Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is 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 2023/C 82/05
Date: 2023-03-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Italy, Lombardy, blue-veined cheese, consumer information, cows’ milk cheese, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_2023082EN.01000801.xml










6.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 82/8






Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is 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
(2023/C 82/05)
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 AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

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


‘Strachitunt’


EU No: PDO-IT-1047-AM02 — 19.10.2021


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consorzio per la Tutela dello Strachitunt Valtaleggio [Strachitunt Valtaleggio Protection Association], Piazza Don Arrigoni 7, c/o Sede Comunale [Town Hall], 24010 Vedeseta (BG), Italy Tel. +39 3355754211; Email info@strachitunt.it.
The above protection association is entitled to submit an amendment application pursuant to Article 13(1) of Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy Decree No 12511 of 14 October 2013.
2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy
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:




4.   Type of amendment(s)







☒


Amendment to 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.










☐


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




5.   Amendment(s)

Description of product






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Amendment concerning Article 2 of the product specification essentially relating to how sentences are worded. This does not affect the single document.
Current wording:

‘“Strachitunt” is a cheese made from raw whole cow’s milk using the dual-curd technique. It is matured for a medium to long period (at least 75 days) and may be veined.
The product initially matures centripetally due to the action of surface microflora. Thereafter, generally after the first 30 days, maturation is fostered by the practice of piercing holes in the cheese, which allows the microflora present in the environment to develop within the cheese.’

New wording:

‘“Strachitunt” is a cheese made from raw whole cow’s milk using the dual-curd technique. It is matured for a medium to long period and may be veined. The product initially matures centripetally due to the action of surface microflora. Thereafter, maturation is fostered by the practice of piercing holes in the cheese, which allows the microflora present in the environment to develop within the cheese. The minimum maturation period is 75 days.’

Reason:
The amendment mainly concerns the wording of the sentences and involves specifying the minimum maturation period more clearly.
In addition, it was decided that the reference to the period in which holes start to be pierced in the cheese should be moved to Article 5, point 5.2, of the product specification on the method of production, where it is more appropriate.










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Amendment concerning Article 2.1 of the product specification and point 3.2 of the single document on the maximum weight of the cheese.
Current wording:

‘The cheese wheels weigh between 4 kg and 6 kg’.

New wording:

‘The matured cheese wheels weigh between 4 kg and 7 kg’.


Reason

The 1 kg increase in the maximum weight is necessary for cases where, due to the availability of milk, there is a wish to produce cheese wheels with the maximum permitted heel height (18 cm) and maximum permitted diameter (28 cm). This is sometimes the case in small farm dairies processing small quantities of milk.
In addition, the word ‘matured’ has been added to make it clear that this weight refers to the end of the minimum maturation period.










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Amendment concerning Article 2.2 of the product specification and point 3.2 of the single document on the chemical and microbiological characteristics.
Current wording:


‘Article 2.2
Chemical and microbiological characteristics






—


Moisture: 50,0-51,0 %










—


Lipids on a wet basis: 26,0-28,0 %










—


Lipids on dry matter: minimum 48,0 %










—


Protein on a wet basis: 18,0-22,0 %










—


Carbohydrates on a wet basis: below 1’






New wording:


‘Article 2.2
Chemical and microbiological characteristics

The following values relate to the product after the minimum maturation period of 75 days:







—



Moisture: 44,0-53,0 %











—



Lipids on dry matter: minimum 48,0 %











—



Protein on a wet basis: 17,0-23,0 %











—



Carbohydrates on a wet basis: below 2,5’






Reason:
The reference to the minimum maturation period makes it possible to link the analytical parameters to the age of the cheese; these parameters, as is well known, can vary with maturation, for example moisture loss as the cheese matures.
These amendments are considered necessary in view of the fact that the values contained in the first version of the specification were based on a small number of producers and on very low daily production capacity. As production has increased, partly due to the PDO being recognised, it has been found that this production capacity is not very representative of the various circumstances in which production is carried out. The climatic/seasonal variability should also be considered. This has an impact on the quality and quantity of the cattle feed, directly affecting the raw material (milk) and thus the cheese produced from it. The seasonal variation of the raw material, which is sharper and more pronounced when it is from cattle on mountain pastures with a predominantly grass-based diet, combined with the need to mature the product in ‘natural’ environments (i.e. without dynamic systems for adjusting the temperature and humidity) where the cheese can mature naturally, means that the parameters are inevitably variable, in particular the moisture content of the product.
It is also considered appropriate to delete the value for fat on a wet basis. The fat on dry matter parameter is retained as a reference since it is a more objective value; it identifies the cheese and allows it to continue to be classified as a fatty cheese.
It should be noted that the requested changes in the chemical profile do not in any way change the specific and distinctive characteristics of Strachitunt PDO cheese.




