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
Date: 2024-01-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Principality of Asturias, Spain, consumer information, cows’ milk cheese, designation of origin, goats’ milk cheese, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, sheep's milk cheese, smoked product




C_202400674EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2024/674


12.1.2024






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
(C/2024/674)

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


’Gamoneu / Gamonedo'


EU No: PDO-ES-0308-AM01 – 17.9.2021
                  


PDO (X ) PGI ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Protegida Gamoneu [‘Gamoneu’ PDO Regulatory Board]
Address: Plaza de Camila Beceña, Bajo, 33550, Cangas de Onís, Asturias
            
Tel. +34 985947554
Email: info@dopgamoneu.com
Internet: www.dopgamoneu.com
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
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 [to be specified]






—


Applicable legislation










—


Control body










—


Verification of compliance with the product specification








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)

These amendments have been proposed to ensure that the product specification states the actual name of the product, and also to introduce changes regarding the extent of the geographical area, the list of breeds whose milk is used, the diet fed to livestock in order to ensure the survival of those breeds, the physical characteristics of the PDO cheeses, the processes that are actually involved in production and the timing of the different stages, the control body, the traditional terms used for this product, labelling rules and the applicable legislation. The purpose of these amendments is to strengthen the link between the product and the local area, without losing any of the authenticity, quality and characteristics of the final product.
5.1.   
Section A) Name of product


The name, currently spelt ‘Gamoneu’ in its Asturian-language version, has been changed to ‘Gamonéu’, and the Spanish-language version, ‘Gamonedo’, has been removed from the text. This amendment has been made wherever the product name is mentioned anywhere in the product specification.

Explanation: the name of the product has been changed from ‘Gamoneu’ to ‘Gamonéu’ (with an accent on the ‘e’) wherever it is mentioned in the product specification, because this is the spelling established in Decree 8/2009 of 4 February 2009 listing official place names for the municipal district of Cangas de Onís (place-name code 12/03/01). As ‘Gamonéu’ is the recognised name, the Spanish-language version ‘Gamonedo’ has been removed because it is considered obsolete and is not the name used for the town that gives its name to the protected designation.
Applicable legislation:






—


Decree 8/2009 of 4 February 2009 listing official place names for the municipal district of Cangas de Onís.




5.2.   
Section B) Description of product


5.2.1.   Definition

The following text:

It is a full-fat, natural-rind, matured and lightly smoked cheese with a slight bluish-green bloom of penicillium near the edges, made from raw cow, sheep and goat milk, or from mixtures of two or all three of these types of milk.

has been amended to read:

It is a full-fat, natural-rind, matured cheese made from raw cow, sheep

or

goat milk, or from a mixture of two or all three of these types of milk.


Explanation: these are changes to the wording.
The use of the copulative conjunction ‘and’ in the list of types of milk in the current text suggests that the cheeses are made from all three, whereas the definition itself states that they may be made using milk from a single species or with a mixture of two or three types. The replacement of the copulative conjunction ‘and’ with the disjunctive conjunction ‘or’ clarifies this and is in line with that definition. To reflect proper taxonomic nomenclature and to ensure consistency throughout the product specification, the genus Penicillium is now spelt with an initial capital.
As the sensory characteristics are defined later on in the text, the words ‘lightly smoked’ and ‘with a slight bluish-green bloom of penicillium near the edges’ have been removed from the product definition to avoid repetition and so as not to confuse the reader.
5.2.2.   Breeds

The following text:


                        ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ cheese must be made using milk from the following species and breeds:







—



Cow: Frisona (Friesian), Asturiana de los Valles (Asturian Valley), Pardo Alpina (Spanish Brown) and crosses of those breeds.











—



Sheep: Lacha (Lacho), Carranzana (Vasca Carranzana), Milschalfe (East Friesian) and crosses of those breeds.











—



Goat: Alpino-Pirenaica (Alpine-Pyrenean), Picos de Europa, Murciano-Granadina (Murcia-Granada), Saanen and crosses of those breeds.





has been amended to read:


                        ‘Gamonéu’ cheese must be made using milk from the following species and breeds:







—



Cow: Frisona (Friesian), Asturiana de los Valles (Asturian Valley),

Asturiana de la Montaña (Asturian Mountain), Parda (Brown), Parda de Montaña (Mountain Brown), Fleckvieh, Jersey

and crosses of those breeds.











