Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Date: 2006-11-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Germany, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, product designation, product quality, root vegetable

C 283/12

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Official Journal of the European Union

21.11.2006

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on
the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and
foodstuffs

(2006/C 283/08)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation
No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of
this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

Application for registration according to articles 5 and 17(2)

‘BAYERISCHER MEERRETTICH’ OR ‘BAYERISCHER KREN’

EC No: DE/PGI/005/0299/19.03.2003

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary has been drawn up for information only. For full details, interested parties and in particular
the producers of the products covered by the PDO or PGI in question are invited to consult the full version
of the product specification obtainable at national level or from the European Commission (1).

1.

Responsible department in the Member State:

Name:

Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt — Markenabteilung 3.2

Address: D-80297 München

Tel.:

Fax:

(49-89) 21 95 46 22

(49-89) 21 95 41 43

E-Mail: —

2.

Group:

Name:

Address:

Tel.:

Fax:

Schutzgemeinschaft „BAYERISCHER MEERRETTICH“

Industriestraße 24,
D-91083 Baiersdorf

(49-9133) 776 00

(49-9133) 77 60 77

E-Mail:

hts@schamel.de

Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

3.

Type of product:

Class 1.6: Vegetables, fresh or processed

4.

Specification (summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1 N a me :

‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’

4.2 De scr i p ti on:

‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’

is produced in accordance with the
current ‘Bavarian quality standards for horseradish’ of 16 May 1979.
‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or
‘Bayerischer Kren’ is supplied in the form of sticks (raw material) or in processed form (processed
material). Processed ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ is manufactured using traditional
recipes, particularly in the rural districts of Erlangen-Höchstadt, Neustadt an der Aisch/Bad Windsheim
and Forchheim.

(1) European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, Agricultural product quality

policy, B-1049 Brussels.

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Processed ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ which is ready to eat consists of grated horse-
radish (raw material) with added vinegar, oil, and spices.

The minimum proportion of grated horseradish which must be present in the final product is
governed by the ‘Quality requirements for non-perishable foodstuffs made of horseradish’.

100 % of the unprocessed horseradish (raw material) used to produce processed ‘Bayerischer Meerret-
tich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ must come from Bavaria, since the Bavarian raw material is key in deter-
mining the particular pungency and particular spiciness of the final product ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’
or ‘Bayerischer Kren’. The other ingredients such as vinegar, oil, and spices do not need to be
produced or grown in Bavaria.

Special features of the raw material:

‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ has a high proportion of vitamin C, essential oils and
antibiotic substances. ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ is characterised by its particular
pungency and unique aroma.

Special features of the processed material:

Grated ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’
is enriched using recipes which have been
closely guarded and handed down through generations. The ingredients are essentially horseradish,
vinegar, oil and spices. Once prepared, ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ is particularly
pungent and spicy, i.e. it has a rustic, consistently pungent and spicy taste. Because it is processed
particularly carefully, the finished product is a perfectly light colour without dark specks, and highly
viscous in consistency.

Processed horseradish preparations must contain the minimum levels of the raw material horseradish
stipulated in the guidelines on processed horseradish products. Such preparations may only be called
‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ if minimum levels are met.

4.3 G e og r a p h i ca l a r e a :

‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ must be grown in Bavaria in
it must also be
suitable soil, such as one finds particularly in Mittelfranken and Oberfranken;
processed in the Free State of Bavaria. The raw material
is traditionally processed mainly in the
Frankish rural districts of Erlangen-Höchstadt, Neustadt an der Aisch/Bad Windsheim and Forchheim.

4.4 Pr oof of or i g i n: The origin of finished products made from Bavarian horseradish can be fully
traced via the traceability regulation prescribed by law: the origin of ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or
‘Bayerischer Kren’ can be demonstrated at all times by means of the batch mark on each individual
packet, and the producers' legal records of purchase, sale and production. An independent inspection
institution commissioned by the applicant checks the plausibility of the records of purchase, sale and
production.

Agricultural producers of ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ are recorded in a register
which is kept by the ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ producers' association and updated annually. Only
those agricultural producers in the register may supply processors with the raw material for produc-
tion of ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’. The Erzeugergemeinschaft ‘Bayerischer Meerret-
tich’ [The ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ Producers' Association] is also a member of
the Schutzge-
meinschaft ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ [Association for the Protection of ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’]. An
independent inspection institution commissioned by the applicant checks the plausibility of the
records of cultivation and sale.

