Publication of an application for approval of amendments, which are not minor, to a product specification 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 foodstuffs2019/C 344/06
Date: 2019-10-11
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Franche-Comté, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, meat product, pigmeat, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, smoked product








C_2019344EN.01001101.xml










11.10.2019   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 344/11






Publication of an application for approval of amendments, which are not minor, to a product specification 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
(2019/C 344/06)
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) within three months from the date of this publication.
APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS, WHICH ARE NOT MINOR, TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘SAUCISSE DE MORTEAU’/‘JÉSUS DE MORTEAU’


EU No: PGI-FR-0556-AM01 — 11.8.2017



PDO () PGI (X)

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Association de défense et de promotion des charcuteries et salaisons IGP de Franche-Comté (A2M) [Association for the defence and promotion of PGI cured meat products from the Franche-Comté region]





‘Valparc’




12, rue de Franche-Comté




25480 Ecole Valentin




FRANCE




Tel. +33 3 81 54 71 70
Fax +33 3 81 54 71 54
Email: accueil@interporc-fc.fr
The association includes all economic operators in the ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ PGI sector, i.e. pig farmers, slaughterhouses, cutting plants, as well as industrial and small-scale producers, and therefore has a legitimate right to request amendments to the specification.
2.   Member state or third country

France
3.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

☐ Name of product
☒ Description of product
☒ Geographical area
☒ Proof of origin
☒ Method of production
☒ Link
☒ Labelling
☒ Other: updating the contact details; inspection bodies; national requirements; updating the glossary.
4.   Type of amendment(s)

☒ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012
☐ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012
5.   Amendment(s)

5.1.   Description of product







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The introductory sentence to the description of the product, ‘“Saucisse de Morteau” and “Jésus de Morteau” have various characteristics:’, is deleted. This is an editorial amendment.










—


The sentence ‘“Saucisse de Morteau” is a straight sausage with a regular, cylindrical form and a diameter of at least 40 mm (diameter of the casing at the time of filling) made from pork.’ is replaced by the sentence ‘“Saucisse de Morteau” is a straight sausage made from pork with a regular, cylindrical form and a minimum diameter (of the casing at the time of filling) of 34 mm for “Saucisse de Morteau” weighing less than 150 g, and 40 mm for “Saucisse de Morteau” weighing 150 g or more’. A lower minimum diameter of 34 mm is added. Adding this smaller diameter for sausages weighing 150 g or less allows the same size to be maintained for all ‘Saucisse de Morteau’, regardless of their measurements. As a result, ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ in its various sizes keeps the same proportions, as indicated by the description of the product (straight, with a regular, cylindrical form). The minimum diameter of 40 mm is retained for sausages weighing at least 150 g.










—


The colouring of the casing is specified: the fact that ‘only its natural pigmentation is allowed’ is added for both ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’. The purpose of this amendment is to exclude only the artificial colouring of the casing, not its natural pigmentation.










—


The following sentence is added: ‘The string used has shades of white, cream, ecru or beige’. The choice of a limited palette of close colours maintains the traditional visual aspect of the product and makes it easier to preserve anonymity during organoleptic checks.










—


Details are provided on the shape of the small wooden stick. The following sentence is added: ‘It has the shape of a straight, circular cylinder, without any sharp ends.’. This description guarantees the same appearance for all ‘Saucisse de Morteau’.










—


As regards ‘Jésus de Morteau’, the sentence ‘If a caecum casing is used, the small wooden stick is not always present as the caecum is naturally closed at one end.’ is replaced by: ‘“Jésus de Morteau” is closed by a small wooden stick at one end when a large intestine casing is used, though not always when a caecum casing is used.’. The reason is that the caecum is naturally closed at one end, so there is no need to close it twice.










—


In the sentence ‘When cooked, each slice of “Saucisse de Morteau” and “Jésus de Morteau” has a coarsely minced yet uniform texture and is consistent and firm in appearance.’, the adjective ‘consistent’ is deleted, as it is not appropriate.










—


A detailed list of the various forms of presentation allowed when marketing the product is added. Before the sentence ‘For reasons of food safety, the frozen, cooked or sliced product must be packaged when passed on to the consumer’, the following sentence is added: ‘“Saucisse de Morteau” and “Jésus de Morteau” are sold in raw or cooked form. They are sold whole or in slices. They are sold fresh, frozen, or deep-frozen, including pre-cooked frozen or deep-frozen.’. It is current practice to present the product in pre-cooked frozen or deep-frozen form, which is now codified.










