Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin
Date: 2005-02-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Alsace, designation of origin, pasta

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Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No
2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin

(2005/C 47/04)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Articles 7 and 12d of the above-
mentioned Regulation. Any objection to this application must be submitted via the competent authority in
a Member State, in a WTO member country or in a third country recognized in accordance with Article
12(3) within a time limit of six months from the date of this publication. The arguments for publication
are set out below, in particular under 4.6, and are considered to justify the application within the meaning
of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

‘PÂTES D'ALSACE’

EC No: FR/00324/07.11.2003

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary has been drawn up for information purposes only. For full details, in particular the produ-
cers of the PDO or PGI concerned, please consult the complete version of the product specification obtain-
able at national level or from the European Commission (1).

1.

Responsible department in the Member State:

Name:

Institut National des Appellations d'Origine

Address: 138, Champs Elysées — 75008 PARIS — FRANCE

Tel.

Fax

(1) 53 89 80 00

(1) 42 25 57 97

2.

Group:

2.1. Name:

Alsace Qualité: section ‘fabricants de pâtes’

2.2. Address:

2 rue de Rome, 67300 SCHILTIGHEIM
Tel. (3) 88 19 16 78; Fax (3) 88 18 90 42
e-mail: alsace-qualite@alsace-qualite.com

2.3. Composition:

local law association made up of three groups:
— agricultural trade organisations (chamber of agriculture, trade unions, coop-

eratives)

— producer organisations and agri-businesses organised in specialised groups
— representatives of distributors, consumers and restaurants

3.

Type of product:

Group 2.7. Pasta

4.

Specification:

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. N a me :

‘Pâtes d'Alsace’

(1) European Commission — Directorate-General for Agriculture — Agricultural product quality policy — B-1049 Brus-

sels.

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4.2. De scr i p ti on: Pâtes d'Alsace is sold in packs that leave the product fully or partly visible.

It is produced in accordance with a traditional recipe,
following ingredients in the following quantities:

i.e. on the basis of a unique mix of the

— 1 kg of durum-wheat semolina of superior quality

— 320 g of fresh egg (equivalent to seven fresh eggs)

4.3. G e og r a p h i ca l a r e a : The designation ‘pâtes d'Alsace’ may be applied only to pasta produced in

production units located in the Alsace region.

4.4. Pr oof of or i g i n:

‘Pâtes d'Alsace’ is produced from the raw materials listed above in production units located in Alsace
which thus perpetuate the tradition of pasta made with eggs.

Each company has in place an internal traceability system which enables the production parameters
and the raw materials used to be identified on the basis of the finished product.

Traceability is based on a system for identifying and recording the batches at every stage of produc-
tion.

4.5. M e th od of p r odu c ti on:

‘Pâtes d'Alsace’ is made from durum-wheat semolina of superior quality and 320 g of fresh egg per
kg of semolina. The method of production is divided into a number of individually important stages.

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4.6. L i nk:

A special characteristic

Since ancient times, ‘pâtes d'Alsace’ has been produced from flour and eggs. This specifically Alsatian
tradition of using a high proportion of eggs is due to the fact that production, up until the 19th
century, was essentially domestic and rural, with eggs easily available on the farm.

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For a long time, the production of pasta was the privilege of the housewife, with recipes and know-
how handed down from mother to daughter.

The industrialisation of the production process at the end of the 19th century and, more importantly,
at the beginning of the 20th century, did not lead to the disappearance of this traditional recipe. On
the contrary,
industrialists always sought to enrich pasta with eggs, until settling on the current
proportion of seven eggs to a kilo of durum-wheat semolina. This organoleptically optimal mix is
today unanimously accepted by Alsatian producers, enabling them to carry on the tradition of egg-
pasta.

Distinct qualities

The use of eggs enhances the flavour, facilitates the handling of the pasta and improves its consis-
tency during cooking.

A historical and current reputation

The historical study carried out by Roland Oberle, heritage curator and cultural attaché for ‘Alsatian
Art and History’ at the Bas-Rhin General Council, shows that pasta production in Alsace probably
dates back to the 15th century and, more importantly, that Alsatian pasta has always egg-based:

1507:

1671:

1811:

1840:

the first cookery book published in Alsace (Kochbuch, printed by Mathias
Kopfuff, Strasbourg, 1507) and the German translation of Platina's work (Von
allen Speiser und Gerichen, Strasbourg, 1530) already made reference to Wasser
Strieble (Spätzle).

Abbot Buchinger publishes the recipe for Alsatian pasta still followed today: ‘the
noodles are made from large quantities of eggs, good flour and salt. No water,
but lots of eggs’.

publication of the reference work on Alsatian gastronomy, the Oberrheinisches
Kochbuch, which contains a recipe for noodles that follows the one already
published by Abbot Buchinger.

industry in Alsace,

first
machinery. It uses a kneading machine and a hydraulic press.

the Maison Scheurer is equipped with the latest

Post-1870:

pasta is produced by hundreds of bakers, who use their ovens to dry the pasta
to preserve it.

1871:

1920:

1932:

1933:

1934:

1996:

1998:

another 15 establishments join Scheurer. Alsace soon becomes the main region
for producing egg-pasta in the German Reich.

the expansion continues with the founding of DEKA, which focuses on quality
(superior durum-wheat semolina, fresh eggs broken at the factory).

DEKA products awarded a gold medal at the Exposition internationale du cente-
naire de Pasteur.

DEKA products awarded the Grand prix de l'Exposition Le Confort chez Soi and
the gold medal at the Exposition d'économie domestique de Paris.

DEKA products presented outside the competition because of their outstanding
merit at the Exposition universelle industrielle et commerciale de Paris.

publication of an historical work entitled ‘L'histoire des pâtes d'Alsace’ (Cathe-
rine Malaval and Roland Oberle – Editions VETTER).

‘pâtes d'Alsace’ is listed and described in the ‘Inventaire du patrimoine culinaire
de la France — Alsace — Produits du terroir et recettes traditionnelles’ (Editions
Albin Michel).

For more than three centuries, the tradition of pasta made with fresh eggs has been one of the gastro-
nomic specialities of Alsace.

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Such pasta is eaten with traditional dishes such as jugged hare, fish matelote or Rhine salmon.

Today, ‘pâtes d'Alsaces’ accounts for over 50 % of national production of egg-pasta.

4.7. Insp e c ti on b ody :

Name:

CERTIQUAL (association certifying Alsace quality products), local law association regis-
tered with the court of Schiltigheim under No 1163, in accordance with the EN 45011
standard, registered under No CC 08 and accredited by COFRAC.

Address: Espace Européen de l'Entreprise — 2 rue de Rome — 67300 SCHILTIGHEIM

Tel.

Fax

(3) 88 19 16 78

(3) 88 19 55 29

e-mail

certiqual2@wanadoo.fr

4.8. L a b e lli n g : Each pack of pasta features the following text on its packaging:

PÂTES D'ALSACE
7 oeufs frais
au kilo de semoule de blé dur
CERTIQUAL
67300 SCHILTIGHEIM
numéro d'agrément CC 08

4.9. N a ti ona l r e q u i r e me nt s: —