4.5 M e th od of p r odu ct i on: Horseradish is grown in Bavaria following a centuries-old tradition, and
on the basis of good farming practice. Since the middle of the 15th century, Bavaria's region for culti-
vating horseradish has been the richest in tradition in the world.

Cultivation is laborious and requires a lot of work by hand, which explains the old farming saying ‘A
field with horseradish wants to see its master every day’. At the end of February, when the period of
frost is coming to an end, the clamp where the horseradish root cuttings (young plants) have spent
the winter is uncovered. The root cuttings are stored in a bright room until they form shoots under
the influence of light. In April, they are planted in the prepared field beds with the ‘crown eastwards,
towards the rising sun’, slanting upwards slightly. The first crown shoots emerge in early May, when
‘topping’ begins. Half of each root cutting is exposed, the shoots are broken off and only the strongest
shoot is left. This is necessary so that sticks with a single crown can be harvested later.

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Until they are harvested in autumn, each individual rooted cutting must then be dug up, and dug in
again, at least once more so that side shoots can be removed. Even today, this still takes place mainly
by hand. Such roots (the young plant for the coming year) should grow only at the end of the stick.
The forthcoming ripening period is signalled by the leaves changing colour. In October, the plant is
ready: a harvester is used to loosen the soil and the horseradish sticks are pulled up by hand.

As the root removes all the nutritional value from the soil, horseradish should only be planted in the
same field every three years.

Processing takes place using selected, inspected and hand-picked raw materials. The horseradish is
cleaned, washed, freshly grated and enriched using ingredients (see 4.2 above). The use of gentle
processes means that the aroma of ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ is fully preserved.
Raw material which is not immediately processed is stored in chill rooms.

One should stress that the horseradish roots are hand-picked before further processing. The firms in
Bavaria's processing region have, over the centuries, developed special processes whereby only small
mechanical forces act on the horseradish. This allows it to be treated in a way which helps retain its
aroma, thereby sacrificing little of its special pungency and of the constituents determining its value.
One should further stress that ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ is preserved via sulphuri-
sation only, and that it contains no other preservatives. This is another factor distinguishing it from
processed horseradish of different origin.

(Franconia).

4.6 L i nk: The name ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ has been used for centuries for horse-
radish produced and processed in Bavaria. Horseradish is said to have been introduced in the 15th
century by margrave Johannes Alchemista on the river Regnitz. Precise instructions are found for the
first time in the book ‘Die Nymphe Noris’ of 1650, which mentions ‘Bohemian Kraen in the garlic
country’
Johann Füssel mentions field cultivation of horseradish between
Forchheim and Erlangen in his diary. After the Ludwig-Danube Canal was opened in 1846, ‘Bayer-
ischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ was shipped from Baiersdorf to Austria and Hungary, but
also to Israel, the USA, Russia and other countries. Since 1912, horseradish produced in Baiersdorf
and its surroundings has also been supplied grated and ready to eat. The cultivation region around
the well-known horseradish city Baiersdorf is the richest in tradition in the world. Even today, it is
also the most important one in Germany.

In 1787,

Bavaria's cultivation regions have the climatic characteristics and soil which provide the horseradish
with optimal growing conditions: the warm climate (annual average temperature 8,5 °C) and low
precipitation (c. 600 mm), combined with the special soil conditions (loose, sand and clayey soils),
result in the horseradish having a higher glucosinulate content compared to other cultivation regions.

The traditional recipes used by the producers, and their familiarity with gentle processing, result in
the unique quality of ‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’. Processed ‘Bayerischer Meerret-
tich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ does not need to be supplemented with horseradish from other cultivation
regions.

‘Bayerischer Meerrettich’ or ‘Bayerischer Kren’ has been highly regarded by consumers for centuries,
both inside and outside Bavaria.

4.7 Inspe c ti on body :

Name:

Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft — Institut für Ernährungswirtschaft und Markt

Address: Menzinger Strasse 54

D-80638 München

(49-89) 17 80 00

(49-89) 17 80 03 13

Tel.:

Fax:

E-Mail: —

4.8 L a b e lli n g :

‘Bayerischer Meerrettich g.g.A.’ (protected geographical indication) or ‘Bayerischer Kren

g.g.A.’ (protected geographical indication)

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