—


As regards its organoleptic characteristics, the sentence ‘The elements of the characteristic sensory profile of “Saucisse de Morteau” and “Jésus de Morteau” are the following in internal cross-section’ is replaced by: ‘The elements of the characteristic sensory profile of cooked “Saucisse de Morteau” or “Jésus de Morteau” are the following:’. It is clarified that the elements of the characteristic sensory profile relate to the cooked product, to avoid any ambiguity. This is because the product is only consumed after it has been cooked. The words ‘in internal cross-section’ are deleted, as they are inaccurate. The colour, for example, relates to the product’s exterior.










—


A paragraph on recipes is deleted, as it does not provide useful information on the organoleptic characteristics.
The section of the Single Document on the description of the product is amended to take account of the amendments to the specification. The organoleptic characteristics are added in the Single Document to make the description more accurate.




5.2.   Geographical area

In the section on the geographical area, the reference to the restructured administrative region is deleted, and only the departments are referred to. The geographical area has not changed. The same changes have been made in the Single Document.
5.3.   Proof of origin







—


The introductory paragraph referring to two complementary traceability systems is deleted. The reason is that traceability is described for each step of the production process, and there is no need to point out that there is an in-house system for each company and a more general system.










—


Sentences that are descriptive or not specific to the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ are deleted (e.g. ‘At this stage, the carcass is in line with the parameters of the specification’), as they do not contain any information on traceability.










—


In the paragraph on traceability in pig farming, the category of ‘post-weaner-fattener’ is added. This category is included in the broader concept of ‘fattening units’ in the current specification. The words ‘in line with legislation’ and ‘in line with regulations’ are deleted, as they are not useful. They are replaced by ‘an indication of the site of birth’ required upon entry in the fattening unit and ‘an indication of their place of fattening’ required before slaughter. This wording aims to clarify the documents required for traceability in pig farming.










—


The minimum duration for keeping documents is reduced from 5 to 3 years. This provision applies to the slaughterhouse, the cutting plant and the production plant. Three years is sufficient for inspection purposes, as the product has a lifespan of 90 days.










—


Information on the traceability of casings has been added to ensure full traceability for the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’.










—


The category of ‘meat wholesalers’ is added to the list of economic operators involved in the overall monitoring of the flow of raw materials, given their presence on the market for the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’. This addition guarantees the traceability of the product for this category.










—


The gathering and transmission of information on the flow of raw materials are already specified in the current specification. It is clarified that such information can be transmitted at the request of the applicant group, guaranteeing consistency in the flow of raw materials among operators.










—


The summary table on the elements of traceability is updated to take account of the changes made.




5.4.   Method of production

Superfluous information on the EEC approval of slaughterhouses and cutting plants already laid down in the general regulations, and descriptive sentences that provide no useful information on the method of production, are deleted.

Characteristics of the fattening feed







—


The amended specification states that all pigs housed in a particular building are fed in line with the specification. This amendment is in line with practice and makes it easier to carry out inspections.
In the current specification, whey is the only compulsory milk product in the feed during the fattening phase. In the amended specification, whey may be partly replaced by other milk products with similar analytical characteristics, as they contain milk proteins, lactose and saturates. These milk products are available for pig feeding, and their use retains a link to the origin of the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’. This is because pig farming and dairy farming co-exist in the production area. This new list of milk products authorised in pig feeding does not alter the characteristics of the finished product.
Whey accounts for at least 50 % of the quantity of milk products and by-products. The rest is made up of one or more milk products (cream, milk, cheese, curd, yoghurt) or milk by-products (whey permeate, milk permeate, yoghurt whey, buttermilk).
An analytical characteristic of the milk products is added: the rate of total nitrogenous content must be greater than or equal to 4 g per 100 g of dry matter to allow only milk products that can provide the pigs with quality feed. An additional analytical characteristic is added for whey: the rate of lactose must be greater than or equal to 20 %, so as to select only the best whey.





Loading and transport conditions







—


Regarding the requirement to fast the animals, a distinction is added according to whether slaughter is on the same day as, or the day after, loading (or later). If the animal is slaughtered the next day (or later), it will have been fasted for at least three hours before loading. This amendment helps avoid excessive fasting, which would be harmful to the animals’ well-being, not to mention the quality of the meat.





