Publication of an amendment 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: 2006-12-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, cows’ milk cheese, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, product designation, product quality

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Publication of an amendment 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 321/08)

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

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

Amendment application according to Article 9 and Article 17(2)

‘ASIAGO’

EC No: IT/PDO/117/0001

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

Amendment(s) requested

Heading(s) in the specification:

Name of product

Description of product

Geographical area

Proof of origin

Method of production

Link

Labelling

National requirements

Amendment(s):

Description

The specific, chemical (moisture, protein, fat, fat in dry matter) and microbiological (pathogens, S. aureus, E.
coli, coliforms 30o) characteristics of the two types of Asiago cheese, pressed and ripened, are described in
detail.

It is clarified that, after the minimum maturation period, the surface of the cheeses may be treated with
substances permitted in accordance with national rules, except for cheeses additionally marked as ‘Prodotto
della montagna’ (mountain product).

Geographical area

The following definition of ‘mountain area’ is added: an area at or above 600 metres.

Method of production

Details are given of prohibited fodder and feed. On cheeses additionally marked as mountain product it is
specified that silage of any type is prohibited.

For both pressed and ripened ‘Asiago’, information is provided on the maximum storage period, and compo-
sition of the milk used for producing the cheese.

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For both ‘Asiago’ types, physical and time parameters are given regarding the production methods used. For
ripened ‘Asiago’, Lysozyme (E 1105) may be added to the processed milk, except for cheeses additionally
marked as mountain product.

Detailed technical information (temperature and humidity) regarding the conditions in which the processing
takes place is provided also for cheese maturation and storage. The minimum maturation period for ripened
‘Asiago’ is indicated (60 days or 90 days for cheeses additionally marked as mountain product).

For cheeses to be better identified, numbered casein plates are now used. A letter of the alphabet repre-
senting the month of production is stamped on the heel.

Whole PDO ‘Asiago’ cheeses may be cut into servings and pre-packaged in pieces allowing the heel to be
seen. If the cutting operations entail scraping and/or removal of the rind, the cheese must be packaged in
the production area so as not to bring into question the authenticity of the product.

Labelling

The following detailed information is added: any other definitions used for fresh or mature ‘Asiago’ as well
as the different maturation periods of ripened ‘Asiago’ (mezzano, vecchio, stravecchio — semi-mature, mature,
extra-mature), the possibility of indicating on the label that no Lysozyme (E 1105) has been used, and the
requirements applicable to cheese marked ‘mountain product’, such indication being reserved for cheeses
produced using mountain milk in mountain dairy factories.

UPDATED SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘ASIAGO’

EC No: IT/PDO/117/0001

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

This summary has been drawn up for information only. For full details, interested parties are invited to
consult the full version of the product specification obtainable from the national authorities indicated in
section 1 or from the European Commission (1).

1.

Responsible department in the Member State:

Name:

Ministero politiche agricole e forestali

Address: Via XX Settembre, 20

I-00187 Roma

Tel.:

Fax:

(39-06) 481 99 68

(39-06) 42 01 31 26

E-mail:

QTC3@politicheagricole.it

2.

Applicant group:

Name:

Address:

Tel.:

Fax:

Consorzio Tutela formaggio Asiago

Corso Fogazzaro, 18
I-36100 Vicenza

(39-0444) 32 17 58

(39-0444) 32 62 12

E-mail:

asiago@asiagocheese.it

Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

(1) European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, Agricultural Product Quality Policy,

B-1049 Brussels.

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3.

Type of product:

Class 1.3 — CHEESE

4.

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

4.1

4.2

Name:

‘Asiago’

Descr iption: The protected designation of origin ‘Asiago’ may be awarded only to semi-cooked
cheese, produced only with cow's milk, in compliance with the specification, and existing in two
versions: pressed ‘Asiago’ and ripened ‘Asiago’.

4.2.1. Technical characteristics of pressed ‘Asiago’ cheese matured for 20 days

(a) visual organoleptic characteristics: White or slightly yellowish colour; marked, irregular eyes; plea-

sant and delicate flavour; thin rind with a springy texture;

(b) chemical characteristics:

humidity

protein

fat

sodium chloride

fat/dry extract

39,5 %

24,0 %

30,0 %

1,7 %

44 % or more

Specific tolerance

+/- 4,5

+/- 3,5

+/- 4,0

+/- 1,0

None

c) physical characteristics:

heel

ftop
bottom

weight

height

diameter

straight or slightly convex

and

flat or almost flat

11 to 15 kg

11 to 15 cm

30 to 40 cm

d) microbiological and hygienic characteristics:

pathogens

S. aureus

E. coli

absent

(*)M < 1 000 per g

(*)M < 1 000 per g

coliform 30 °C

(*)M < 100 000 per g

(*) These data are for cheese produced with heat-treated milk.

4.2.2. Technical characteristics of pressed ‘Asiago’ matured for 60 days

(a) visual organoleptic characteristics: white or slightly yellowish colour; small to medium eyes;

Sweet flavour (semi-mature) and fragrant flavour (mature); smooth and regular rind;

(b) chemical characteristics:

humidity

protein

fat

sodium chloride

fat/dry extract

34,50 %

28,00 %

31,00 %

2,40 %

34 % or more

Specific tolerance

+/- 4,00

+/- 4,00

+/- 4,50

+/- 1,00

None

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(c) physical characteristics:

heel

straight or almost straight

top and bottom flat or almost flat

weight

height

8 to 12 kg

9 to 12 cm

diameter

30 to 36 cm

(d) microbiological and hygienic characteristics:

pathogens

none

S. aureus

M < 10 000 per g

E. coli

M < 100 000 per g

The surface of ‘Asiago’ cheeses may be treated, after the minimum maturation period, with substances
permitted by current legislation. The surface of the cheeses (rind) is not edible.