—



Sheep: Lacha (Lacho), Carranzana (Vasca Carranzana),

Milchschaf

(East Friesian),

Assaf

and crosses of those breeds.











—



Goat:

Cabra Alpina (Alpine)

, Cabra

Pirenaica (Pyrenean)

, Murciano-Granadina (Murcia-Granada), Saanen,

Malagueña (Málaga), Florida (Florida Sevillana), Cabra del Guadarrama (Guadarrama), Bermeya

and crosses of those breeds.






Explanation: the inclusion of the Málaga, Florida Sevillana, Guadarrama and Bermeya breeds of goat is requested because they all have genealogical roots in common with the Alpine and Pyrenean breeds (listed in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s official catalogue of breeds), with Capra aegagrus considered to be their common ancestor. The reference to ‘Picos de Europa’ has been deleted to avoid repetition, since that breed is not listed in the official catalogue of breeds and is no longer considered to be a separate breed from Pyrenean goats.
Since these breeds of goat have a shared genealogical background and produce milk with similar characteristics, neither the organoleptic nor the quality characteristics of the cheese (proteins, vitamins, fats, enzymes, lactose, etc.) are greatly influenced by this addition. The new breeds’ genetics have very little impact on the characteristics of the final product.
Turning to sheep, the Assaf breed has been included because it was bred from males of the Milchschaf (East Friesian) breed, which was already listed in the product specification. After checking the relevant literature, ‘Milschalfe’ has been corrected to ‘Milchschaf’.
A change to the breeds of cattle is requested because the ‘Pardo Alpina’ (Spanish Brown) breed is no longer recognised, so the list has been amended to include the two breeds derived from it, ‘Parda’ (Brown) and ‘Parda de Montaña’ (Mountain Brown). Both are listed in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s official catalogue of breeds.
The inclusion of the Asturiana de la Montaña (Asturian Mountain) breed has been requested because it is an endangered native breed that shares its origins and development with Asturiana de los Valles cattle in that it is one of the group of breeds known as the tronco castaño [‘chestnut-coloured stock’], is European in origin, and may have been introduced through the Celtic invasions. It always had a notable presence throughout Asturias and León until the mid 20th century, when its numbers dwindled to virtually nothing because of the mass importation of foreign breeds. In the early 1980s steps began to be taken to restore and improve the breed and a breeders’ association was set up. Its inclusion in the list of breeds would help to preserve this native breed as a cheesemaking resource in the production area.
The inclusion of the Fleckvieh and Jersey cattle breeds has been requested on the grounds that they have genealogical roots in common with the ‘Parda’ breed, all being descended from Bos taurus.
Since these cows have a shared genealogical background, their milk has similar characteristics, so the organoleptic, physical and chemical characteristics of the cheese are not greatly influenced by the addition of these breeds.
In order to gauge the impact of including these breeds on the characteristics of the final product as defined in the product specification, a study (attached to this application with reference number 20190201) was conducted to examine whether using milk from Fleckvieh cows, Assaf sheep, or Málaga or Florida Sevillana goats affected the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the resulting ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheese. This study involved testing samples of cheeses made by registered cheesemakers using milk from those breeds, ensuring that the cheeses were made, handled and matured in the conditions established in the product specification. These samples were analysed at the Asturias Inter-Industry Milk and Agri-Food Laboratory (for sensory testing), an organisation with experience in testing ‘Gamonéu’ PDO, and at the laboratory of ALCE Calidad (for physical and chemical testing), an accredited tester of the parameters required for this study. The results of these tests show that the use of milk from the breeds listed in this amendment in the same proportions normally used in the cheesemaking process has no effect on the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the cheese, because breeds from similar genealogical backgrounds produce milk with similar characteristics, and because the product’s characteristics are linked to the local environment and the production method.
Bibliography






—


Gabriel E. Fernández de Sierra, Silvia Adán Belmonte, María E Camacho Vallejo, Águeda L. Pons Barro, Cecilio J. Barba-Capote, Jordi Jordana Vidal, Pilar Zaragoza, Inmaculada Martín Burriel, José M. León-Jurado, Sergio Nogales-Baena, Ana Cabello-Salinas, Pablo Gámiz-Ramírez, Juan M. Micheo Puig, Javier Pleguezuelos, Montserrat Vidilla Gil, Pere M. Parés Casanova, Irina Kucherova and Juan V. Delgado Bermejo (2016). Biodiversidad caprina en España [Biodiversity in Spanish Goats].