Slaughter conditions







—


The period of 30 minutes prior to anaesthesia during which the pigs are rinsed down before slaughter is deleted, because it is too precise and has no effect on the quality of the meat.










—


The possibility not to spray the pigs upon arrival when the ambient external temperature is lower than +  10 °C is extended to spraying prior to anaesthesia to take account of the animals’ welfare. Spraying upon arrival and prior to anaesthesia can also be dispensed with in the event of night frost. This is for practical reasons, as the water pipes used for spraying must be drained in the event of frost.





Carcass characteristics







—


As regards blemishes of carcasses, the sentence ‘Blemishes are limited to 5 % for all carcases in a client batch.’ is replaced by ‘When selling carcasses to a customer, at most 5 % of the carcasses may have one or more blemishes.’. This new wording, which makes it easier for inspectors to understand the rule, does not change the substance of the sentence, as the maximum 5 % rate for blemishes is retained.










—


The sentences ‘The ultimate pH (taken at least 18 hours after slaughter) falls within the range 5,50≤pH< 6,20. The measurement is taken 5 cm above the sirloin end at a depth of 2-3 cm.’ are deleted. The reason is that the pH measurement is relevant only for pieces of whole meat or for dry-cured meats. It is irrelevant for a product divided into pieces such as the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’. According to a study by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA — Vautier, A., Lebret, B., Brossard, L. (2006). Indicateurs de qualité de viande chez le porc. Importances respectives du pH ultime et du taux de lipides intramusculaires dans la détermination de la qualité sensorielle. http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/28922), the pH has an effect on the colour, tenderness and succulence of the meat, but not on the overall flavour or typical flavour, which are affected only by volatile compounds resulting from the breakdown of lipids.





Characteristics of the cuts







—


It is added that it is forbidden ‘to use mechanically separated meat and minced meat less than 8 mm in size’. Meat of this type, produced by means of a cutting technique using mechanical systems that recover the flesh that remains stuck to the bone after manual cutting, may physically resemble minced meat, but it does not comply with the specific characteristics of the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’. Meat that sticks to the bone has a different structure to the other pieces of meat of the animal. It is more stringy, due to everyday wear and tear, and less rich in fat, which are important factors for the texture of the sausage meat. This amendment involves the codification of current practice in the industry.










—


The proportions of hard fat (‘15-35 % of the meat to be used in the mixture’) and lean meat (‘65-85 % of the meat to be used in the mixture’) that can be used are deleted. The reason for this amendment is that an examination of the fat content of the final product will show whether the proportion of fat and lean meat used is consistent and correct.










—


In the current specification, the minimum rate of frozen raw materials per mixture is 15 %. This is replaced by a rate of 50 %. Comparative tests performed by an independent body showed that there was no change in the organoleptic characteristics of the finished product between the absence of frozen raw materials in the mixture and the use of 50 % frozen raw materials (Maisons du goût, test report No 13/55, p. 22). Moreover, the industry faces problems obtaining the raw material used to produce the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ during the summer period. The product is in considerable demand among consumers in summer. Yet most pig slaughtering is carried out in winter. In other words, consumer demand does not correlate with farming and slaughter practices. Increasing the maximum rate of frozen raw material per mixture from 15 % to 50 % would help satisfy the considerable demand for the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ in summer without any effect on farming practices.










—


The maximum periods between thawing and mincing (‘within 24 hours of thawing’), and mincing and smoking (‘smoked within 24 hours of the thawed meat being minced’), are deleted, as they are superfluous to the general sanitary regulations in force.





Additives







—


A maximum limit of cooking salt (NaCl) of 22 g/kg of mixture is added. This limit codifies the current practice among operators. Adding too much salt would give the product a pronounced salty taste not in keeping with the characteristics of the finished product.










—


Glucose syrup is added to the list of sugars that may be included in the mixture as additives. Glucose syrup is similar to dextrose, which the specification already allows, especially in terms of its sweetening power. Its inclusion has no effect on the taste of the finished product.










—


The terms ‘saltpetre’ and ‘nitrite salt’ are replaced by their official international nomenclature: ‘saltpetre’ is replaced by ‘E252’ and ‘nitrite salt’ by ‘E250’.