Geographical area






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Amendment concerning Article 3 of the product specification and point 4 of the single document. Replacement of the word ‘municipalities’ with the word ‘territories’.
Current wording:

‘The production area of “Strachitunt” PDO cheese comprises the municipalities......’

New wording:

‘The production area of “Strachitunt” PDO cheese comprises the territories......’

Reason:
The geographical area has not changed but a number of municipalities have been merged following an administrative reorganisation. This is the case with the municipality of Gerosa, which has been merged into the municipality of Val Brembilla. It is therefore more appropriate to use ‘territories’ instead of ‘municipalities’.




Method of production






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Amendment concerning Article 5.1 of the product specification and point 3.3 of the single document on cattle feed.
Current wording:

‘The milk used in the production of Strachitunt comes from farms where grass and/or hay from mixed-grass meadows make up at least 65 % of the total dry matter in the cattle’s diet. At least 90 % of this fodder, corresponding to around 60 % of the cattle’s diet, must come from the area identified in Article 3 above, with the remainder coming from the regions of northern Italy. The animals’ diet may also include cereal concentrates (corn, barley, wheat), pulses (soya) and by-products of cereal and pulse processing, representing no more than 35 % of the dry matter, with salt licks and mineral or vitamin complexes as supplements.
The use of maize silage is prohibited.’

New wording:

‘The milk used in the production of Strachitunt comes from farms where grass and/or hay from single- or mixed-grass meadows make up at least 65 % of the total dry matter in the cattle’s diet. At least 80 % of this fodder, corresponding to around 55 % of the cattle’s diet, must come from the area identified in Article 3 above. The animals’ diet may also include cereals and their whole, ground, rolled and flaked derivatives; oilseeds (flax, soya, sunflower) and their derivatives as a protein source (ground, whole, extruded, dehusked and expeller-pressed); sugar industry derivatives at less than 3.5 % dry matter; minerals as macronutrients; and additives.


The use of maize silage is prohibited.’

Reason for the amendment:
The variability of climatic conditions in recent years has led to unpredictability in the yields of fodder per hectare in the area of origin, especially at the highest altitudes. Dry summers and winters often reduce growth on meadows and pastures, while heavy rains in spring and summer have become increasingly common, hampering haymaking and grazing. This circumstance is compounded both by the current depopulation of mountain areas, which has led to a gradual increase in woodland at the expense of pastures and grazing meadows, and by the urbanisation of the few flat areas on the valley floor due to tourism-related activities, meaning that the only areas left available to farmers are the most marginal and inaccessible areas, which are difficult to cultivate and often cannot even be used for grazing cattle.
The reduction in local fodder resources has inevitably forced some farms to purchase fodder from outside the area.
In order to reduce the risk that years with poor weather conditions (excessive rainfall or drought) affect the production of fodder in the area to such an extent as to result in a lack of suitable raw material and thus a reduction in production of the PDO, we are requesting the possibility to slightly reduce the percentage of dry matter from the area of origin as a precautionary measure, while still allowing the amount of fodder supplied from the area of origin to be 55 %, as provided for in the PDO regulations. On the other hand, in order to improve self-monitoring and compliance with the control plan, more details have been provided regarding the components of the cattle’s feed ration. It is also requested that the requirement to source feed coming from outside the area only from the northern regions of Italy be removed, in order to increase the possibility of sourcing raw materials at a range of prices that are better for farms’ finances.
The request to reduce the percentage of feed from the geographical area has no impact on the essential characteristics of Strachitunt, which remain identical to those set out in the product specification.










