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 253/09
Date: 2023-07-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Italy, Latium, consumer information, designation of origin, fresh vegetable, frozen product, labelling, perennial vegetable, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_2023253EN.01002701.xml










18.7.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 253/27






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 253/09)
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

‘Asparago verde di Canino’


EU No: PGI-IT-02868 – 29.9.2022


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name

‘Asparago verde di Canino’
2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed
3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

The PGI ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ is reserved for green asparagus shoots belonging to the Liliaceae family, variety Asparagus officinalis L., from the following cultivars: Atlas, Grande, UC157, Vegalim, Starlim, Italo, Atticus, Verdus.
When made available to the consumer, ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI must have the following morphological, marketing, organoleptic and chemico-physical characteristics:






 


Morphological characteristics






—


bright green colouring throughout the stems, with violet-tinted tips;










—


intact and erect, with tightly closed tips; firm texture, not limp;










—


clean, free of soil and any other impurities.














 


Marketing characteristics






—


‘Extra’ class: stem diameter > 16 mm;










—


Class I: stem diameter between 10,1 and 16 mm;










—


Class II: stem diameter between 8 and 10 mm.




A tolerance of ± 10 % in weight is permitted for stems not fulfilling the above diameter criterion within a single pack.










 


Organoleptic characteristics






—


smell: delicate to intense, no anomalous notes;










—


taste: sweet, with a grassy after-taste.














 


Chemico-physical characteristics






—


iron: at least 1 mg/100 g










—


magnesium: at least 10 mg/100 g.








‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI must also have stems that are solid (not hollow) and free of splits. As the asparagus can be eaten in its entirety and nothing goes to waste, it is also known as ‘mangiatutto’ (‘eat it all’) in Italian.
Asparagus for processing may also include shoots which meet all the requirements laid down in the product specification except the size and shape criteria. Slight superficial blemishes on the shoots are also permitted provided that these blemishes do not compromise their quality and shelf-life. These shoots may be marked ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI but may not be marketed to the end consumer as a fresh unprocessed product.
The product is placed on the market fresh, quick-frozen or deep frozen (category III).
3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

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

All operations relating to the production of ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI (cultivation, cleaning, selection, washing, sizing, cutting, bundling and sorting by marketing category) must be carried out within the area defined in point 4 below.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

To be put on the market, ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI must be packaged in one of the following ways:
For fresh produce
Packaged in bundles, suitably bound and cut square at the base by hand or machine, as follows:






—


wrap label made of food-grade material weighing between 0,250 g and 1 000 g;










—


food-grade packaging bands weighing between 0,250 g and 1 000 g;










—


trays of food-grade material weighing between 0,125 g and 1 000 g;










—


boxes of food-grade material weighing between 1 kg and 6 kg;










—


crates of food-grade material weighing between 1 kg and 12 kg.




The sale of loose spears in food-grade containers weighing up to 12 kg is permitted; packing of this type must be closed with netting or another food-grade material and bound with a band featuring the information required for the labelling of ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI to prevent the product from being tampered with.
For category III:






—


in packets of food-grade material, sealed, in a controlled atmosphere, weighing from 0,10 kg to 10 kg;










—


in packets of food-grade material, sealed and vacuum-packed, weighing from 0,5 kg to 10 kg.




All packaging must be made of food-grade material and sealed such that the product cannot be removed without the packaging being broken.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

In addition to the mandatory information required by specific national and European legislation, as well as the European PGI symbol and the PGI logo shown below, the packaging must bear the following additional information on the label in clear and legible print:






—


‘Asparago verde di Canino’ followed by the acronym IGP [PGI] or the words ‘Indicazione Geografica Protetta’ [Protected Geographical Indication];










—


name and address, or company name and registered office, of the individual producer and/or association of producers and/or the packer.




It is permitted to use references to names, business names or brand names provided these have no laudatory purport and are not such as to mislead the consumer.
The words Indicazione Geografica Protetta or the acronym I.G.P. may be repeated elsewhere on the container or the label.
It is forbidden to add any description that is not expressly provided for.