—


Herrera García, M., Peña Blanco, F., Pezzi Ceretto, M. Á., and Rodero Serrano, E. (1998). La cabra Malagueña en la Bibliografía [Málaga Goats in Bibliography].










—


Mendizábal Aizpuru, J. A., Ibarbia Barreras, J. R. and Etxaniz Makazaga, J. M. (2005). Aportaciones a la historia de la raza vacuna pirenaica. Paradigma de la Zootecnia española. [Contributions to Pirenaica cattle breed history. Paradigm of Spanish livestock production]. Archivos de zootecnia [Animal Husbandry Archives], 54 (205).










—


Livestock Production Department, University of León, 24071-León (2012). Programa de mejora de la raza bovina parda [Brown cattle breed improvement programme].










—


The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s official catalogue of breeds: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/ganaderia/temas/zootecnia/razas-ganaderas/razas/




5.2.3.   References to product checks

The following has been deleted from Section B) Description of product and moved to Section D) Proof that the product originated in the area:

The livestock holdings that produce the milk used to make ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ cheese must be supervised by the regulatory board for the purposes of entry in the relevant registers.


Explanation: the reason for this amendment is that the product specification has been restructured in line with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
5.2.4.   References to how the product is made

The following paragraphs have been deleted from Section B) Description of product and moved to Section E) Method of production:

The regulatory board must encourage the adoption of techniques aimed at improving the amount and quality of milk produced by herds and flocks. [...]


Milking must be carried out using the best possible technique for obtaining clean, hygienic milk with a low microbial load, taking account of the rules in force. [...]


If the milk has to be picked up and transported to another location, good standards of hygiene must be observed in this process, including the use of refrigerated tanks or any other system that prevents milk quality from deteriorating. [...]


The regulatory board must promote the introduction of incentives for holdings that install milking, milk-chilling, milk-preserving and milk-transporting equipment or upgrade their existing equipment.


Explanation: the reason for this amendment is that the product specification has been restructured in line with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
The following has been deleted:

The milk to be used to make PDO cheeses must be refrigerated after milking and kept chilled until cheesemaking begins.


Explanation: the rules on storing raw milk can be found in points II(B)(2) and II(B)(4) of Chapter I of Section IX of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. The description given in the current product specification is imprecise, as it does not stipulate the temperature requirements. This rule is not a specific requirement of the production method conferring certain characteristics on the product. Its deletion makes the description of the production method more succinct by not including requirements that are already established in current legislation.
Bibliography






—


Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin




5.2.5.   Physical characteristics

The following text:

To qualify for the PDO, cheeses must have the following physical characteristics:







—



wheel-shaped with noticeably flat faces;











—



6 cm to 15 cm in height;











—



10 cm to 30 cm in diameter;











—



weighing 0,5 kg to 7 kg;











—



a thin rind formed during smoking, burnt sienna in colour with reddish, green and bluish highlights, and penicillium bloom in the cheese paste near the rind.





has been amended to read:


The PDO cheeses

must have the following physical characteristics:







—



wheel-shaped with noticeably flat faces;











—



6 cm to

18
 cm in height;











—



10 cm to

35
 cm in diameter;











—



weighing 0,5 kg to

10
 kg;











—



a thin rind formed during smoking, burnt sienna in colour with reddish, green and bluish highlights, and the possible presence of Penicillium bloom in the cheese paste near the rind.