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Amendment concerning Article 5.2 of the product specification, namely the use of the word ‘bundle’ [fagotto], the use of cloths and the timing of stamping the mark on the cheese.
Current wording:

‘The curd obtained during the first stage of processing is collected in a cloth bundle made of natural or synthetic fibre and left to drain in an environment with humidity of 80-90 % and a temperature of more than 10 °C for a minimum of 12 hours.
The curd obtained during the second stage of processing is broken up directly in the heating vat. The curds are broken two or three times and left to stand in between, until large lumps the size of walnuts or hazelnuts are obtained.
The two curds, produced at least 12 hours apart, are placed in alternating layers in a mould that has been lined beforehand with a cloth made of natural or synthetic fibre. After standing for 30-45 minutes, the cloth acting as a filter is removed and the curd is turned in the mould for the first time.
When the cheese is turned 24 hours after being formed, the marks with the STV symbol and the date of production are applied in the mould.’

New wording:

‘The curd obtained during the first stage of processing is collected in a cloth made of natural or synthetic fibre and left to drain in an environment with humidity of 80-90 % and a temperature of more than 10 °C for a minimum of 12 hours.


The curd obtained during the second stage of processing is broken up directly in the heating vat. The curds are broken two or three times and left to stand in between, until large lumps the size of walnuts or hazelnuts are obtained.


The two curds, produced at least 12 hours apart, are placed in alternating layers in a mould that may be lined beforehand with a cloth made of natural or synthetic fibre. After standing for 30-45 minutes, the cloth acting as a filter, if present, is removed and the curd is turned in the mould for the first time.


When the cheese is turned after a minimum of 12 hours from being formed, the marks with the STV symbol and the date of production are applied in the mould.’

Reason:
The word ‘bundle’ [fagotto] has been deleted as it is a ‘dialect word’ the interpretation of which has caused misunderstandings and made monitoring difficult to carry out. While the cloth for draining the curd can indeed be tied by its ends to form the ‘bundle’, it may also be left open on the work surface.
As for using the cloth in the mould, it is considered that this does not have any particular impact on the processing and it would therefore be worth making its use optional, and no longer compulsory, in order to improve the production process. Indeed, some processors, although they continue to follow the traditional production technique, have switched to using closed moulds which remove the need to use cloths. This change ensures more efficient management of the equipment and improved process hygiene while keeping the characteristics of the product unchanged.
Strachitunt PDO cheese is identified by the mark of origin affixed to it. Experience of applying the specification over the last few years has demonstrated that if the time between forming the cheese and applying the mark is reduced from 24 to 12 hours the mark is more visible on the cheese and lasts longer.










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Amendment concerning Article 5.2 of the product specification on the piercing of the cheese.
Current wording:

‘About 30 days after the start of maturation, the sides and heels of the cheeses are pierced using metal needles. This action may be repeated before the end of the maturation process depending on how the product is maturing.’

New wording:

‘After a minimum period of 30 days from the start of maturation, the sides and heels of the cheeses are pierced using metal needles.


This action may be repeated a number of times before the end of the maturation process depending on how the product is maturing.’

Reason
In order to improve the way the parameter is applied and monitor it more accurately, the minimum maturation time before piercing the cheeses has been set at 30 days.
Due to production planning requirements linked, for example, to market demands, there may be a need to extend the maturation period beyond 75 days, with a resulting need to postpone the piercing of the cheese beyond 30 days. This circumstance has an impact on when the cheeses are pierced and on the number of times each cheese is to be turned.
By specifying a minimum period of 30 days, greater homogeneity of the product is ensured and its characteristics can be better preserved over time, even where it is matured beyond the minimum period of 75 days.




Labelling






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Amendment concerning Article 8 of the product specification and point 3.6 of the single document.
Current wording:

‘“Strachitunt” PDO cheese is released for consumption with a graphic symbol featuring the acronym “STV” and the approval number of the production facility stamped on one side of the cheese in the mould.’

New wording:

‘“Strachitunt” PDO cheese is released for consumption with a graphic symbol stamped on the side of the cheese, featuring the acronym “STV”, the approval number issued by the protection association to the production facility, and the date of production.’

