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: 2007-04-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Cyprus, confectionery product, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, product designation, product quality

C 88/10

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Official Journal of the European Union

21.4.2007

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

(2007/C 88/03)

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

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘ΛΟΥΚΟΥΜΙ ΓΕΡΟΣΚΗΠΟΥ’ (‘LOUKOUMI GEROSKIPOU’)

EC No: CY/PGI/005/0454/06.04.2005

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1.

Responsible Department in the Member State:

Name:

Υπουργείο Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού (Ministry of Commerce,
Tourism)

Industry and

Address: Τμήμα Εφόρου Εταιρειών και Επίσημου Παραλήπτη — CY-1472, Λευκωσία (Department of

Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver — CY-1472, Nicosia)

Tel.:

Fax:

(357) 22 40 43 05

(357) 22 30 48 87

Email:

deptcomp@rcor.gov.cy

2.

Group:

Name:

Address:

Tel.:

Fax:

Email:

Aphrodite Delights (Yeroskipos) Ltd

Αρχιεπισκόπου Μακαρίου 57, Γεροσκήπου, Πάφος (Archiepiskopou Makariou 57, Geros-
kipou, Paphos)

(357) 26 96 22 12

(357) 26 96 05 34

aphrodite@loukoumia.com

Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other: ( )

Since its establishment in 1895, the applicant company has — without interruption — performed all
stages of the production process within the boundaries of Geroskipou municipality, in accordance with
all the obligations imposed by the national regulatory framework. Today the applicant company is the
in the defined area. Any
only company producing Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou)
producer in the defined area has the right to produce the product in accordance with the specifications
and all the obligations imposed by the national regulatory framework.

The features which distinguish Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) from similar products are
its firmness, elasticity and reduced sweetness. Moreover, no glucose or gelatine is used in its produc-
tion.

2.

Type of product:

Class 2.4 — Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker's wares

3.

Specification:

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

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4.1. Name:

‘Λουκουμιού Γεροσκήπου’ (‘Loukoumi Geroskipou’)

4.2. Descr iption: Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) is a form of confectionery, the main
ingredient of which is sugar. It has a gelatinous texture and an intensely sweet taste, and is produced in
rectangular parallelepipeds measuring (approximately) 20 × 20 × 25 mm3. The product is available in a
variety of flavours, according to the flavouring which is added (see Method of production below). It is
coated in powdered sugar (caster sugar) or shredded desiccated coconut. Nuts and/or honey and/or
bitter chocolate may be added to the product.

4.3. Geographical area: GEROSKIPOU (boundaries of Geroskipou municipality).

4.4. Proof of or igin: The monitoring procedures are carried out by the Agriculture Section of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, which examines the extent to which the
specifications are met and checks that the Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) actually comes
from the defined geographical area. To ensure that the method of production and the quality of
Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) correspond to the specifications, the following points are
monitored during the production process, in accordance with the specifications set out in point 4.5:

— Ingredients, and proportions of ingredients

— Stirring temperature

— Stirring duration

— Turns of stirrer

4.5. Method of production: The Λουκούμι (loukoumi) is prepared in large pans with a stirrer.

First water is placed in the heated pan. Next sugar and citric acid are added. When the mixture has
boiled for 35 minutes at a temperature of 100 °C, corn starch is added. Before being added to the
mixture, the corn starch is dissolved in cold water.

The mixture is then stirred and heated to 100-130 °C for 2 hours at 36 turns of the stirrer per minute
and is flavoured; in some cases colouring and/or roasted nuts are added.

After the additives have been added, the now viscous mixture is poured into large crates, is left to take
its final gelatinous form and, once it has cooled, is cut into parallelepipeds measuring (approximately)
20 × 20 × 25 mm3, which are packed with caster sugar or desiccated coconut.

The quantities of the basic ingredients are as follows:

— For every 100 litres of water: 90 kg of sugar (86 %), 15 kg of corn starch (14 %), 33-40 g of citric

acid.