Explanation: this amendment has been proposed because the restaurant industry is demanding larger cheeses that can be portioned up, something that has until now not been possible under the rules for ‘Gamonéu’ PDO. A study (reference number 20190201) conducted to gauge the effect of making larger cheeses (8-10 kg) on the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of ‘Gamonéu’ PDO has been annexed to this application for an amendment to the product specification. This study involved testing samples of 8-10 kg cheeses made by registered cheesemakers, ensuring that the cheeses were made, handled and matured in the conditions established in the product specification. These samples were analysed at the Asturias Inter-Industry Milk and Agri-Food Laboratory (for sensory testing), an organisation with experience in testing ‘Gamonéu’ PDO, and at the laboratory of ALCE Calidad (for chemical testing), an accredited tester of the parameters required for this study. The results of this study show that the finished product can weigh over 7 kg – and up to 10 kg – without the chemical and organoleptic characteristics being altered. This change does not have any impact on the essential characteristics and authenticity of the PDO product.
Another requested change consists in making the presence of Penicillium bloom a possibility rather than an established requirement, since this bloom is often invisible to the naked eye. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the fungus continues to be allowed to develop naturally and spontaneously in the caves, rather than Penicillium being added artificially, which causes changes in colour.
This amendment does not contradict the Link section: it is possible to observe the growth of Penicillium, along with other fungi and yeasts, which lends a characteristic colour and taste to the overall product. However, the bluish-green bloom along the edges is not always visible, despite the fact that the fungus is still playing a part in the maturing process and giving the cheese a characteristic taste and specific colour. The bluish-green colour of the bloom can vary depending on the rate of growth and the coexistence of other fungi and yeasts.
5.2.6.   Sensory characteristics

The following text:

The cheese has the following sensory characteristics:







—



The paste is hard or semi-hard, firm and crumbly, and randomly dotted with small eyes.











—



Inside, the cheese is white or yellowish white in colour, with a slight bluish-green bloom at the edges. The colour of the rind is a distinctive feature: the smoking process gives it a burnt sienna hue, and the subsequent time spent in the cave or cellar causes fungi to form that add reddish, greenish and bluish highlights.











—



The predominant flavours are mildly smoky and slightly tangy, developing buttery notes in the mouth and leaving a lingering hazelnut aftertaste.











—



It has a clean, piercing smell with mild touches of smoke, which intensifies as the cheese matures.





has been amended to read:

The cheese

must have

the following sensory characteristics:







—



The paste is hard or semi-hard, firm and crumbly, and randomly dotted with small eyes.











—



Inside, the cheese is white or yellowish white in colour,

possibly

with a slight bluish-green bloom at the edges. The colour of the rind is a distinctive feature: the smoking process gives it a burnt sienna hue, and the subsequent time spent in the cave

or cellar


causes

fungi to form that

can add

reddish, greenish and bluish highlights.











—



The predominant flavours are mildly smoky and slightly tangy, developing buttery notes in the mouth and leaving a lingering

nutty aftertaste, perhaps of hazelnut
.










—



It has a clean, piercing smell with mild touches of smoke, which intensifies as the cheese matures.






Explanation: this change consists in making the presence of Penicillium bloom and the rind colouring due to fungal growth possibilities rather than established requirements, since such blooms are often invisible to the naked eye. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the fungus continues to be allowed to develop naturally and spontaneously in the caves, rather than Penicillium being added artificially, which causes changes in colour.
This amendment does not contradict the statements made in the original Link section (the smoking and maturing processes, the latter involving only the fungi and yeast that are naturally found in the affinage environment, most importantly Penicillium: in its presence the cheese develops the bloom that lends it its characteristic colour and taste) because, while it is possible to observe the growth of Penicillium, which lends a characteristic colour and taste to the overall product, the bluish-green bloom along the edges is not always visible. The characteristic colour and taste are defined in Section B of the product specification.
This amendment is consistent with the link on which initial registration was based.
The reference to the cellar has also been corrected in order to ensure the continued preservation of the production method. While the term ‘cellar’ (bodega) is now used to refer to any affinage facility, ‘Gamonéu’ PDO develops its organoleptic characteristics only as a result of being matured in caves, which have different environmental conditions – in terms of humidity, temperature and microbiology – from industrial cheese cellars. Therefore, in order to preserve the product’s characteristics, the term ‘cellar’ has been removed, leaving only ‘cave’ in order to avoid any possible misinterpretation.
Another change concerns the description of the sensory characteristics perceived in the mouth (the taste). In the interests of giving a more objective requirement that can be assessed at different intensities by a trained tasting panel, a more nuanced description has been proposed: ‘a lingering nutty aftertaste, perhaps of hazelnut’. This retains the reference to the hazelnut – as an example of a nutty flavour – in the sensory characteristics.
5.3.   
Section C) Geographical area


The following text:

The geographical area comprises the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís in the Autonomous Community of Asturias. This area largely falls within the north-western portion of the Picos de Europa National Park.