Reason
This amendment was necessary in order to avoid incorrect interpretations and to ensure greater traceability of the product.
It has been specified that the approval number on the cheese is that assigned to the processing facility by the protection association to ensure the traceability of the product; this should not be confused with EU recognition (CE mark).
The requirement to mark the cheese with the date of production has also been introduced. This is stamped on the side of the cheese in such a way as to make it easier to check the duration of maturation for each cheese wheel.










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Amendment concerning Article 8 of the product specification and point 3.6 of the single document. To make the text more readable, the following part is introduced with the title: Labelling of whole cheeses (content remains unchanged)
Current wording:

‘Whole cheeses put on the market must also have an identifying label on the top side of the wheel bearing the logo and the graphic symbol of the product.
The label on the top side of each cheese, made of food-grade paper, is circular in shape; it consists of an outer ring featuring the “Strachitunt” logo and the “STV” symbol, arranged in a ray formation. In addition, the product’s ingredients and storage instructions must be given. The ring is brown in colour:
pantone 175 = CMYK 60 mg 87y 78k
The part inside the ring must feature the name of the product and, once again, the “Strachitunt” logo and the “STV” symbol. The chosen graphic features may be shown in the centre; the logo of the undertaking may not be larger than the “Strachitunt” logo.
The wrapper of the cheese features the “Strachitunt” logo in a repeated pattern together with the “STV” symbol.
In the centre of this wrapper is a circle with a brown border: the information to be displayed inside the circle are the same as inside the ring on the label.
Some characteristics of the cheese are given in the centre at the top: area of production, area of origin of the milk, type of cows and their feed, type of milk, type of cheese, and minimum maturation period. The ingredients and storage instructions must be given in a smaller font. The name of the producer may also be given.’

New wording:

‘Labelling of whole cheeses


Whole cheeses put on the market must also have an identifying label on the top side of the wheel bearing the logo and the graphic symbol of the product.


The label on the top side of each cheese, made of food-grade paper, is circular in shape; it consists of an outer ring featuring the “Strachitunt” logo and the “STV” symbol, arranged in a ray formation. In addition, the product’s ingredients and storage instructions must be given. The ring is brown in colour:


pantone 175 = CMYK 60 mg 87y 78k


The part inside the ring must feature the name of the product and, once again, the “Strachitunt” logo and the “STV” symbol. The chosen graphic features may be shown in the centre; the logo of the undertaking may not be larger than the “Strachitunt” logo.


The wrapper of the cheese features the “Strachitunt” logo in a repeated pattern together with the “STV” symbol.


In the centre of this wrapper is a circle with a brown border: the information to be displayed inside the circle are the same as inside the ring on the label.


Some characteristics of the cheese are given in the centre at the top: area of production, area of origin of the milk, type of cows and their feed, type of milk, type of cheese, and minimum maturation period. The ingredients and storage instructions must be given in a smaller font.


The name of the producer may also be given.’


Reason
The article has merely been organised into paragraphs to make it easier to read.










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Amendment concerning Article 8 of the product specification and point 3.6 of the single document. A new paragraph on portioning has been added, which is missing from the current specification.
The part that has been added is as follows:

Article 8.2 - Labelling of cheese in portions


Portioned cheeses put on the market must show the following information on the wrapper:







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The ‘Strachitunt’ logo with the ‘STV’ symbol as defined below.











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The wording ‘Certificato da Organismo di Controllo autorizzato dal Mipaaf’ [Certified by control body authorised by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy].











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The wording ‘Licenza Consorzio Tutela Strachitunt n. xxx’ [Licence No xxx from the Strachitunt Protection Association], together with the portioning authorisation number identifying the undertaking.











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The PDO logo, which must comply with Regulation (EC) No 628/2008, as amended.





The information to be included on the label of the portioned product is being provided in a specific paragraph in order to make things easier for packagers and to improve consumer information.
This clarification ensures that cheese in portions also features the EU symbols in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 668/2014 (Annex X).




SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Strachitunt’


EU No: PDO-IT-1047-AM02 — 19.10.2021


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Strachitunt’
2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product [listed in Annex XI]

Class 1.3 – Cheeses
3.2.   Description of product to which the name in (1) applies

Strachitunt is a veined cheese made from raw whole cow’s milk using the age-old dual-curd technique and matured for a medium to long period of at least 75 days.
Strachitunt has a thin and coarse rind, of average firmness, sometimes covered with mould, and yellowish in colour but tending to grey with extended maturation.
It is a cylindrical cheese with flat sides varying in diameter from 25 cm to 28 cm, with a straight or slightly convex heel of 10 cm to 18 cm in height. Each individual cheese wheel weighs between 4 kg and 7 kg.
When cut, Strachitunt is compact and marbled, fusing just under the rind, with creamy streaks and green-blue veins from mould formation. The degree of veining in the cheese varies according to the number of spores naturally present in the milk and their capacity to develop.
The flavour is aromatic and intense, ranging from mild to strong, and can become more pronounced as it matures.
Characteristics of the product after the minimum maturation period of 75 days: Moisture: 44,0-53,0 %; Protein on a wet basis: 17,0-23,0 %; Carbohydrates on a wet basis: below 2,5.
The fat content is at least 48 %, expressed as a percentage of dry matter.
3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

Raw milk, collected in two separate milkings, with at least 90 % of the total coming from Bruna [brown] cows. Calf rennet and salt available on the market are used in the production process.
The milk used in the production of Strachitunt comes from farms where grass and/or hay from single- or mixed-grass meadows make up at least 65 % of the total dry matter in the cattle’s diet. At least 80 % of this fodder, corresponding to around 55 % of the cattle’s diet, must come from the geographical area. The animals’ diet may also include cereal concentrates and their whole, ground, rolled and flaked derivatives; oilseeds (flax, soya, sunflower) and their derivatives as a protein source (ground, whole, extruded, dehusked and expeller-pressed); sugar industry derivatives at less than 3,5 % dry matter; minerals as macronutrients; and additives. The use of maize silage is prohibited.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All stages of the production process must take place within the defined geographical area, including rearing the cows, milking, collecting and processing the milk, and making and maturing the cheese.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

‘Strachitunt’ PDO cheese may be portioned and packaged outside the geographical production area. Companies portioning and packaging the cheese must inform the Consorzio di Tutela dello Strachitunt [Strachitunt Protection Association] prior to carrying out such activities.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

‘Strachitunt’ PDO cheese is released for consumption with a graphic symbol printed on the side of the cheese, featuring the acronym ‘STV’, the approval number issued by the protection association to the production facility, and the date of production.
The stamp used to print the graphic symbol onto the cheeses is made of food-grade plastic and is a whole rectangle in shape with a base of 23 cm and a height of 11,5 cm.
The sides of that rectangle are rounded: the mark is 16,5 cm high and 26 cm wide in its central part. The ‘STV’ symbol is in relief on the inside.
Labelling of whole cheeses
Whole cheeses put on the market must also have an identifying label on the top side of the wheel bearing the logo and the graphic symbol of the product.
The label on the top side of each cheese, made of food-grade paper, is circular in shape; it consists of an outer ring featuring the ‘Strachitunt’ logo and the ‘STV’ symbol, arranged in a ray formation. In addition, the product’s ingredients and storage instructions must be given. The ring is brown in colour:
pantone 175 = CMYK 60 mg 87y 78k
The part inside the ring must feature the name of the product and, once again, the ‘Strachitunt’ logo and the ‘STV’ symbol. The chosen graphic features may be shown in the centre; the logo of the undertaking may not be larger than the ‘Strachitunt’ logo.
In the centre of this wrapper is a circle with a brown border: the information to be displayed inside the circle are the same as inside the ring on the label.
Some characteristics of the cheese are given in the centre at the top: area of production, area of origin of the milk, type of cows and their feed, type of milk, type of cheese, and minimum maturation period.
The ingredients and storage instructions must be given in a smaller font. The name of the producer may also be indicated.
Labelling of portioned cheeses
Portioned cheeses put on the market must show the following information on the wrapper:
The ‘Strachitunt’ logo with the ‘STV’ symbol as defined below.
The wording ‘Certificato da Organismo di Controllo autorizzato dal Mipaaf’ [Certified by control body authorised by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy].
The wording ‘Licenza Consorzio Tutela Strachitunt n. xxx’ [Licence No xxx from the Strachitunt Protection Association], together with the portioning authorisation number identifying the undertaking.
The graphic symbol identifying ‘Strachitunt’ PDO cheese consists of the letters ‘STV’. The ‘Strachitunt’ logo must be shown together with the ‘STV’ symbol using the following colours: pantone 476 = CMYK 85c 85mg 100y
pantone 139 = CMYK 40 mg 100y 33k
The ‘STV’ symbol may only be used in the proposed variants.





