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: 2007-10-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Portugal, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, meat product, product designation, product quality, swine

C 236/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.10.2007

OTHER ACTS

COMMISSION

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 236/07)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation
(EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date
of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘PRESUNTO DE VINHAIS’ or ‘PRESUNTO BÍSARO DE VINHAIS’

EC No: PT/PGI/005/0456/20.04.2005

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:

Gabinete de Planeamento e Políticas

Address:

Rua Padre António Vieira, n.o 1-8.o
P-1099-073 Lisboa

Telephone

(351) 213 819 300

Fax

(351) 213 876 635

E-mail:

gppaa@gppaa.min-agricultura.pt

2.

Group:

Name:

ANCSUB — Associação Nacional de Criadores de Suínos de Raça Bísara

Address:

Edifício da Casa do Povo — Largo do Toural
P-5320-311 Vinhais

Telephone

(351) 273 771 340

Fax

(351) 273 770 048

E-mail:

ancsub@bisaro.info

Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

9.10.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 236/11

3.

Type of product:

Class 1.2: Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked)

4.

Specification:

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

4.1 Name:

‘Presunto de Vinhais’ or ‘Presunto Bísaro de Vinhais’

4.2 Descr iption: Product obtained from the hind legs (cut at the ischiopubic symphysis, and including
the hip bones, femur, patella, tibia, fibia, tarsus, metatarsus, phalanxes and the surrounding muscle) of
adult male or female pigs of the Bisaro breed (except uncastrated males) entered in the breed's zootech-
nical register. Given the problems of excess weight and the difficulties in obtaining salted ham with
commercially acceptable characteristics and the required food safety level, the current and strongly
recommended practice is to cut the leg at the hip joint and remove the thigh bone and surrounding
muscle. The legs are salted and coated with a mixture of paprika and Bisaro lard and/or Trás-os-Montes
olive oil (these being essential for giving the product a specific taste, smell and texture), whereupon
they are smoked slowly using oak- or chestnut-wood and then aged, the entire process lasting a total of
12 months or more. The product comes in the form a long, thin pig leg with the foot attached. The
length is due to the conformation of Bisaro pigs, which have very long, thin, large-boned hind legs. The
outside, where the leg was cut, is reddish-brown in colour, showing the effects of the paprika mixture
and the smoking process, while the rest retains its pig skin. At the cut, the meat looks well-matured
and is a characteristic pink to dark red in colour, oily-looking, shiny, mixed with white intra-muscular
fat, which is pearly, shiny and aromatic. It has a pleasant, lightly salted and smoky taste. Its texture is
very tender, succulent and not very fibrous, and it has a pleasant, lightly-smoked aroma. On average, it
has a protein content of 28,2 %, fat content of 7,4 %, NaCl content of 9,2 % and moisture content of
52,4 %. Its pH level is 5,76 and its aW is 0,85. The average weight of a Presunto de Vinhais varies
between 12 and 18 kg.

4.3 Geographical area: Due to the traditional production method, the type of animal feed, the local
population's traditional knowledge of how to look after the animals and the pedological conditions
needed to develop the food base used to obtain raw ingredients of an undeniably distinctive quality, the
area in which the Bisaro pigs and cross-breeds used in the production of Presunto de Vinhais are born,
reared, fattened, slaughtered and cut up is confined to the municipalities of Alfândega da Fé, Bragança,
Carrazeda de Anciães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro, Mirandela,
Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso and Vinhais in the Bragança district and to the
municipalities of Alijó, Boticas, Chaves, Mesão Frio, Mondim de Basto, Montalegre, Murça, Régua,
Ribeira de Pena, Sabrosa, Santa Marta de Penaguião, Valpaços, Vila Pouca de Aguiar and Vila Real in
the Vila Real district, since only this area has the required food base and animal husbandry skills
required.

Given the particular weather conditions required to produce Presunto de Vinhais, the people's know-how
and the constant and unchanging local methods employed, the geographical processing area (where the
ham is obtained, matured, cut and packed)
is confined to the municipalities of Alfândega da Fé,
Bragança, Carrazeda de Anciães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro,
Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso and Vinhais in the Bragança district.

