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: 2010-02-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Greece, designation of origin, leguminous vegetable, location of production, preparation for market, product designation, product quality








C_2010034EN.01000301.xml










11.2.2010   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 34/3





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
2010/C 34/03
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 from the date of this publication.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006


‘ΦΑΒΑ ΣΑΝΤΟΡΙΝΗΣ’ (FAVA SANTORINIS)


EC No: EL-PDO-0005-0520-09.01.2006


PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Name:

‘Φάβα Σαντορίνης’ (Fava Santorinis)
2.   Member State or Third Country:

Greece
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product:







Class 1.6 —


Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed




3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies:

Dried, husked and crushed cotyledons of the plant Lathyrus clymenum L. (family: Fabaceae), yellowish in colour, shaped like flattened disks, approximately 2 mm in diameter, with a maximum moisture content of 13 %. They have a particularly high protein content and a significant carbohydrate content. The physical and chemical properties of Fava Santorinis make it very easy to cook (very short cooking time) and confer on cooked Fava Santorinis and on dishes in which it is used unique organoleptic qualities, such as a soft, light texture and a slightly sweet taste.
3.3.   Raw materials:

—
3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—
3.5.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area:

The specific qualities of Fava Santorinis are formed during the following production stages: the cultivation of Lathyrus clymenum L. (‘pea’ plant), the ageing (drying) of its seeds, removal of the husks and packaging. These stages must take place in the defined area because the specific character of the product is due to the distinctive environmental and cultivation conditions and to the drying process (use of the soil of Santorini); the biggest risk of modifying the qualities of Fava Santorinis lies in a change in these parameters.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

The packaging process should be carried out within the defined geographical area so as to guarantee quality and ensure that the origin of the final product can be effectively verified. Adequate packaging of the processed product should occur immediately and swiftly after removal of the husks and separation of the cotyledons in order to prevent the fragile final product from absorbing humidity. Packaging the product outside Santorini requires transporting it in bulk by sea, involving a high risk that it will absorb humidity and be contaminated by post-harvest pests and diseases, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of the product.
3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

—
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The geographical area where Fava Santorinis is produced covers the islands of Thira, Thirasia, Palea Kameni, Nea Kameni, Aspro (Aspronisi), Christiani and Askania in the Prefecture of the Cyclades in the region of the South Aegean in the Hellenic Republic.
These islands all have volcanic soil and a very specific microclimate. The climate in the region (described in more detail in point 5.1(a)) is hot and dry, with strong sunshine, prevailing north winds (meltemia) and an average annual relative humidity of 71 %.
5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:







(a)


Climate: the data set out below are considered to be specific climatic factors which are essential for the quality of Fava Santorinis.






1.


relative humidity of 71 % as an annual average










2.


maximum annual rainfall of 370 millimetres










3.


northerly winds that prevail throughout the year










4.


an annual average temperature of 17,5 °C










5.


202 days of sunshine a year










6.


virtually no frost














(b)


Soil: the parent material of the volcanic soil which makes up nearly all of Santorini consists of tertiary deposits of Thira soil, pumice and lava. This soil is classified as deep, with moderate to no erosion gullies and slight gradients. Generally speaking, this soil has a fine structure and does not contain any basic inorganic nutrients such as potassium or nitrogen. It is also particularly lacking in organic matter. Lastly, land water resources are minimal to non-existent.




5.2.   Specific characteristics of the product:

The main specificity of Fava Santorinis resides in the fact that it is produced using a particular type of plant, namely Lathyrus clymenum L. of the Fabaceae family. This plant is grown exclusively in the defined area and for the sole purpose of producing Fava Santorinis.
The specific qualities of the product derive from its unique origin, differentiating it from other similar products. Its main characteristics are as follows.
Physical properties: Fava Santorinis consists of the split cotyledons of the yellowish seeds, which are shaped like flattened discs, approximately 2 mm in diameter, with a maximum moisture content of 13 %. The percentage of broken cotyledons varies from 1 % to 5 % depending on the production process.
Chemical properties: owing to the soil and weather conditions and to the plant variety, Fava Santorinis has a particularly high carbohydrate content (63 %) and protein content (20 %).
It should also be noted that using Fava Santorinis in food preparations gives the food certain specific organoleptic characteristics which distinguish it from other pulse dishes. This is one of the reasons why Fava Santorinis is so highly prized. Its most typical characteristics are as follows.
Soft, light texture: this is due to the small size and uniformity of the cotyledons, and their high carbohydrate content.
Durability of the product: this is due to the high level of dehydration and decontamination of the seeds.
Ease of cooking: because they are small and uniform and have a high carbohydrate content, the cotyledons cook very quickly and a minimal amount of water is required.
Taste: the sugars found in the plant tissue give the product its taste, which is sweetish, unlike other similar products, which have a slightly bitter taste.
5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product:

The various specific characteristics of Fava Santorinis, as expressed in its physical and chemical properties and in the organoleptic characteristics of the food prepared using Fava Santorinis, are the result of the combination of environmental factors, local expertise and a unique genetic substrate.
Cultivation of Lathyrus clymenum L. of the Fabaceae family dates back to ancient times, and its particular characteristics have been recognised ever since. This is why Fava Santorinis is so highly prized compared to other similar products.