—


References to ‘ascorbic acid (E300) and salts’ and to ‘rosemary and rosemary extract’ are added. These antioxidants help combat the risk of lipid peroxidation and instability of the colour, especially in sausages presented in slices and/or deep-frozen, without changing their characteristics. In doing so, they help preserve the organoleptic characteristics of the PGI. Rosemary (or rosemary extract) is used in very small doses for its anti-oxidising properties, not for its aromatic virtues.










—


The rate of wine that can be added to the mixture is reduced from 8 % to 6,5 %. The 8 % rate is not applied by operators at present, who confine themselves to 6,5 %. This information has been added to the specification. Limiting the rate strengthens the product’s characteristics.










—


The possibility of introducing water ‘in liquid form’ to help the additives spread throughout the mixture, or ‘in the form of ice’ to regulate the temperature, has been added. The rate of water added cannot exceed 3 %. The amount of water added is limited so as not to distort the nature of the finished product.





Preparing the meat, filling or pushing and closing

The changes referred to in the description of the product (diameter, weight, colour of the string, shape of the wooden stick) are indicated. The purpose is to include these changes in the method of production section.

Drying







—


It is pointed out that the temperature measured is the ‘ambient’ temperature.










—


The maximum temperature for drying is raised from 30 °C to 40 °C. The purpose of drying is to prepare the surface of the casing for optimum smoking of the product. Limiting the maximum drying temperature to 30 °C does not always allow the sausage to reach an ambient smoking temperature capable of favouring smoking above undesirable compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.










—


The last two paragraphs, which merely explain the role of this optional stage of drying, were considered unnecessary and are deleted.





Smoking







—


Smoking is defined as the actual duration of exposure to smoke. Adding this definition provides clarification and corresponds to the practice among operators.










—


Closely related to the above addition, the maximum duration for smoking in a conventional smokehouse is specified. The current specification does not set any minimum duration for all drying and smoking operations, whether outside or inside the smokehouse. This could result in insufficient time inside a conventional smokehouse. The current method of evaluating smoking time increases the microbiological risk. Setting a minimum smoking time inside a conventional smokehouse prevents any lengthy waiting period in the open air, which could be harmful to the quality of the product, and enables the product’s specific characteristics to be better regulated. A minimum smoking period of 6 hours has therefore been set where smoking occurs in a conventional smokehouse. Smoking is an essential operation in the production of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’. It must be a slow process.










—


Minimum and maximum durations are also added when a traditional smokehouse and a conventional smokehouse are used successively for a single ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ or ‘Jésus de Morteau’, or vice versa. These requirements enable the basic operation of smoking to be better regulated. The minimum period for smoking within a conventional smokehouse is set at 3 hours, the maximum at 48 hours. For smoking in a ‘thué’, or traditional smokehouse, the minimum period is 12 hours, the maximum period 7 days.










—


The fact that ‘The use of liquid smoke is forbidden’ is added. This is in keeping with the specific characteristics of the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’, as only natural smoke from resinous wood is allowed.










—


A maximum temperature of 40 °C for smoking in a conventional smokehouse is added. This helps prevent any deterioration in quality. The purpose of this amendment is to better comply with the specific characteristics of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’.










—


A descriptive, general paragraph on the purpose of smoking is deleted. It does not describe a stage in the production method and cannot lead to inspections.





Products sold frozen







—


The presentation of the product in pre-cooked frozen or deep-frozen form is added to the specification. Long practised, it was overlooked when the specification was first drafted.










—


The maximum temperature for preserving the product after freezing or deep-freezing is set at – 18 °C. This is a clarification.





Products sold cooked







—


The maximum cooking temperature of 90 °C is deleted. This obligation makes no difference to the characteristics of the product sold, since the key element is the core temperature during cooking.










—


For that reason, the following sentence is added: ‘The core temperature during cooking shall reach a minimum of 68 °C’. This sentence clarifies that it is a minimum temperature.