4.4 Proof of or igin: Presunto de Vinhais may be produced only in duly licensed processing plants situated
within the aforementioned processing area. The entire production process is subject to a rigorous
control system, thus ensuring the product's full traceability. The raw ingredients come from Bisaro pigs
reared on holdings encompassing an area that lends itself to traditional, semi-extensive farming, and
features traditional sources of animal nutrition. It should be noted that the pigs consume large quanti-
ties of chestnuts, which gives the meat its very distinctive and recognisable organoleptic qualities. The
pigs are slaughtered and cut up in licensed plants in the product's geographical area. Processing may be
carried out only in plants authorised by the group after the control body has given its approval. The
certification mark on each unit is numbered, ensuring full traceability to the farm where the product
originated. It is possible to prove the origin of the product at any point in the production chain by
means of the serial number, which must be indicated on the certification mark.

C 236/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.10.2007

4.5 Method of production: The legs (weighing in excess of 8 kg when fresh) are left for around
24 hours before they are compressed through massage to eliminate much of the liquid inside them.
Then, for approximately 30 days (depending on the initial weight), they are completely covered in salt
in an environment where the temperature is below 6 °C and the humidity is between 80 to 90 %. The
residual salt is removed by rinsing the legs with water. After allowing the water to drain away, the area
of the legs without skin is coated with a mixture of paprika, Trás-os-Montes olive oil and/or Bisaro
lard. The legs are smoked very slowly using dry oak- or chestnut-wood. The increase in temperature
allows the fatty aroma to pervade the muscle fibres, enhancing the product's final characteristics.
Finally, the legs are cured and aged in cold, dry premises (such as curing chambers or cellars) where the
biochemical processes can take place and the microbial flora can produce their beneficial effect, giving
the product its distinctive taste and aromas. The entire process takes a minimum of 12 months. Presunto
de Vinhais is placed on the market whole, sliced or in pieces and is always pre-packed at the place of
origin. When marketed in pieces or slices, the packaging which comes into contact with the product
must be suitable for that purpose. The cutting and packing of the ham is extremely important since it
can affect the organoleptic characteristics and, if the certification mark is removed, the traceability of
the product. It is essential that the requirements relating to the thickness of the slices, the type of
cutting implement used, how it is used, the temperature, the speed of the operation — the aim being
to protect the product from contamination and prevent it from spoiling — and, lastly, sampling by
experienced tasters be met in the region of origin if consumers and producers are to be protected. The
product may, however, be cut in retail outlets or restaurants outside the production area, provided that
this is done in front of the consumer so that the latter can verify the presence of the certification mark
and label.

4.6 Link: Various zoomorphic sculptures and references made to taxes on pigs and their by-products in
different municipal registers in the region prove that pig-breeding has been important in this area for a
very long time. The relationship between the product and the geographical area stems from the (indi-
genous) breed of animal, the local sources of nutrition used, the know-how in relation to the cutting
and salting of pigs' legs, slow smoking using regional firewood and a curing process that takes place in
very cold and dry locations in the region.

4.7 Inspection body:

Name:

Address:

Tradição e Qualidade — Associação Interprofissional para Produtos Agro-Alimentares de
Trás-os-Montes

Av. 25 de Abril, 273 S/L
P-5370-202 Mirandela

Telephone

(351) 278 261 410

Fax

(351) 278 261 410

E-mail:

tradição-qualidade@clix.pt

Tradição e Qualidade has been recognised as complying with the requirements of Standard 45011:2001.

4.8 Labelling:

It is compulsory for the labelling to include the following: the wording ‘Presunto de Vinhais
— Indicação Geográfica Protegida’ (Protected Geographical Indication) or ‘Presunto Bísaro de Vinhais —
Indicação Geográfica Protegida’ (Protected Geographical Indication), the Community's own logo, the logo
for Vinhais products reproduced below and the certification mark, which must indicate the name of the
product, the designation/indication concerned, the control body and the serial number (numeric or
alphanumeric code ensuring the product's traceability).