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: 2009-03-26
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Spain, cereals, designation of origin, food processing, fruit vegetable, location of production, product designation

C 72/58

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

26.3.2009

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

(2009/C 72/09)

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 of the date of
this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘GRELOS DE GALICIA’

EC No: ES-PGI-0005-0469-13.06.2005

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:

Subdirección General de Calidad y Agricultura ecológica — Dirección General de Industrias
y Mercados Agroalimentarios — Secretaría General de Medio Rural del Ministerio de Medio
Ambiente, y Medio Rural y Marino de España

Address: Paseo Infanta Isabel 1

28071 Madrid
ESPAÑA

+34 913475394

+34 913475410

Tel.

Fax

E-mail:

sgcaae@mapya.es

2. Group:

Name:

Address:

Tel.

Fax

CHAMPIVIL, S.L. y otros

Mourence, 6
27820 Villalba (Lugo)
ESPAÑA

+34 9825112 22

+34 982512135

E-mail:

info@champivil.com

Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

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

26.3.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 72/59

3.

Type of product:

Class 1.6: Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

4.

Specification:

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

4.1. Name:

‘Grelos de Galicia’

4.2. Description:

The product protected by the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Grelos de Galicia’ is the vegetative
part, destined for human consumption, of plants of the species Brassica rapa L. var. rapa (commonly
known as the turnip), from the variety groups corresponding to the Santiago and Lugo ecotypes, and
the registered commercial varieties ‘Grelos de Santiago’ and ‘Globo blanco de Lugo’, which represent
these two ecotypes and are sold fresh, frozen and preserved.

The morphological characteristics of the plant are the following: taproot, with a swollen upper part
which is joined to a straight stem branching from the neck. Petiolated, hairy lower leaves, with small,
broad lateral lobes, which become larger at the top. Upper flower spike leaves of an oblong spear
shape, with two large rounded auricles, hairless and embracing the stem (amplexicaul).

The designation ‘grelos’
is used indiscriminately to mean the leaves and vegetative stems gathered
throughout the life cycle of the plant, called ‘nabizas’ (turnip greens), and the leaves and flower spikes
obtained immediately before flowering, known in many parts of Galicia as ‘cimos’.

Fresh turnip greens will be marketed in uniform batches in line with origin and variety, using tradi-
tional bunches weighing approximately 0,5 kg or 1 kg, tied up with vegetable stems or other materials
authorised in the Quality Manual.

Frozen turnip greens will be graded, washed, scalded and in some cases cut into pieces prior to
freezing, and will be packaged in containers of weights and made from materials authorised by current
legislation and explicitly laid down in the Quality Manual.

The preserved turnip greens will be processed naturally, adding only the cooking water and salt to the
covering liquid, with no acidification, and will be put up in tins or glass jars of weights authorised by
current legislation and explicitly laid down in the Quality Manual.

Organoleptic characteristics: Turnip greens are not consumed raw. To render them edible, they must be
cooked for a period which varies depending on their phenological development. Therefore the organo-
leptic characteristics refer to turnip greens that are ready for consumption, in other words cooked,
either by consumers or by the processing industry.

These characteristics include: an intense green colour, which darkens as the plant gets ready to flower;
slightly acid and rather bitter taste; slightly fibrous texture, more accentuated if the variety has narrow
leaves with a large percentage of petioles; rather soft because of the low fibre content.

4.3. Geographical area:

The production area covers all the municipalities in the Autonomous Community of Galicia. The area
of preparation and packing is the same as the area of production.

4.4. Proof of origin:

Only turnip greens grown in accordance with the conditions laid down in the specification and in the
Quality Manual in plots and by growers entered in the corresponding register can be granted the PGI
‘Grelos de Galicia’ or be used for the processing of turnip greens covered by this PGI. Likewise, only
turnip greens handled and/or processed in facilities entered in the corresponding register can be
covered by the PGI ‘Grelos de Galicia’.

C 72/60

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

26.3.2009

All legal and natural persons, owners of property entered in the registers, plots, stores, processing
undertakings and products will be subject to inspections and checks carried out by the inspection body
with a view to verifying that the products with the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Grelos de Galicia’
comply with the requirements laid down in the specification and Quality Manual.

4.5. Method of production:

The seed to be used must come from plants of
the Santiago and Lugo ecotypes, both those
corresponding to the authorised commercial varieties ‘Grelos de Santiago’ and ‘Globo blanco de Lugo’
and those from their respective variety groups arising from the re-use of the same land or from other
parcels entered in the Register of Plantations of the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Grelos de
Galicia’. The seed is sown broadcast from the middle of August, with the date varying depending on
the area and earliness of the variety. Harvesting is carried out manually, preferably at times of the day
when the temperature is lower. The plants require very careful handling to prevent damage to the
leaves which affects their appearance and also forms a potential entry point for disease-carrying micro-
organisms. The product may also be harvested using mechanical means when it is to be processed
subsequently. On the same day as harvesting, taking great care not to damage the product, the turnip
greens are sent to the store for handling or to the processing undertakings as the case may be.