The section of the Single Document on animal feed and raw materials has been revised so as to include certain amendments to the specification, in particular the pigs’ diet, feeding conditions prior to slaughter, and the minimum weight of carcasses.
5.5.   Link

The section ‘Link with the geographical area’ has been shortened and restructured to better highlight the specific characteristics of the geographical area, the specificities of the product and the causal link. Only the form is amended.
Regarding the animals’ feed, the reference to milk products replaces the reference to whey. This does not alter the link between the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ or ‘Jésus de Morteau’ and its specific characteristics, however, which are the product of the co-existence of dairy farming, cheese production, pig farming, and local processing practices. Pig farming makes the most of the by-products of milk used in cheese-making, mainly whey, but also cream, milk, cheese, curd and yoghurts.
The section of the Single Document entitled ‘Link with the geographical area’ has been adapted to take account of these amendments.
5.6.   Labelling







—


The word ‘exclusively’ is added between the word ‘smoked’ and the words ‘in a ‘thué’ smokehouse’ to allow only operators performing the entire smoking process in a ‘thué’ to use the image of this type of smokehouse in their labelling. This is because when several types of smokehouse are used, the image of a ‘thué’ in the labelling could be misleading.










—


To promote the individual labelling of each ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ or ‘Jésus de Morteau’, the following information is added to better inform consumers: ‘The producer must ensure compliance with the following rules on the positioning of the name under which the product is sold and the European symbol for Protected Geographical Indications. This name and European symbol shall be indicated in the following paragraphs on ‘Labelling’.










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Any PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ intended for distribution to consumers without pre-packaging shall bear an individual label attached to it.










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Any PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ intended for distribution to consumers pre-packaged and accompanied by products other than ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ in the pre-packaging shall bear an individual label.










—


Any pre-packaging intended for consumers and containing one or more PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’, excluding any other product, shall contain at least one label, for example on the pre-packaging film, but there is no obligation to package each sausage individually.










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In the case of PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ intended for secondary processing, including in the catering industry, there is no obligation to package each sausage individually.’
These amendments to the specification have been carried over to the section of the Single Document on labelling.




5.7.   Other changes







—


The contact details of the applicant group have been updated. Also, the composition of the applicant group is added.










—


References to the inspection body have been updated in line with current national guidelines aimed at harmonising the drafting of specifications. Under this heading, the contact details of the authorities responsible for national inspections are now provided, i.e. the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) and the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF). The name and contact details of the certification body can now be consulted on the website of the INAO and the European Commission’s database.










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The main elements to be examined under the national requirements are updated to bring them into line with the amendments requested.










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Additions are made to the glossary.










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The annexes to the specification are deleted, as they do not contain any binding provisions.
The Single Document is revised in more general terms to bring it into line with current regulations.




SINGLE DOCUMENT
‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’

EU No: PGI-FR-0556-AM01 — 11.8.2017



PDO () PGI (X)

1.   Name(s)

‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’
2.   Member State or third country

France
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.2. Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.)
3.2.   Description of product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Saucisse de Morteau’ is a straight sausage made from pork with a regular, cylindrical form and a minimum diameter (of the casing at the time of filling) of 34 mm for ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ weighing less than 150 g, and 40 mm for ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ weighing 150 g or more. It is filled into a natural, colourless pork casing; only its natural pigmentation is allowed. The casing is closed at one end by a straight, cylindrically shaped wooden stick without any sharp ends, and by a string made of natural fibre at the other end. The string used has shades of white, cream, ecru or beige.
‘Jésus de Morteau’ is a particular form of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ with a less regular appearance and a diameter of at least 65 mm (diameter of the casing at the time of filling). ‘Jésus de Morteau’ is not always closed by a small wooden stick when a caecum casing is used.
When cooked, each slice of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ has a coarsely minced yet uniform texture and is firm in appearance.
Smoking gives ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ a typical amber colour, somewhere between brown and golden.
They have a firm consistency to the touch.
The smoky flavour is one of the major characteristics of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ and is due both to the sawdust and resinous wood used and to the duration of the smoking process. In the raw product, this flavour is distinct. However, when cooked and in the mouth, the smoky flavour is balanced and lasting, without being sharp or bitter. ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ are also characterised by their meaty taste, without being too dry or too fatty.
The texture of cooked ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ is tender and smooth, with coarse, firm mincing. In the mouth, the product must not be tough or rubbery, but firm and succulent.
The physico-chemical properties of the product are:






—


moisture content with fat removed: ≤ 75 %










—


fat: ≤ 30 % for a moisture content of 75 %










—


collagen/protein: ≤ 16 %










—


sugar content: ≤ 1 % for a moisture content of 75 %




Organoleptic characteristics:






 


The elements of the characteristic sensory profile of the cooked PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ are the following:






—


smoky: Balanced flavour, an aroma of smoke that lingers in the mouth, rather than a strongly acidic, harsh fragrance.