The other ingredients added to the various types of Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) are
as follows:

— Rose flavour: 75 ml of E122 (red) colour (40 g of powder dissolved in 1 litre of water) and 5 ml of

rose flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Strawberry flavour: 75 ml of E122 (red) colour (40 g of powder dissolved in 1 litre of water) and

8 ml of strawberry flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Mandarin flavour: 75 ml of E102 (orange) colour (60 g of powder dissolved in 1 litre of water) and

15 ml of mandarin flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Orange flavour: 75 ml of E102 (orange) colour (60 g of powder dissolved in 1 litre of water) and

18 ml of orange flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Mint flavour: 75 ml of E102/E133 (green) colour (60 g of powder dissolved in 1 litre of water) and

3 ml of mint flavouring in every 90 kg of product

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— Pineapple flavour: 75 ml of E102/E133 (green) colour (60 g of powder dissolved in 1 litre of

water) and 16 ml of pineapple flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Bergamot flavour: 5 ml of bergamot flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Banana flavour: 20 ml of banana flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Lemon flavour: 15 ml of lemon flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Pistachio flavour: 15 ml of pistachio flavouring in every 90 kg of product

— Mastic flavour: 40 g of Khios mastic in every 90 kg of product

— Vanilla flavour: 24 g of vanillin or 50 g of vanilla in every 90 kg of product

— Chocolate flavour: 1 400 g in every 90 kg of product

— Coconut flavour: 15 ml of coconut flavouring in every 90 kg of product

All the colours described above are artificial; however, in future certain colours may be replaced by
others (either improved artificial colours or natural colours), but the colouring effect will be the same.

The following nuts may also be added to Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou): almonds, pista-
chios, walnuts, groundnuts, hazelnuts. After their outer shell has been removed, they are selected
visually. The kernel is placed in hot water and is then peeled. The peeled kernel is roasted and chopped.
The chopped kernel is placed in the hot Λουκούμι (loukoumi) mixture towards the end of the stirring
shortly before it is poured.

All stages of production, cutting and packaging are carried out in the producer's installations, which
are located in the defined geographical area of Geroskipou municipality. The stages of production,
cutting and packaging must be carried out at the same place, mainly on account of the risk of contami-
nation should the product be transported unpackaged, but also because the journey time and the fluc-
tuations in temperature would make the product harder to cut and its characteristics would be altered,
the main problem being an increase in water content.

4.6. Link: The historical association between Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) and Geros-
kipou dates back to the 19th century. Since 1895, when Sophocles Athanasiou started to produce
Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou), the product has been produced in the same way, in the
same place, by his descendants. The art of preparing Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) is
handed down from generation to generation.
In 1920 the production of Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου
(Loukoumi Geroskipou) was taken over by Athanasiou's daughter, Chariklia, and her husband Gabriel
Hadjizinoviou, who in 1959 registered the name Aphrodite as a trade name for his products (a repre-
sentation of the goddess already appeared as the product's emblem on its packaging). Production was
subsequently taken over by their son, Nikodemos Gabriel
(1964-1990), and since 1990 his wife
Evdokia and his son George have continued to prepare the same product in the same way.

Today, ΛΟΥΚΟΥΜΙ ΓΕΡΟΣΚΗΠΟΥ (LOUKOUMI GEROSKIPOU)) is a trademark for Geroskipou. Any
publication which refers to the main features of Geroskipou always starts off with Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου
(Loukoumi Geroskipou).

The link between Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) and the geographical area is clearly
historical, as the raw materials used are industrial products and are not produced in the area. Almonds
and honey are exceptions: they are produced in Paphos province.

Since 1895 Geroskipou has historically linked its name with what is one of the oldest confectionery
products produced in Cyprus.

Geroskipou town is irrevocably linked with Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou). Many biblio-
graphic sources connected with tradition and tourism refer directly to Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi
Geroskipou). Among this multitude of bibliographic references, those which stand out are those of the
great Greek novelist Nikos Kazantzakis in his book Ταξιδεύοντας (Travelling), p. 186, published in 1926;
Ioannis Panagiotopoulos in his book Η Κύπρος ένα ταξίδι (Cyprus — a journey), p. 108, published in
1962; and William Forwood in his book Cyprus Invitation, p. 102, published in 1971, which refer to
this fine produce from Geroskipou. Mention should also be made of the certificate of honour issued to
the producer at the British Empire Exhibition held at Wembley Stadium in 1925. Today Λουκούμι
Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) is one of Geroskipou's leading attractions for both locals and visi-
tors.

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4.7. Inspection body:

Name:

Τμήμα Γεωργίας (Agriculture Section)

Address: Λουκή Ακρίτα — CY-1412 Λευκωσία (Louki Akrita — CY-1412 Nicosia)

Tel.:

Fax:

(357) 22 40 85 19

(357) 22 78 14 25

Email:

doagrg@da.moa.gov.cy

Officials authorised in accordance with Article 20 of the Designations of Origin and Geographical Indi-
cations for Products and Foodstuffs Act 2002, as amended and in force at the time.

4.8. Labelling: Compliance with the Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs (General) Regu-

lations 2002 (KDP 262/2002), as amended and in force at the time.