Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Date: 2013-11-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, consumer information, designation of origin, foodstuff, pastry-making, product designation








C_2013318EN.01001401.xml










1.11.2013   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 318/14





Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
2013/C 318/09
This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).
AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006


on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
 (2)


AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9


‘LOMNICKÉ SUCHARY’


EC No: CZ-PGI-0105-01093-14.02.2013


PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Heading in the specification affected by the amendment








—





Name of product




—


☒


Description of product




—





Geographical area




—





Proof of origin




—


☒


Method of production




—





Link




—


☒


Labelling




—





National requirements




—


☒


Other — change relating to producers' association, changes relating to inspection bodies




2.   Type of amendment(s)








—


☒


Amendment to single document or summary sheet




—





Amendment to specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the single document nor the summary sheet has been published




—





Amendment to specification that requires no amendment to the published single document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)




—





Temporary amendment to specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)




3.   Amendment(s)







1.


Point 4.2 of the summary: amendment concerning fat content — the original applicant's agent wrongly based the specification on the old standard, No ON 562 890, for sugared rusks from the Čokoládovny national enterprise, which was forwarded as Annex 8. In that standard, fat was also replaced by fat in dry matter (FDM) in the ‘three-way ratio’ for the daily intake of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Owing to the complexity of checking the FDM parameter, the finished product's FDM content will no longer be specified, but rather its total fat content. This parameter is also more significant from the consumer's point of view. The new wording regarding fat content is therefore: ‘Total fat not less than 11 % by weight;’.










2.


Point 4.2 of the summary: we are amending the specification of the aflatoxin content so that its wording is always in line with the binding parameters for foodstuffs; the new wording is as follows: ‘Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2 — must meet the legal requirements.’.










3.


Point 4.2 of the summary: we are clarifying some terminology and the details of the ingredients used to impart flavour:






—


the term ‘hydrogenated fat’ is replaced by ‘baker's fat’, in line with current terminological usage,










—


vanillin may be added to the dough instead of vanilla, for economic reasons or if the latter is in short supply on the market,










—


a survey of producers revealed that some add cinnamon or mace to certain types of ‘Lomnické suchary’; they have therefore been added to the list of ingredients, whereas debittered apricot kernels have been deleted, as they are no longer produced.














4.


Point 4.2 of the summary: we are deleting diabetic rusks from the list of types of ‘Lomnické suchary’ because, under Section 4 of the Czech Decree on the labelling of foodstuffs and tobacco products (No 113/2005, as amended on 23 December 2008), which is in line with EU legislation, labelling which could cause ordinary foodstuffs to be confused with dietary foodstuffs must not be used.










5.


Point 4.5 of the summary: checks have brought to light a number of technical inaccuracies and a mistake in the rising time, probably resulting from a clerical error. Slabs of dough are left to rise in greased tins for only about 10-20 minutes. We are also amending the description of the baking method to indicate that moisture and temperature depend on the type of oven used and that these parameters must always be adapted to the type of oven used in order to maintain the quality of ‘Lomnické suchary’. The original part of the description of the production method concerned is replaced by the following: ‘The dough is cut into buns, which, after rising, are rolled into long slabs and placed in greased baking tins and left to prove for about 10-20 minutes. After proving, they are baked in an oven heated to about 200-250 °C for about 30-45 minutes.’.










6.


Points 4.5 and 4.8 of the summary: in view of the return to the traditional way of selling the product and the scope for choosing other forms of packaging, we are also amending the packaging requirements. The sentence which reads: ‘The rusks are wrapped in aluminium foil of food quality and those packages are placed in printed cardboard boxes.’ is replaced by the following: ‘The rusks are packaged in food-grade aluminium foil and those packages are placed in printed cardboard boxes or tins. Other packaging methods are possible if suitable for the variety concerned and in conformity with the mandatory provisions. Producers may sell some of what they produce direct to final consumers for immediate consumption, in which case the rusks do not need to be packaged in aluminium foil.’. The labelling requirements are therefore also being reworded as follows: ‘If packaged in boxes, these are labelled with the name “Lomnické suchary” and the variety. The words “Lomnické suchary” appear in larger letters than the rest of the text. The rusks are depicted on at least one side of the box. If the rusks are packaged in other ways, or sold loose direct to consumers, the producer must ensure that the “Lomnické suchary” designation and the variety are indicated in a suitable and visible manner.’. This wording replaces all of the original wording.
In the light of the abovementioned error relating to standard No ON 562 890 (cf. Amendment No 1), forwarded as Annex 8 to the specification, the last two sentences in point 4.5 of the specification are also deleted.










