Publication of an application for registration of a name 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 237/08
Date: 2023-07-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Occitanie, consumer information, cows’ milk cheese, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products








C_2023237EN.01001301.xml










5.7.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 237/13






Publication of an application for registration of a name 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 237/08)
This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within 3 months from the date of this publication.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’


EU No: PGI-FR-02839 – 25.4.2022


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s)

‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’
2.   Member State or Third Country

France
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

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

‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is a pressed uncooked, unsalted, unripened cheese made from raw whole cow’s milk (non-standardised in terms of protein and fat). It is covered by the PGI after the maturing phase.
It contains a minimum of 50 g of fat per 100 g of cheese after total desiccation and its dry matter must not be less than 50 g per 100 g of cheese.
‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is creamy to pale yellow in colour with occasional small holes. It is characterised by a texture that is supple but firm to the touch. It melts in the mouth, is ‘squeaky’ to the bite and is slightly acidic. The aromas of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’, both in terms of smell and taste, are mainly milky, fresh and buttery, with good intensity. They persist in the mouth.
After cooking at high temperature, ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ becomes very stringy, elastic, consistent and has a smooth appearance, essential qualities which have contributed to its reputation.
3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The basic feed ration of the dairy herd is provided by fodder from the geographical area. The only coarse fodder authorised is composed of local flora from grassland and natural or permanent pastures and of grasses and forage legumes cultivated on temporary grassland. The presence of maize silage, grass silage, wrapping or any other wet-preserved fodder is prohibited in the basic ration of the dairy herd. The dairy cows must be put out to graze for at least 170 days a year.
The amount of complementary feed added to the basic ration has been limited to an average of 6 kg per lactating cow per day for all lactating dairy cows over a period of one year.
Only plants, by-products and complementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the animal feed.
Only raw materials and additives specified in a positive list are authorised in the complementary feed of the dairy herd.
‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is made exclusively from raw whole cow’s milk that is non-standardised in terms of fat and protein. All physical processing is prohibited (excluding macrofiltration).
The milk used to make ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ must come exclusively from dairy herds consisting of cows of the Simmental française (breed code 35) or Aubrac (breed code 14) breeds or cows obtained from crossing these two breeds of certified descent. As regards the latter, after the first generation, only cows obtained from crossing with a male of the Aubrac breed (breed code 14) are authorised in the dairy herd.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The milk is produced and ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ manufactured and matured in the geographical area.
The production of milk intended for the production of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ in the geographical area is justified by the considerable sources of fodder in the area, which are used in the production of cheeses. The soil, climate and altitude combine to bestow remarkable qualities on the pastures, in particular a rich, aromatic and abundant flora. Limiting the addition of complementary feed ensures that the majority of the dry matter ingested by the dairy cows comes from the defined geographical area. These factors contribute to the link between the characteristics of the product and the geographical environment.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is sold in portions or crumbled. In addition to being sold at cheese counters, it may be sold film-wrapped, vacuum-packed or in modified-atmosphere packaging. Crumbled ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ may be sold deep-frozen.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

In addition to the mandatory information required by the rules on the labelling and presentation of foodstuffs, the labelling of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ must include in the same visual field:






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The registered name of the PGI in characters at least two-thirds the size of the largest characters on the label;










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The words ‘unripened cheese’ in close proximity to the registered name, clearly legible and in characters at least 50 % of the size of the characters of the registered name;










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The European Union ‘PGI’ symbol.