All of the processes involved in making ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ – producing the milk and making and maturing the cheese – take place in the defined geographical area consisting of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís.


These municipal districts are located in the eastern part of Asturias. They span an area of 28 817 hectares, 10 365 of them used as pastureland.


In the geographical area there are 4 220 breeding cows, 7 206 breeding ewes and 3 224 breeding nannies of the cattle, sheep and goat breeds whose milk is suitable for making this cheese.


These two municipal districts belong to the Principality of Asturias, a geographical and historical region of northern Spain, which became a single-province Autonomous Community with its capital in Oviedo in 1982.

has been amended to read:

The geographical area comprises the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís in the Autonomous Community of Asturias. This area largely falls within the north-western portion of the Picos de Europa National Park.


All of the processes involved in making ‘
                  

Gamonéu


                     ’ – producing the milk and making and maturing the cheese – take place in the defined geographical area consisting of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís.


These municipal districts are located in the eastern part of the territory.


Explanation: the following information regarding the size of the geographical area and the number of breeding females has been deleted because it is imprecise and out of date, and does not reflect the reality of ‘Gamonéu’ PDO production nowadays:

They span an area of 28 817 hectares, 10 365 of them used as pastureland.


In the geographical area there are 4 220 breeding cows, 7 206 breeding ewes and 3 224 breeding nannies of the cattle, sheep and goat breeds whose milk is suitable for making this cheese.


These two municipal districts belong to the Principality of Asturias, a geographical and historical region of northern Spain, which became a single-province Autonomous Community with its capital in Oviedo in 1982.

The geographical area established in the product specification is not altered in any way by this deletion.
Bibliography






—


https://www.cangasdeonis.com/geografia










—


Integrated Livestock Traceability System (SITRAN): https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/ganaderia/temas/trazabilidad-animal/registro/




5.4.   
Section D) Proof that the product originated in the area


5.4.1.   References to specific documents of the regulatory board and delegated tasks

5.4.1.1.   The following – the first paragraph of Section D – has been deleted:

To check that the product comes from the defined geographical area and meets the requirements laid down in the PDO Regulation and in this document, the regulatory board must conduct regular inspections of livestock holdings and cheesemaking facilities, following the procedures established in the Quality and Procedures Manual.


Explanation: this change brings the text into line with standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 and reflects the delegation of tasks to the control body. Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs requires product specification compliance checks to be carried out by competent authorities or control bodies operating as product certification bodies. Since the publication of the region’s Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019), and in application of Article 36 thereof, control activities have to be delegated to the control body, and the regulatory board is not the control body.
5.4.1.2.   Changes to the regulatory board’s inspection duties
The following text:

The following are essential requirements which attest to the product’s origin and must be verified by the regulatory board:







—



The quality of the milk used to make the PDO cheeses, by taking samples for analysis of the fat content, protein content, fat-free dry matter, somatic cell count, bacteriology, absence of inhibitors and freezing point (cryoscopy).











—



The milk used to make this cheese must come from authorised livestock holdings listed in the regulatory board’s holdings register and be obtained using suitable farming and milking practices, in accordance with the PDO Regulation and this document.











—



Through monitoring and certification, the regulatory board must check that both the milk and the practices used to obtain it conform to the established standards.











—



The cheesemaking facilities at which PDO cheeses are to be made must hold authorisation from the regulatory board and be listed in the relevant register, having first met the minimum requirements and passed the checks laid down in the PDO Regulation, in the Quality and Procedures Manual and in this document.