The surface treatment of the cheeses must not reduce the legibility of the casein plate identifying the
cheese and the designation logo. The surface of ‘Asiago’ cheeses additionally marked as mountain
product may not be treated with colouring or antimould agents.

Whole PDO ‘Asiago’ cheeses may be cut and pre-packaged in pieces allowing the heel to be seen.

4.3

4.4

Geographical area: PDO ‘Asiago’ is produced with milk obtained from cows kept within the area
and in dairies in that same area, corresponding to the administrative territories of the provinces of
Vicenza, Trento, Padua and Treviso, as referred to in the product specifications. The abovementioned
production areas, lying at or above 600 metres, are identified as mountain areas.

Proof of or igin: Each processing phase is monitored. The inspection body is responsible for
managing the list of milk producers, collectors, processors, ripeners and packagers of rindless cheese.
These are subject to the checks and controls provided for in the product specifications and the rele-
vant control plan as a way of ensuring product traceability.. If the processing and/or the product are
found not to comply, the product may not be marketed as ‘Asiago’.

4.5 Method of production: According to the product specifications, cows whose milk is intended
for the production of PDO ‘Asiago’ must not be given with feed or fodder prohibited by the product
specifications. If the milk is used to produce PDO ‘Asiago’ marked as mountain product, silage of any
type is also banned.

TIn the case pressed of ‘Asiago’, the milk used must comply with current health legislation, be
obtained from one or two milkings and must be raw or pasteurised at 72oC for 15 seconds in
accordance with current legislation. For the production of ripened ‘Asiago’, the milk used must
comply with current health legislation, be obtained from two milkings partially skimmed at the
surface or two milkings of which only one is partially skimmed at the surface or else only one
milking partially skimmed at the surface, and must be raw or thermised at 57/68oC for 15 seconds.
For the production of PDO ‘Asiago’ marked as mountain product, only milk deriving from two to
four milkings, processed within 18 hours of collection if deriving from two milkings, and within 24
hours of collection if deriving from four milkings is allowed.

For the production of ripened ‘Asiago’, Lysozyme (E 1105) may be added to the milk within the
limits of the law. The use of Lysozyme is banned for the production of ‘Asiago’ marked as mountain
product.

Pressed ‘Asiago’ must mature for at least 20 days after the date of production; for ripened ‘Asiago’,
the minimum maturation period is 60 days starting from the last day of the month of production;
for ‘Asiago’ marked as mountain product, it is 90 days starting from the last day of the month of
production in the case of ripened cheese and 30 days from the date of production in the case of
pressed cheese.

The cheese must mature in the production area.

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The mountain product version must mature in dairies located in mountain areas, in rooms where
temperature and humidity may be determined by natural environmental conditions. If the cutting
operations entail the scraping and/or the removal of the rind, which would make the original
marking invisible (cubes, slices, etc.), the packaging must be done in the production area to ensure
tracing of the product. Only ‘Asiago’ made from milk produced in cow houses in mountain areas,
processed in cheese-factories located in mountain areas and matured in mountain areas may have
‘mountain product’ marked on the label.

4.6

Link: With regard to natural factors, the soil and climatic and conditions of the area are substan-
tially uniform and have an impact on the fodder intended for feeding dairy cows. As to human
aspects, the cheese originated historically on the Asiago Plateau and, following the migration of the
local population during the First World War, its production spread to the adjoining foothills.

4.7

Inspection body:

Name:

CSQA S.r.l. Certificazioni

Address: Via S. Gaetano, 74

I-36016 Thiene (VI)

(39-0445) 36 60 94

(39-0445) 38 26 72

Tel.:

Fax:

E-mail:

csqa@csqa.it

4.8

Labelling: PDO ‘Asiago’ cheeses are identified by means of numbered casein plates and stamped
with special bands owned by the protection body (Consorzio di Tutela) which may be used by all those
entitled. The stamping bands contain the designation logo which is an integral part of the product
specifications, the producer's alphanumerical identification, the ‘Asiago’ designation repeated several
times. The size of the latter is 25 mm for pressed cheese and 20 mm for the ripened version.

In addition, a letter of the alphabet is stamped on the heel of ripened ‘Asiago’ cheeses indicating the
month of production, in accordance to the product specifications. For ‘Asiago’ cheeses marked as
mountain product, the wording ‘Prodotto della montagna’ is stamped once in the stamping bands. At
the end of the minimum maturation period, ‘Asiago’ cheeses marked as mountain product are further
branded on the heel with tools owned by the supervisory body, which may be used by the entitled
cheese-dairies. The branded device contains the logo described in the product specifications.

Pressed ‘Asiago’ may also be labelled as ‘fresco’ (fresh cheese).

Ripened ‘Asiago’ may also be labelled as ‘stagionato’ (mature).

Ripened ‘Asiago’ matured for 4 to 6 months may be labelled as ‘mezzano’ (semi-mature).

Ripened ‘Asiago’ matured for over 10 months may also be labelled as ‘vecchio’ (mature).

Ripened ‘Asiago’ matured for over 15 months may also be labelled as ‘stravecchio’ (extra-mature).

The label may also indicate whether Lysozyme (E 1105) has been used or not.

Any company information on labels, stamps, silkscreen prints must not reduce the legibility of the
marking of the PDO ‘Asiago’ (stamped by means of special wooden bands) and of the casein plates
identifying ‘Asiago’ cheeses.

4.9

National requirements: —