4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area includes the territories of Taleggio, Vedeseta, Gerosa and Blello, located in the province of Bergamo. These areas, in part or as a whole, make up the Valtaleggio region. The defined geographical area is completely mountainous with a minimum altitude of 700 m above sea level.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The Taleggio valley, located at the heart of the Orobian Pre-Alps with a considerable portion in the Bergamo Orobian natural park, has no industrial activities or sources of pollution within its borders, and it benefits from a sufficiently remote position compared with the overcrowded Lombardy plains and the largest built-up areas. This situation enables the Taleggio valley to retain uncontaminated areas where nature thrives, and these have a positive influence on all the production activities in the area.
As well as neighbouring each other, the municipalities identified above also share similar geo-anthropic characteristics. The prevalence of grazing meadows provides an ideal environment for rearing livestock and alpine grazing, and enables the milk used in making Strachitunt cheese to be produced and processed. The high proportion of Bruna cows in the area is typical of cattle-rearing in this mountain region. The location of the area of origin guarantees that animals will have at least six months of grazing at pasture each year, and this improves the quality of the milk, which is highly dependent on achieving an optimum level of animal welfare. These conditions, together with the general climate of this mountain region at an altitude of at least 700 m above sea level and the storehouses where the cheese is matured, continue to represent the ideal environment for producing many different types of soft cheese, today as in the past. The geographical area consists of localities with an historic and documented dairy-farming tradition, and thus the techniques used in producing and maturing Strachitunt are long-established. Within the geographical production area, the milk is processed either directly at the alpine pasture site, or at other farms in the territory: in the first case, the milk is not transported at all; in the second, it is transported only a short distance.
In addition, the adoption of traditional techniques, such as the dual-curd method and the use of acid whey as a degreasing agent to clean the heating vat and utensils, are environmentally friendly and respect the microflora that are naturally present in the processing environment, whilst maintaining the wholesomeness of the finished product. Farms within the area of origin mainly use underground storehouses for maturing the cheese, with ‘static’ cooling systems that take advantage of the climate’s low temperatures. This is made possible by the shape of the valley, whereby the areas to the right of the Enna stream have a very limited exposure to the sun, even during the summer. These conditions help to determine the varying degree of veining that characterises the cheese.
Strachitunt is the product of the age-old dual-curd cheese-making technique. This technique requires the use of two curds: one warm, and one cold, obtained approximately 12 hours apart from the two daily milkings.
The curds are combined and mixed to form a single cheese.
Strachitunt’s distinguishing characteristics are its special production method, its degree of veining which varies according to the presence of natural mould (adding any fungal cultures to the milk is prohibited), and its compact, marbled paste fusing under the rind, with creamy streaks.
The methods used to produce Strachitunt stem from the morphological characteristics of the Valtaleggio area, which led to the development of small farms where cheeses were made for private consumption.
In addition, rearing Bruna cattle, with their remarkable capacity to adapt to the mountain soil and climate conditions, has influenced and continues to influence the characteristics of the milk.
Historically, it was necessary to produce cheeses with raw milk processed in copper vats because of the use of wood as fuel, which meant that the milk could not be heat-treated.
The dual-curd technique also emerged as a result of the necessity of processing milk immediately after milking, as it was impossible to keep it chilled; this method allowed the warm curd to be used as soon as it was obtained together with the cold curd from the previous milk processing.
This processing method means that the chemical, physical and microbiological qualities of the milk and the quality of the finished product are very closely linked. The veining comes from the natural presence of mould spores in the milk and in the places where the cheese matures. This mould is able to develop due to the special production techniques and the practice of piercing holes in the cheese while it is maturing.
All the activities that take place during the production of Strachitunt are inseparably linked to the geographical environment and the traditions handed down over time, which determine the distinctive characteristics of the finished product.

Reference to publication of the product specification

The full text of the product specification is available on the following website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335
or alternatively:
by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità’ (at the top right of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.