—



Through its certification area, the regulatory board is responsible for checking that cheeses are of the standard required to qualify for the PDO. Only cheeses that meet the quality criteria established in the regulatory board’s regulation and in this document can be classed as being of the required standard.











—



The regulatory board must supervise and safeguard the process of identifying the products and certifying their origin by way of identification, sealing and the use of board-issued numbered labels displaying the PDO product’s own logo.











—



The regulatory board must also conduct regular inspections of livestock holdings and cheesemaking facilities to ensure that they continue to meet the conditions under which they were certified and renew their permission to use the protected designation of origin ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’.





has been amended to read:

The following are essential requirements which attest to the product’s origin and must be verified by the

control body
:






—



The quality of the milk used to make the PDO cheeses.











—



The milk used for production must come from authorised livestock holdings listed in the regulatory board’s holdings register and be obtained using suitable husbandry and milking practices, in accordance with this document.











—



Through monitoring and certification, the

control body

must check that both the milk and the practices used to obtain it conform to the established standards.











—



The cheesemaking facilities at which PDO cheeses are to be made must hold authorisation from the regulatory board and be listed in the relevant register, having first met the minimum requirements and passed the checks laid down in this document.











—



The

control body

is responsible for checking that cheeses are of the standard required to qualify for the PDO. Only cheeses that meet the quality criteria established in this document can be classed as being of the required standard.











—



The

control body

must supervise and safeguard the process of identifying the products and certifying their origin.

A certification label and the PDO product’s own logo must be displayed on all products.












—



The

control body

must also conduct regular

checks

of livestock holdings and cheesemaking facilities to ensure that they continue to meet the conditions under which they were certified and renew their permission to use the protected designation of origin ‘Gamonéu’.






Explanation: this change brings the text into line with standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 and reflects the delegation of tasks to the control body. Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs requires product specification compliance checks to be carried out by competent authorities or control bodies operating as product certification bodies. Since the publication of the region’s Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019), and in application of Article 36 thereof, control activities have to be delegated to the control body, and the regulatory board is not the control body.
All references to the PDO Regulation have been deleted on the understanding that, in application of the Single Repealing Provision of Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias (Repeal of legislation), said Regulation – which in this case is the board’s regulations – will cease to have effect when the board’s new statutes are published.
Taking milk samples for analytical testing will no longer be compulsory. The product specification does not contain any requirements in terms of fat content, protein content, fat-free dry matter, somatic cell count, bacteriology, absence of inhibitors or freezing point, because the control body’s sample-based checks are not governed by any parameters. In this case, milk quality is governed by the relevant legislation, and it is the operator’s responsibility to demonstrate compliance with the laws applicable to each species of livestock. The control body is required to have mechanisms in place to verify the operator’s internal control system, not necessarily involving sampling.
Improvements have also been made to the drafting to avoid misinterpretation as to where responsibility lies in relation to qualifying and identifying products: The control body must supervise and safeguard the process of identifying the products and certifying their origin. A certification label and the PDO product’s own logo must be displayed on all products.

5.4.1.3.   The 10th paragraph has been deleted. It read:

To ensure that the cheeses have the specific characteristics required to qualify for the PDO and have been made in accordance with the Quality and Procedures Manual, the PDO Regulation and this document, the regulatory board must take samples of raw material from livestock holdings and samples of product from cheesemaking facilities, following the established procedure, frequency and intensity.


Explanation: this change brings the text into line with standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 and reflects the delegation of tasks to the control body. Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs requires product specification compliance checks to be carried out by competent authorities or control bodies operating as product certification bodies. Since the publication of the region’s Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019), and in application of Article 36 thereof, control activities have to be delegated to the control body, and the regulatory board is not the control body.
5.4.1.4.   Changes to the regulatory board’s inspection duties
The text has been amended to read:

The checks established by the

control body

must be designed to guarantee the quality and origin of the PDO cheeses.



Cheesemakers

whose products meet the established conditions are to receive an accreditation certificate from the control body.


The regulatory board is to provide certified cheesemakers with as many numbered certification labels as they require based on the number of

qualified

cheeses.


