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: 2007-11-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Portugal, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, meat product, mode of production, product designation

10.11.2007

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Official Journal of the European Union

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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 268/15)

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

‘CHOURIÇA DOCE DE VINHAIS’

EC No: PT/PGI/005/0461/20.04.2005

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 1-8o
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 ( )

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:

‘Chouriça Doce de Vinhais’

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

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4.2 Descr iption: Smoked sausage, made from the meat of pigs of the Bisaro breed or of cross-breeds
that must be 50 % Bisaro (F1 animals, produced by cross-breeding pure-bred Bisaro pigs registered in
the herdbook with pigs of other breeds), regional bread and olive oil from Trás-os-Montes (these being
essential for giving the product a specific taste and texture), pig's blood, honey and walnuts or almonds,
stuffed into the small intestine of a cow or pig. It is horseshoe-shaped, approximately 20 to 25 cm long
and approximately 2 to 3 cm in diameter. It is black but not homogeneously so, as is the filling, where
lighter areas containing the strips of meat and nuts are noticeable. The intestine sticks to the mixture
and so pieces of meat, walnuts or almonds are visible through it. Its final weight is approximately 150 g.

4.3 Geographical area: Due to the traditional production method, the sources of animal nutrition used,
the local population's traditional know-how in terms of animal husbandry, and the pedological condi-
tions 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 Chouriça doce 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 Chouriça doce de Vinhais, the people's
know-how and the constant and unchanging local methods employed, the geographical processing area
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: Chouriça doce 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 entered in the breed's zootechnical register or crossbred pigs (F1) one of whose parents is an
animal of the Bisaro breed entered in the zootechnical register's book of adult animals, and which are
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 in licensed abattoirs and cut up in licensed plants situated, in both cases, 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 certi-
fication mark.

4.5 Method of production: Lean meat and meat from the head, flank and belly are cut into medium-
sized pieces, placed in a recipient to which salt and water is added, and then boiled until the meat is
well-cooked. The bread is cut into thin slices with the crust left on and then softened in the meat stock.
The seasoning, strips of meat, oil, blood, honey and almonds and/or walnuts are added to this mixture.
Once the seasoning is right, the mixture is immediately stuffed into the pig intestine. The product is
smoked slowly using oak- and/or chestnut-wood and is then left to cure or stabilise for more than
15 days. Chouriça doce de Vinhais is placed on the market as a whole sausage and is always pre-packed at
the place of origin. Due to the product's characteristics and composition, it may not be cut or sliced.
Special material is used for its packaging, which, when it comes into contact with the product, is innoc-
uous and inert in a normal or controlled atmosphere or in a vacuum. Packing may be carried out only
in the geographical processing area so as to ensure traceability and control and to prevent any change
to the product's taste and microbiological characteristics.

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 terms of selection of the
cuts of meat, slow smoking using regional firewood and a curing process that takes place in very cold
and dry locations in the region.

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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 ‘Chouriça doce 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).