Logo






4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI is produced covers the administrative territory of the municipalities of Canino, Cellere, Montalto di Castro, Tarquinia, Tuscania, Tessennano and Arlena di Castro.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The application for recognition of ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ is based both on the reputation and on the distinctive quality of the product, given its bright green colour, consistency, flavour and the fact that it can be eaten in its entirety without any wastage, hence its nickname ‘mangiatutto’ [‘eat it all’] in Italian. It is rich in mineral salts such as iron and magnesium.
The bright green colour which is typical of ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ comes from the area’s unique pedo-climatic conditions and its volcanic soils, which are rich in potassium and mineral salts (particularly iron and magnesium) that visibly influence and determine the colour. The concept of ‘mangiatutto’ (‘eat it all’) is linked to the fact that the product is not stringy and that it is harvested by cutting the spear above ground level, thus leaving behind the whiter part, which is fibrous, hard, and unpleasant to eat. This agronomic and technical peculiarity allows the consumer to enjoy the entire product, hence its nickname of ‘mangiatutto’.
These characteristics are determined, irrespective of genetics, by the favourable agricultural, soil and climate conditions and the growing techniques used by local farmers in the area referred to in point 4. The terrain plays a key role: the soil characteristics of the growing area lend themselves readily to the cultivation of asparagus. The soils in the area in question are predominantly loam to sandy clay loam. The soils mostly overlay terraced limestone surfaces and volcanic deposits with good chemical fertility, making it easy for the shoots of ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ to emerge. The hydrological characteristics of the soils prevent waterlogging during rainy periods. In particular, the soils have high levels of calcium, potassium and, above all, iron and magnesium, hence the fact that iron and magnesium content is a quality characteristic of ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI. The area’s climatic conditions are particularly favourable thanks to the presence of a microclimate which suits this vegetable and which is also the result of the relative proximity of the sea. Mild winters and springs encourage the early growth of the asparagus crowns, which generally begin to put out shoots suitable for harvesting as early as the beginning of January.
Summers that are not overly wet and rainy are favourable to ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ PGI, which does not like sending roots down into moisture-laden soil and does not like to get its foliage wet, as this can cause fungal diseases. Annual temperatures are fairly uniform, with average monthly values around 16 °C; the average minimum and maximum values are around 11 °C and 22 °C respectively, the coldest months being January and February when minimum temperatures rarely fall below freezing in absolute values; the hottest months are July and August, when maximum temperatures reach around 32 °C in absolute values. Rainfall in the area is also extremely uniform and in recent years has been characterised by a cumulative annual average of just over 472 mm. Rainfall is concentrated in the autumn-winter period, with the dry period in the summer months. Special reference should also be made to the use of geothermal technology for production under cover. The roots are heated by means of buried tubing through which hot water from groundwater springs runs. In winter, the edible part is protected by means of poly-tunnels. This maintains a warm microclimate, which is ideal for asparagus.
‘Asparago verde di Canino’ has a fairly recent but illustrious history. Its commercial success and its link with the area date back to the early 1980s. Initial expertise in the running of modern asparagus farms was developed at this time. The first asparagus farm dates back to 1980 and had a total area of nine hectares under green asparagus.
This new farming method prompted the development of tools that were suited to the harvesting of green asparagus, with particular attention being paid to manual harvesting methods as it was immediately understood that this phase was important ‘not just for the quality of the shoots, but also for future production. [...] To obtain tender shoots with tightly closed bracts, it was necessary to harvest frequently, on a daily basis throughout the peak production period and at least every other day at the beginning and end of the harvest’ (Saccardo F., Temperini O., Asparago: tecnica agronomica e scelta varietale [Asparagus: growing techniques and varietal choice], in (edited by) ARSIAL [Regional agency for agricultural development and innovation in Lazio], Esperienze sulla coltivazione dell’asparago nel Lazio [Experience of growing asparagus in Lazio], 2004, p. 17).
Subsequently, in a bid to lengthen the production season and make the product available on the market for longer, producers embarked on a successful experiment involving forced cultivation using hot water, thanks to the presence of thermal springs in the Paglieto plain. The felicitous combination of soil and climate conditions that made for optimal growing conditions for asparagus has changed the face of farming in the municipality of Canino (see Innovazione e agricoltura [Innovation and agriculture], 2, No 2, 1999, pp. 36-39; L’Informatore agrario [The farming reporter], No 50, 2001, p. 45).
‘Asparago verde di Canino’ is prized for its texture, flavour and the fact that its entire spear is edible, which is why it is commonly called ‘mangiatutto’. This is how it is described in the Frutta e ortaggi in Italia [Fruit and vegetables of Italy] guide published by the Touring Club Italiano, which ranks it amongst the best-loved varieties at national level (Cabrini L., Malerba F., Frutta e ortaggi in Italia, TCI, Milan 2005, p. 49). It is again described as ‘mangiatutto’ in the book entitled ‘1001 specialità della cucina italiana da provare almeno una volta nella vita’ [1001 specialities of Italian cuisine to try at least once in your lifetime], where it is ranked as one of the outstanding products of the Lazio region (Machado A., Prete C., Newton Compton, 2015, pp. 297-299).
Indeed, this product is recognised as being one of the most important products in Tuscia, as attested to by the food sections of La Repubblica (repubblica.it/cronaca/2013/04/26/), Corriere della Sera (viaggi.corriere.it/weekend/), Libero, Quotidiano.net (.quotidiano.net/viaggiesapori/), il Tempo (tempo.it/i-consigli-di-fuoriporta/2017/04/21/) and food magazines such as Mondo Mangiare (mangiare.moondo.info).
In 2006 ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ featured in the project Leader Plus 2000/2006 – Gal degli Etruschi [Etruscan local action group] alongside products which ‘can be strongly identified’ with the region, and though it is not a product ‘with any form of public recognition (PDO, PGI, IGT, etc.), it is of considerable importance to certain municipalities in the area from a quantitative and qualitative point of view’.
Since 2001 the municipalities of Canino and Montalto di Castro have been organising annual festivals to promote and market green asparagus. The ‘Asparago verde di Canino’ Festival is especially famed for the preparation of an asparagus-based ‘frittata monumentale’ [giant frittata], which was awarded the prize of ‘world’s biggest frittata’ in the municipality of Viterbo (Gazzetta_25/04/2010; Messaggero_11/05/2016).

Reference to publication of the 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:
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.