dry matter: 12,0 %

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

The cheese’s production process, including ripening, must take place in the defined geographical area.

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

‘Queso de Valdeón’ may be marketed whole, in portions or creamed, provided that it is packaged and its origin can be identified.

The commercial labels used to market the protected product must bear the name and logo of the protected geographical indication.

Cheese marketed whole or creamed must bear a secondary label, each with its own serial number. This secondary label must display the name and logo of the protected geographical indication.

The labelling for cheese marketed in portions must bear the name and logo of the protected geographical indication, along with references that allow the origin of the cheese to be identified.

Labels and secondary labels must be affixed to the cheeses and the containers of creamed cheese before they are placed on the market.

The designation’s logo is:

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The municipality of Posada de Valdeón (León).

5. Link with the geographical area

The link between the geographical area and the product is based on various elements such as the area’s climate characteristics, the traditional production method and the product’s reputation.

‘Queso de Valdeón’ gets its name from the municipality of Posada de Valdeón, located entirely within the Picos de Europa national park. The area is surrounded by substantial natural barriers, which perfectly define it. These barriers are the Panderruedas Pass (1 450 metres), the Pontón Pass (1 311 metres) and the Pandetrave Pass (1 562 metres).

Between the high mountains lies a deep depression with an average altitude of 650 m.

The particular climate of the defined area can be classed as a high-mountain climate. Winters are long and cold, with frequent frosts (more than 100 days between November and April) and abundant precipitation, often in the form of snow. Summers are short and cool (minimum average temperatures around 5-6 °C, maximum 18 °C). Precipitation is abundant, although of shorter duration than the rest of the year. Relative humidity in summer remains high because of fog and mist.

Average annual precipitation is 1 100 mm in the valley and 1 800 mm on the mountain peaks.

Historically, these factors, together with the presence of caves in the area, have resulted in the development of certain special characteristics in relation to the ripening of the cheeses. These characteristics originate from the raw material available in the area due to its mountainous nature.

The specific microclimate in this area and the traditional production practices favour the development of the inoculated microbial flora that is characteristic of these cheeses.

The specific nature of the product is clear from the outset: it is a blue cheese, which gives it a different appearance to other cheeses produced in the area, but this characteristic is particularly noticeable when cutting the cheese, which contains greenish-blue eyes of variable size. It is matured in cold temperatures and high humidity, replicating the conditions in the ripening caves in the area. This is clear from the presence of visible mould and from the cheese’s aroma and flavour.

Various texts from the 19th and early 20th centuries attest to the artisanal production of the protected cheeses under these production conditions. The Valdeón valley is currently home both to production processes similar to those used for centuries and to processes that have incorporated new technology. However, the basic principles of the production process mentioned in the testimonies referred to here are still clearly applied.

Cheese production in the Valdeón valley goes back to pre-Roman times, when goats’ milk was used as the raw material.

The first written references to cheese production in the Valdeón valley date back to the mid-19th century. Pascual Madoz, in his Diccionario (1845-1859), refers to cheese production and the size of the goat population in the villages of the Valdeón valley.

During the second half of the 19th century, cheese production was an important activity in the Valdeón valley. When livestock was grazed in high pasture during the summer, milk was made into cheese directly in the shepherds’ huts or carried down to the valley. The Count of Saint-Saud testified to this in 1892: ‘The robust young women of Valdeón climb up there morning and evening, wearing their clogs with three wooden blocks attached to the sole, carrying a goat-skin bag in which they carry, on the way up, their food and, on the way down, wineskins full of milk from the herds on the mountain.’

There are numerous testimonies to the fact that the production of blue cheese in the Valdeón valley to be sold at regional markets was an important activity from the beginning of the 20th century. Of these testimonies, that of Marmeta Pérez Marcos is particularly relevant: ‘My entire family is from Caín, and I too was born there in 1922. My parents inherited the method from their ancestors, and until very recently I did it the same way. We would add kid goat rennet and curdle between 50 and 60 litres of milk a day, making cheeses weighing a little over a kilogram. We would take them by donkey to market in Puente Almuhey, which is more than 50 km away. Just after the War, the cheese would sell for 36 pesetas per kilo. Only after the War had ended did we start going to Arenas de Cabrales to sell cheeses. The cheeses were made from goats’ and sheep’s milk and a tiny amount of cows’ milk, to which we would add rennet. When a curd had formed, we would put it in the “arno” (cheese mould), then place it in a “duerna” (trough), where the whey would be released over a couple of days. We would then remove them and put them on boards in the farm huts to dry. After 15 days they were ready. However, in order to obtain good, blue cheeses, we would take them to the caves. After a month, the cheese was excellent.’

Reference to publication of the specification

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

http://www.itacyl.es/documents/20143/342640/2019_02_8+Pliego+Q+Valde%C3%B3n+.pdf/fbc379cc-8473-8829-744b-6baf02ed5ba7

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