The word ‘buron’ may be used on the labelling and in advertising, invoices or commercial documents, subject to the following conditions: the word ‘buron’ is used only for cheeses made from milk from a single herd that is milked during the period of transhumance (25 May to 13 October) and grazes during that period in high grassland areas at an altitude above 1 000 metres. In order to be able to be qualified by this word, the cheeses must be produced in buildings that are intended for cheesemaking and have been built in these high grassland areas for use by a single herd per workshop. Mobile or light structures, such as shelters made of boards, are not authorised.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area is delimited by the following municipalities or parts of municipalities:
Department of Aveyron: The municipalities of Argences en Aubrac, Campouriez, Cantoin, Cassuéjouls, Castelnau-de-Mandailles, Le Cayrol, Condom-d’Aubrac, Coubisou, Curières, Entraygues-sur-Truyère (right bank of the Lot and left bank of the Truyère upstream of the confluence of the two), Espalion (right bank of the Lot), Estaing, Florentin-la-Capelle, Huparlac, Laguiole, Montézic, Montpeyroux, Le Nayrac, Pomayrols, Prades-d’Aubrac, Saint-Amans-des-Cots, Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac, Saint-Côme-d’Olt (right bank of the Lot), Saint Geniez d’Olt et d’Aubrac (right bank of the Lot), Saint-Laurent-d’Olt (right bank of the Lot), Saint-Symphorien-de-Thénières, Sainte-Eulalie-d’Olt (right bank of the Lot) and Soulages-Bonneval.
Department of Cantal: The municipalities of Anterrieux, Chaudes-Aigues, Deux-Verges, Espinasse, Fridefont, Jabrun, Lieutadès, Maurines, Saint-Martial, Saint-Rémy-de-Chaudes-Aigues, Saint-Urcize and La Trinitat.
Department of Lozère: The municipalities of Banassac-Canilhac (right bank of the Lot), Les Bessons, Brion, Le Buisson, Chauchailles, La Fage-Montivernoux, La Fage-Saint-Julien, Fournels, Grandvals, Les Hermaux, Marchastel, Nasbinals, Noalhac, Peyre en Aubrac (only the territory of the delegated municipalities of Aumont-Aubrac, La Chaze-de-Peyre, Fau-de-Peyre, Sainte-Colombe-de-Peyre), Prinsuéjols-Malbouzon, Recoules-d’Aubrac, Saint-Chély-d’Apcher, Saint-Germain-du-Teil, Saint-Juéry, Saint-Laurent-de-Muret, Saint-Laurent-de-Veyrès, Saint-Pierre-de-Nogaret, Les Salces, Termes and Trélans.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The link between ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ and its geographical area is based on its specific quality.
The geographical area of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ PGI is limited to the Aubrac, a vast area made up of mountains and plateaus located in the departments of Aveyron, Cantal and Lozère. This territory is marked by distinctive features related to the nature of its soil, climate, altitude and natural boundaries by virtue of the landscape. Its soil is rich in basalt and granite. The varied and harsh climate results from a confrontation between the continental and mountain influences of Auvergne, which are the reasons behind the long, cold (average annual temperature of 8 °C in Laguiole), windy and often snowy winters, and those of the Midi, which bring warmth and heavy rain (above 1 000 mm/year). At the heart of the area, the Aubrac mountains form a plateau at an average altitude of 1 000 metres. To the west and the south, the geographical area is naturally delimited by the Truyère and Lot rivers.
The soil, climate and altitude combine to bestow remarkable qualities on the pastures, in particular a rich, aromatic and abundant flora. Much more frequently than in other areas, plants rich in aromatic molecules (terpenes) can be found there, e.g. Apiaceae, such as spignel (Meum athamanticum), composites (Achillea, Centaurea) and labiates (Prunella grandiflora, Thymus).
The origin of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ has been attributed to monks living on the Aubrac plateau in the 12th century. The cheese sustained pilgrims as they travelled along the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela. Its production was continued by the buronniers, cheesemakers who worked on the mountain pastures of the Aubrac during the period of transhumance. Historical and etymological research confirms that ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’, spelled with a single ‘m’, referred to an ‘unfinished’ cheese, i.e. unsalted, not moulded and unripened. In the late 1950s, the rural exodus and changes in agricultural practices had a major impact on production in the burons. The production of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ was revived from 1960 onwards thanks to a group of young farmers who set up a cheese cooperative.
The cheese is made from raw whole milk obtained from cows of the Simmental française and Aubrac breeds, both hardy breeds from mid-range mountains. Limiting annual milk production per cow and the practice of genetic selection have increased the protein content of the milk in relation to its fat, giving it excellent cheese-making potential. Contributing to this is also the fact that the cows are fed on pasture and hay produced in the geographical area, without fermented fodder, and that complementary feed is limited. During production, the cheese is drained in a tomme press. This is followed by a process of maturing that allows the fermentation acidification of the tomme, which is necessary to develop its final characteristics.
‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is made exclusively from raw whole cow’s milk. It is unsalted and unripened. The smell and aromas of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ are milky, fresh and buttery. ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ has a texture that is supple but firm to the touch, with occasional holes. After cooking at high temperature, ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ becomes very stringy, elastic, consistent and with a smooth appearance.
‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is the result of know-how handed down by the Aubrac buronniers. Over the years, this cheese has become the basis of iconic culinary specialities from the Aubrac region, such as aligot. Nowadays, the producers of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ ensure the continuation of traditional agricultural and artisanal activities, and contribute to achieving a balanced local economy.
The production conditions of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ have a direct impact on its end qualities. The combined effect of the choice of breeds, the diet of the dairy cows and the absence of heat treatment or physical processing (production uses raw and whole milk) is responsible in particular for the stringiness of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ after it is cooked. In order to guarantee the characteristics of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’, it is therefore essential that the milk is produced in the geographical area.
Dairy cows of the Simmental française and Aubrac breeds are particularly well adapted to the environmental conditions of the geographical area. Thanks to their hardiness, they benefit fully from the fodder production in the area despite the restrictions imposed by the long, harsh winters. The grass and dry fodder on which they feed are diverse and rich in aromatic plants, which give a fragrance to the milk.
The choice of the Simmental française and Aubrac breeds also makes it possible to produce milk that has a good balance of protein and fat, which is essential for the production of whole milk. In addition to strengthening the link with the geographical area by maintaining usual farming practices, limiting the annual production per dairy cow and banning fermented fodder in feed improve the cheese-making potential of the milk. As far as processing is concerned, limiting the fat content of the milk to that produced naturally in the cow’s udder ensures control of the draining phase, which is important in the production of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ given that it is not salted or ripened.
The milk used to make the cheese is not subject to heat treatment. This preserves the milk’s mineral balance and the solidity of its protein network, contributing to the stringy physical structure of ‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ after cooking (very stringy, elastic, consistent and with a smooth appearance). Moreover, production using raw milk means the cheesemakers must apply a special approach, using their expertise to adapt to the raw material they are working with in a continuation of historical practices.
During maturing, the fermentation acidification of the tomme, made from milk that is particularly rich in protein, gives rise to the quality of stringiness that the cheese displays after it has been cooked. The maturing stage carried out by the cheesemaker is also responsible for the cheese’s appearance and supple, firm texture, as well as for the presence of milky, fresh and buttery aromatic compounds.
‘Tome fraîche de l’Aubrac’ is mainly used as an ingredient, in particular for iconic culinary specialities from the Aubrac region. It is showcased also in various recipes suggested on cooking websites or blogs. Its reputation is due to its ability to become stringy after cooking. It is widely recognised by its users, whether consumers, distributors, restaurateurs or dairy workers-cheesemakers, and it is highlighted in literature and the press (Inventaire du patrimoine culinaire de la France - Région Midi-Pyrénées [Inventory of France’s culinary heritage - Midi-Pyrénées Region], 1996; Ouest-France, 1990; Terroirs de France No°4, 2014).

Reference to publication of the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-d5aa5390-66d3-4539-8727-0fb5d16e421b


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.