7.


As the name and address of the producers' association have changed and both the inspection body responsible for monitoring compliance with the specification and the inspection body responsible for qualitative and quantitative analyses have changed, we have also updated these details.




SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006


on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
 (3)


‘LOMNICKÉ SUCHARY’


EC No: CZ-PGI-0105-01093-14.02.2013


PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name

‘Lomnické suchary’
2.   Member State or Third Country

Czech Republic
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product







Class 2.4.


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




3.2.   Description of product to which the name in point 1 applies

The following types of ‘Lomnické suchary’ are produced: ‘Lomnické suchary cukrované’ (sugared rusks), ‘Lomnické suchary oříškové’ (hazelnut rusks), ‘Lomnické suchary mandlové’ (almond rusks) and ‘Lomnické suchary arašídové’ (peanut rusks).
The finished product must meet the following requirements in a sensory test:







shape


:


slices of maximum thickness 18 mm;




surface


:


evenly sugared;




colour


:


uniformly golden brown when broken;




porosity


:


consistent, without cavities, hard particles or traces of unmixed dough;




texture


:


hard, crunchy, crisp;




taste and smell: specific to the individual variety, with a hint of orange (lemon) peel. The rusks must not have a burnt, bitter or stale taste or any other foreign taste or odour.
Physical and chemical requirements:







moisture not more than


:


4 % by weight;




sucrose in dry matter not less than


:


33,5 % by weight;




total fat not less than


:


11 % by weight;




ash in dry matter not more than


:


0,80 % by weight;




‘mineral matter’ in dry matter not more than


:


0,10 % by weight.




Metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury — must meet the legal requirements.
Microbiological examination: samples must meet the legal requirements.
Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2 — must meet the legal requirements.
3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only)

‘Lomnické suchary’ are intended for direct consumption. They are made from fine wheat flour, with or without sugar, and baker's fat, yeast, dried milk and dried egg yolks, orange peel or lemon peel; cinnamon, vanilla or mace may be added, depending on the variety. Dried egg yolk can be replaced by a quantity of fresh egg yolks equivalent to the dry matter; the vanilla may be replaced by vanillin. Ground hazelnuts, almonds and peanuts, respectively, are added to the individual varieties. Baked slices of rusk are packed in icing sugar.
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 entire production process, from the preparation of the dough to drying, must take place on the producer's premises in order to maintain the product's quality and hygiene. The rusk is a crisp product and the production technique used means that individual stages cannot be carried out elsewhere.
The main features of the technological process are as follows: the prepared ingredients, according to the recipe for a given variety of rusk, are placed in a mixer. The ingredients are mixed thoroughly. A prepared leavening agent and potable water are added to these and everything is mixed thoroughly to form a stiff dough. After rising, they are baked for about 30-45 minutes in an oven heated to a temperature of 200-250 °C. The baked rusk logs are left to cool and, after softening, are cut into even slices and rolled individually in icing sugar. The rusk slices are dried in the oven at a temperature of 190-200 °C, after which they are evened out and sent for packaging.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

The rusks are packaged in food-grade aluminium foil and the packages are placed in printed cardboard boxes or tins. Other packaging methods are possible if suitable for the variety concerned and in conformity with the mandatory provisions. Producers may sell some of what they produce direct to final consumers for immediate consumption, in which case the rusks do not need to be packaged in aluminium foil.
Products that are to be dispatched and need to be kept for longer must be packaged as soon as the manufacturing process is complete in order to preserve their quality. ‘Lomnické suchary’ are crunchy and absorb humidity easily. If transported in larger quantities, therefore, they could deteriorate in quality by breaking and becoming moist. This is also done in order to enhance the shelf-life and traceability of the product.
3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling

If packaged in boxes, these are labelled with the name ‘Lomnické suchary’ and the variety. The words ‘Lomnické suchary’ appear in larger letters than the rest of the text. The rusks are depicted on at least one side of the box. If the rusks are packaged in other ways, or sold loose direct to consumers, the producer must ensure that the ‘Lomnické suchary’ designation and the variety are indicated in a suitable and visible manner.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

District of Semily, which includes the towns of Lomnice nad Popelkou, Vysoké nad Jizerou and Jablonec nad Nisou.
5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

The defined production area for ‘Lomnické suchary’ is an area of foothills whose inhabitants earned their living mainly from farming and crafts in the past.
The first records of ‘Lomnické suchary’ being produced in the defined geographical area date back to 1810, when Michal Jína began producing rusks in Lomnice nad Popelkou. Initially, biscuits were baked at home and taken to market in baskets. In the second half of the 19th century, in 1856, his grandson mechanised the production of ‘Lomnické suchary’, with which he supplied not only the whole of Austro-Hungary, but also other European countries. In 1907, his son, Josef Jína, built a factory at Lomnice nad Popelkou which was equipped with machinery that was modern for its day. He placed great emphasis on product quality. The firm was modernised in 1942 and nationalised in 1948, and rusk production was continued by an enterprise called Lomnický průmysl sucharů, which from 1958 was part of Průmysl trvanlivého pečiva Praha and, subsequently, of Čokoládovny Praha — Modřany.
After November 1989, this enterprise was privatised by Nestlé, which ceased production of ‘Lomnické suchary’ in 1994. In 1995, the firm Vekos was set up under the management of Ladislav Kodejška junior, who re-established the production of ‘Lomnické suchary’ according to old recipes he obtained from his father, who had trained at the Jína bakery. In recent years, other small producers manufacturing ‘Lomnické suchary’ according to old recipes have sprung up, e.g. EGE Impex, Lomnické suchary s.r.o., and Ladislav Kodejška. An association of ‘Lomnické suchary’ producers was set up in September 2005.
5.2.   Specificity of the product

The appearance and taste of ‘Lomnické suchary’ are determined by the traditional recipe that has been used for almost 200 years and the know-how of people living in the defined area. It is a specific product which is made only in the defined area.
‘Lomnické suchary’ are specific by virtue of their design and taste, which is to say that they have a distinctive shape, appearance and taste. Their sugared surface is unique to ‘Lomnické suchary’, not being found elsewhere. The addition of almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts to impart flavour is also a specific feature. The consistently high quality is linked to the outstanding flavour. It is a specific product which is made only in the defined area.
For as long as ‘Lomnické suchary’ have been made, they have been labelled as ‘Lomnické suchary’, with or without an indication of the producer's name, e.g. Jína, Kodejška, EGE Impex, Vekos, etc.
5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

The 200-year history of ‘Lomnické suchary’ production in the defined area is confirmed by numerous references in the press, past and present, and documentation archived at the town museum in Lomnice nad Popelkou. The long-standing link with the production area and the quality of ‘Lomnické suchary’ are evidenced by a number of publications (e.g. Město sucharů a textilu Lomnice nad Popelkou (Lomnice nad Popelkou: town of rusks and textiles), publ. Josef Mizera and Co., series C, Vol. IX, Brno, 1946, and Popis a dějiny okresu Lomnického n. P. (Description and history of the district of Lomnice nad Popelkou), J. Fučík, 1926), leaflets from different periods, rhymes, an invitation to a trade fair, words of thanks from the President and Internet links. Josef Jína won the Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition in 1927 for his ‘Lomnické suchary’. ‘Lomnické suchary’ were already known by this name at the end of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century in Austria, Germany and Italy. They were also exported to America between the wars. Nowadays, ‘Lomnické suchary’ from the defined area are supplied to almost all of the Czech Republic. Throughout their history, descendants of the original founding family, the Jínas, have been involved to a varying extent in their production. In 2003, owing to the product's unique qualities, the designation ‘Lomnické suchary’ was registered in the Czech Republic as a designation of origin, under number 198.

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4))
http://isdv.upv.cz/portal/pls/portal/portlets.ops.det?popk=211&plang=cs


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3)  Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(4)  See footnote 3.