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Tender: An impression of tender meat and of fat, releases juices, smooth when chewed, rather than a harsh, rubbery texture.










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Firm: Coarse, firm mincing, holds together well, does not disintegrate when cut.










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Lean: An impression of meat, without seeming too dry, rather than fatty.










—


Colour: amber, from smoking. Between brown and golden.








The PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ is sold raw or cooked, whole or in slices, fresh, frozen or deep-frozen, including pre-cooked frozen or pre-cooked deep-frozen.
3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The animals selected for fattening are females and castrated males. The proportion of fattening pigs sensitive to halothane must be less than 3 % and all must be non-carriers of the RN- allele. The diet of the fattening pigs contains milk products and/or by-products which may be mixed and may account for between 15 % and 35 % of dry matter in the fattening diet. Whey accounts for at least 50 % of the quantity of these milk products and/or by-products.
The complementary feed for these products contains at least 50 % grains and miller’s offals. The overall fattening diet (milk products/by-products, complementary feed) contains less than 1,7 % linoleic acid.
If slaughter occurs the same day as the animals are loaded for transport to the slaughterhouse, the animal will have been fasted for at least 12 hours at the time of loading. If the animal is slaughtered the next day (or later), it will have been fasted for at least three hours before loading.
There is a waiting time of at least two hours prior to slaughter. The pigs are rinsed down when they arrive at the slaughterhouse and prior to anaesthesia, except when the ambient external temperature is lower than +  10 °C or in the event of night frost, when the water pipes have to be drained.
The minimum warm weight for pig carcases is 80 kg.
The cuts that may be used in the mixture are as follows (no other cuts are permitted):






 


— leg










 


— shoulder










 


— belly










 


— backfat










 


— loin










 


— trimmings (if used, the jowl must be prepared and not have any glands or red blotches)




It is forbidden to use mechanically separated meat and minced meat less than 8 mm in size.
The use of frozen raw materials (pork fat and/or lean meat) is permitted and limited to 50 % of the mixture. Cuts that can be used for making ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ cannot be frozen for longer than 12 months (lean meat) or 9 months (fat).
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

Production, from preparation of the mixture through to smoking, must take place within the geographical area.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

The frozen, cooked or sliced product must be packaged when passed on to the consumer.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The product labelling must contain the name ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ or ‘Jésus de Morteau’. Only one of these names may be used to sell a single product.
If ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ or ‘Jésus de Morteau’ has not been smoked exclusively in a ‘thué’ smokehouse, then visual or written communications relating to the product cannot make reference to this type of smokehouse.
Any PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ intended for distribution to consumers without pre-packaging bears an individual label attached to it.
Any PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ intended for distribution to consumers pre-packaged and accompanied by products other than ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ in the pre-packaging bears an individual label.
Any pre-packaging intended for consumers and containing one or more PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’, excluding any other product, contains at least one label, for example on the pre-packaging film, but there is no obligation to package each sausage individually.
In the case of PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ intended for secondary processing, including in the catering industry, there is no obligation to package each sausage individually.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of production is made up of all four departments of the Doubs, Jura, Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort.
This geographical area corresponds to the area with traditional expertise for making and smoking the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’. It also corresponds to the area where ‘tuyés’ and traditional smokehouses are to be found throughout the entire Franche-Comté region.
5.   Link with the geographical area