(a)


Quality: as mentioned above, the development of the specific qualities of Fava Santorinis is due to the combination of three factors. The influence of each of these factors is briefly described below.






 


Genetic material: since ancient times, the plant variety which produces Fava Santorinis (Lathyrus clymenum L. of the Fabaceae family) is grown exclusively on Santorini and on the surrounding islets. This is because the specific soil and weather conditions prevalent on these islands mean that it is difficult or even impossible to cultivate other varieties used to produce split peas. The last seeds gathered from the threshing floor were usually kept apart for sowing the following year. This practice has ensured that this plant, which is a distinct local variety of legume and is used exclusively to produce the renowned Fava Santorinis, has been grown on Santorini without interruption for 3 500 years.

Lathyrus clymenum L. gives Fava Santorinis its physical properties, since these are linked to the specific phenotypic expression of major taxonomic characteristics, such as the size and colour of the cotyledons. The specific chemical composition of the cotyledons is also a genetically controlled qualitative characteristic.










 


Expertise: The low moisture content of the seeds and the low percentage of crushed cotyledons are due to local expertise relating to both the exclusive cultivation of Lathyrus clymenum L. and the processing of its seeds.
While the sowing, harvesting and threshing methods reflect particular cultivation practices that are adapted to the local environment, the choice of multiplication material for the following year's planting ensures the continuity of the crop.
Specific know-how has been developed as regards the ageing of the seeds, consisting in two main elements which tie Fava Santorinis to the island's environment: the use of Santorini's soil and of dug-out stores to respectively preserve and store the seeds. This process protects the seeds from pest attacks and makes them hard enough to withstand further processing without breaking.










 


Environment: the influence of the environment relates to the cultivation of Lathyrus clymenum L., the development of quantitative properties such as the chemical composition of the cotyledons, and the existence of unique production factors such as Santorini's soil.
The particular environmental conditions that led to the selection of Lathyrus clymenum L. and to the shaping of its cultivation methods are strong winds, meagre water resources and poor soil. As a twining plant, it was protected from strong winds and, as a xerophilous plant, it could survive in the almost desert-like conditions; moreover, owing to its capacity to retain atmospheric nitrogen, the plant was able to cope with the lack of basic nutrients. The most compelling evidence that the plant was adapted to Santorini's environment is the fact that it survived the eruption of the volcano.
Lastly, water scarcity explains the plant's high sugar content, enabling it to better absorb water through osmotic processes.














(b)


Reputation: the documented presence of Fava Santorinis in the defined area dates back to the 16th century B.C., as attested by archaeological finds dating from the late Bronze Age at excavations in the West House at Akrotiri. Indeed, remains of stored seeds have been identified as Lathyrus clymenum L. seeds.
The name ‘fava’ first appeared in written texts in the 6th to 5th century B.C., in fragments of a lost tragedy by Aeschylus, where the term is used to describe poor-man's food.
The first link between the term ‘fava’ and the food we know today was established in the 2nd century A.D. by Dioskourides, who mentions ‘fava’ as the Latin word for broad beans (Vicia faba L.), the legume most commonly used to prepare the dish.
In the 6th century A.D., Cyril of Scythopolis mentions that ‘pisaria’, namely small peas, were used for preparing ‘fava’, thus linking for the first time in a literary text the Ancient Greek term ‘arakisko’ and the production of ‘fava’.
As one of Santorini's traditional products, ‘fava’ was ranked as the island's fourth most important crop in the inventory records of 1850 A.D. In 1914, Gennadios mentions in particular its excellent quality, recognising the ‘pea’ as the plant used to produce Fava Santorinis. The correlation is mentioned in any number of 20th century sources, but it was only in 1943 that Rechinger identified the local plant as Lathyrus clymenum L.
Only in the 21st century has it become clear that the local traditional name ‘arakas’ refers to Lathyrus clymenum L. Indeed, in order to compile this file, samples of the plant were sent to the Plant Taxonomy Laboratory of the Agricultural University of Athens and identified as Lathyrus clymenum L.
It is therefore clear that Fava Santorinis has been grown continuously in this area for over 3 600 years.





Reference to publication of the specification:

http://www.minagric.gr/greek/data/Fava%20Santorinis%20-%20specifications.pdf