Processing and packaging of turnip greens must be carried out within the defined geographical area
because of the delicate conditions under which the product must be handled and preserved after
harvesting. These operations must be conducted within the defined geographical area so as to:

their high content of glucosinolate,

— avoid damaging the product: turnip greens are leafy vegetables which deteriorate rapidly between
harvesting and arrival at the handling centre. Water loss plus cell lysis cause the leaves to yellow
and wilt, reducing the market take-up of the product. Turnip greens have added value as functional
foodstuffs because of
flavonoid and vitamin and other
compounds. However, once harvested these and other compounds deteriorate rapidly, leading to a
considerable loss of nutritional value. It is known that over 50 % of the vitamin C content is lost
within two days, and that the glucosinolates (anti-carcinogenic compounds) deteriorate rapidly after
harvesting. This makes it necessary to carry out all the handling, transport, storage and processing
operations not later than 24 hours after harvesting, therefore it is essential to reduce as much as
possible the distances between the harvesting points and the distribution, packaging and/or proces-
sing points,

— guarantee traceability and ensure monitoring: the geographical area of the inspection body is confined
to the defined geographical area, which is the Autonomous Community of Galicia. Under the moni-
toring and certification system, the origin and traceability of ‘Grelos de Galicia’ are guaranteed
provided that they are prepared, processed and packaged in this Community,

— retain the typical characteristics and preserve the quality of ‘Grelos de Galicia’: there is a long tradition of
consuming and preparing this product in the Autonomous Community of Galicia. The fact that the
packaging is carried out in the defined geographical area contributes decisively to the protection of
the special characteristics and quality of the ‘Grelos de Galicia’. This gives producers and the
Protected Geographical Indication inspection body the task of implementing and monitoring the
rules on transport, processing and packaging of the turnip greens. These bodies have the necessary
knowledge and skills to guarantee the proper handling of ‘Grelos de Galicia’.

4.6. Link:

The inclusion of turnips in crop rotation is documented in the 13th century in various municipal texts
and sales documents relating to ‘turnip’ farms. Such rotation made it possible to exploit land fully by
alternating a summer cereal crop with turnips and with a winter cereal crop.

Turnips are suited to damp climates and moderate temperatures, and are resistant to frost. They also
require fertile soil that has high organic matter content and is of average consistency, deep and loose,
and well-drained but with high relative humidity. These weather and soil conditions are found in large
parts of Galicia.

Turnip greens are an essential ingredient in some of the most typical Galician dishes such as ‘Caldo’ or
‘Pote gallego’, ‘Cocido’ and ‘Lacón con Grelos’, and they are the element which distinguishes Galician
cuisine from that of other regions.

26.3.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 72/61

Historical and gastronomic references to this vegetable are numerous and point to its strong influence
on Galician culture. Various ethnographic and food writers have unanimously highlighted the presence
and specific nature of turnip greens as a mainstay of traditional Galician cuisine. References can be
found, for instance, in the writings of Ramón Otero Pedrayo, the famous writer who wrote on a variety
of subjects (‘Guía de Galicia’, 1926), the food critic, Ángel Muro (‘Almanaque y conferencias culinarias’,
1890-1905), and the novelists Emilia Pardo Bazán (‘La cocina española antigua’, 1912), Manuel María
Puga y Parga (‘La cocina práctica’, 1905) and Álvaro Cunqueiro (‘A cociña galega’, 1973).

Finally, this product is mentioned as a typical Galician vegetable in the ‘Inventario Español de Productos
Tradicionales’ (Spanish inventory of traditional products) published in 1996 by the Ministry of Agri-
culture, Fisheries and Food.

4.7. Inspection body:

Name:

Instituto Galego da Calidade Alimentaria (INGACAL)

Address: Rúa Fonte dos Concheiros, 11 bajo.

15703 Santiago de Compostela
ESPAÑA

Tel.

Fax

+34 981540055

+34 981540018

E-mail:

sxca.agri@xunta.es

4.8. Labelling:

For turnip greens marketed under the Protected Geographical
Indication ‘Grelos de Galicia’, the
commercial label corresponding to the trade mark of each producer/packager should be featured under
the certification. They will also carry a specific label bearing the geographical indication, a sequential
alphanumeric code authorised and issued by the inspection body, and the official logo of the Protected
Geographical Indication.

Both the commercial label and the specific geographical indication label must bear the words ‘Protected
Geographical Indication, Grelos de Galicia’.

The label may, optionally, indicate the phenological state of the plant, distinguishing between ‘nabizas’
and ‘cimos’, as stated in the product description section.

Moreover, with regard to turnip greens subjected to different processing procedures from those laid
down in the specification, authorisation may be granted to state on their labels that they are prepared
with turnip greens bearing the PGI ‘Grelos de Galicia’ provided that the raw materials comply with the
requirements in the specification and the relevant rules laid down in the Quality Manual.