As the activity to have played a major role in shaping the landscape, agriculture in the Franche-Comté region is geared mainly towards cattle and dairy farming.
There is a large number of ‘fruitières’ (as the cheese dairies are known locally) scattered throughout the area.
These dairies produce by-products of milk, especially whey, choice raw materials for animal feed because they are low in fat and unsaturated fatty acids yet relatively rich in lysine and threonine (essential amino acids for pigs in particular). It is the development of these cheese dairies that enabled pig farming to develop in the Franche-Comté region. The link between cheese production and pig production is therefore a direct and traditional one.
There is a relatively dense network of small and medium-sized slaughterhouses and cutters in the area of production supplying a network of local processors. The fact that there are still so many is a reflection of the dynamism of the area.
A characteristic feature of Franche-Comté is its large, mainly coniferous, forest, particularly in the mountainous zone. A dense network of sawmills allows this resinous wood to be exploited on site, as well as providing the fuel required for traditional smoking.
In colder, mountainous areas, the process of smoking could be tied in with the need to heat dwellings. This gave rise to the concept of the ‘thué’ in Franche-Comté. A ‘thué’ was the farm’s heating centre and smokehouse, used to temporarily store pork in order to dry, smoke and thus preserve it.
It is this practice, which was initially developed in the Haut-Doubs department, that lies behind an expertise in smoking that spread throughout the Franche-Comté region with the appearance of smoking structures based on the principles of the ‘thué’. Morteau is also the name of a municipality of the Haut-Doubs.
‘Saucisse de Morteau’ is a straight sausage with a regular, cylindrical form and a relatively large diameter. It is closed by a small wooden stick at one end and a piece of string at the other. ‘Jésus de Morteau’ is a particular form of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ with a less regular appearance and a larger diameter. ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ have a typical amber colour, somewhere between brown and golden. The smoky flavour is one of the major characteristics of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’. ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ has a firm, coarsely minced texture.
The link between ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ and the geographical area is based on the product’s specific characteristics and its reputation.
The pigs are fed on milk products and by-products with a restricted linoleic acid content (1,7 % of their diet), and so it is possible to select fat that is only slightly unsaturated. This characteristic yields fat grains which are distinctly separate in the mixture and have a pleasing white colour. It also makes ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ more resistant to heat during smoking or cooking.
Unsaturated fatty acids are also more adhesive, and limiting their levels by feeding the pigs on milk products and by-products allows the product to capture the smoke better.
Using feed that is rich in milk products, including whey, combined with selective genetic criteria for the pigs, produces a meat that is uniformly pink in colour. In conjunction with the firm, white fats, this helps keep the special grain of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ very visible.
Originally, ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ was closed by a small wooden stick, which allowed the sausage to be hung in the ‘thué’ smokehouse. The large size of the sausage corresponds to the filling in the pig’s large intestine. Producers still use a natural pork casing closed at one end by a small wooden stick.
Historically, the meat was cut simply using a knife, a preparation method that accounts for the coarseness of the mince, both for the fat and the meat. Today, producers prepare the product using a mincer or cutter and have preserved a coarse mince.
The presence of conifers means that the smoking process which ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’ undergo was developed solely on the basis of resinous woods – in contrast to other types of smoked sausage sold at French and European level, which are smoked using wood from deciduous trees. The smoking practice for the PGI ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’ has the same characteristics as the ‘thué’ method. It is a slow smoking process, which allows the product to be impregnated — deeply, not superficially — with smoke. Slow smoking is necessary, given the product’s size, particularly that of ‘Jésus de Morteau’.
Controlling the duration and temperature of the smoking regulates the humidity level and prevents the product from fermenting. The producer controls the fire, adapting it to the quantity of meat to be smoked, the ambient temperature and humidity, and the moisture content of the fuel.
This skill of slow-smoking using resinous wood is an extremely specific characteristic of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’/‘Jésus de Morteau’, giving it its amber colour and characteristic smoky taste, which are closely linked to the production area.
The reputation of ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ and ‘Jésus de Morteau’, which dates back to the 18th century, spread outside the original area as people could identify it clearly both due to its high degree of recognisability (coarse grain, colour, wooden stick) and to its organoleptic qualities (coarse mince, smoky taste).
‘Saucisse de Morteau’ is well-known among the general public, restaurant owners and consumers alike. A poll carried out among consumers in 2008 showed that 71 % had heard of the product. It is immediately regarded as a symbol of Franche-Comté cuisine, alongside the various cheeses and wines of the region. This strong link between Franche-Comté and ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ remains alive to this day and places the product at the heart of Franche-Comté’s culinary heritage. Although this reputation is due mainly to ‘Saucisse de Morteau’, the name ‘Jésus de Morteau’ is also well-known in its own right, particularly in the region, where it can often be found alongside ‘Saucisse de Morteau’ on shop shelves.
This strong territorial link and the continued existence in the geographical area of a dense network of operators contribute greatly to the reputation of the product.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)
https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDC-MorteauModif2017-QCOMUE18.pdf


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.