Explanation: this change brings the text into line with standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 and reflects the delegation of tasks to the control body. Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs requires product specification compliance checks to be carried out by competent authorities or control bodies operating as product certification bodies. Since the publication of the region’s Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019), and in application of Article 36 thereof, control activities have to be delegated to the control body, and the regulatory board is not the control body.
As a drafting improvement, the term ‘operator’ has been changed to ‘cheesemaker’, using the term ‘producers’ for the operators who produce the milk and referring to the operators who make and qualify the product as ‘cheesemakers’.
5.1.4.5.   The 14th paragraph and the Breakdown of checks table have been deleted. The deleted paragraph read as follows:

The following table summarises the checks that the regulatory board must carry out on operators to ensure that cheeses to be sold as ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ PDO did indeed originate in the geographical area. Those checks must be carried out in person and consist in conducting a visual inspection, examining paperwork and taking samples.


Explanation: this change brings the text into line with standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 and reflects the delegation of tasks to the control body. Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs requires product specification compliance checks to be carried out by competent authorities or control bodies operating as product certification bodies. Since the publication of the region’s Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019), and in application of Article 36 thereof, control activities have to be delegated to the control body, and the regulatory board is not the control body. The checks described in this section are linked to duties that used to be incumbent on the regulatory board as the body responsible for checking that the cheeses met the required standard. However, those checks are not in line with the guidance given in standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065. The table does not include any specific requirements to be met by the product but rather summarises the different checklist items.
5.1.4.6.   Changes to the regulatory board’s inspection duties and deletion of references to specific board documents
The following text:

To enable cheesemaking processes to be monitored, and whenever necessary to prove the origin and quality of the PDO product, the operators of livestock holdings and cheesemaking facilities are required to complete the necessary paperwork to allow verification of each of the requirements set out in this document.


These documents and records must be checked by the regulatory board.


In accordance with all of the above requirements, the protected designation of origin ‘Gamonéu’/‘Gamonedo’ may be used only for cheeses that have been made from milk produced on registered livestock holdings at cheesemaking facilities registered with the regulatory board in compliance with the rules laid down in this document, in the PDO Regulation and in the Quality and Procedures Manual, and have been inspected and certified by the regulatory board via the established checks.


A product or the techniques used to make it may be made non-compliant by the regulatory board at any stage, following the established procedures.

has been amended to read:

To enable cheesemaking processes to be monitored, and whenever necessary to prove the origin and quality of the PDO product, the operators of livestock holdings and cheesemaking facilities are required to complete the necessary paperwork to allow verification of each of the requirements set out in this document. These documents and records must be checked by the

control body
.

In accordance with all of the above requirements, the protected designation of origin ‘
                        

Gamonéu


                           ’ may be used only for cheeses that have been made from milk produced on registered livestock holdings at cheesemaking facilities registered with the regulatory board in compliance with the rules laid down in this document, and have been inspected and certified by the

control body

via the established checks.


A product or the techniques used to make it may be

declared

non-compliant

by the control body

at any stage, following the established procedures.


Explanation: this change brings the text into line with standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 and reflects the delegation of tasks to the control body. Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs requires product specification compliance checks to be carried out by competent authorities or control bodies operating as product certification bodies. Since the publication of the region’s Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019), and in application of Article 36 thereof, control activities have to be delegated to the control body, and the regulatory board is not the control body.
All references to the PDO Regulation have been deleted on the understanding that, in application of the Single Repealing Provision of Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias (Repeal of legislation), said Regulation – which in this case is the board’s regulations – will cease to have effect when the board’s new statutes are published.
5.1.4.7.   Raw material checks
The following text:

Checks must be performed to ensure that the milk used in the cheesemaking process comes exclusively from authorised livestock holdings listed in the regulatory board’s register and supervised by the regulatory board.


Where cheesemakers obtain this raw material from their own livestock, their cheesemaking records and livestock registry paperwork must be checked to ensure that the milk declared is consistent with their herd or flock.


Where cheesemakers obtain milk from other holdings, checks must be conducted on their cheesemaking records and the documentation that reliably proves where the milk came from. The cheesemaker must have a milk delivery note that identifies the holding of origin, the date and time of collection, the volume delivered, the vehicle and the driver. The source of the information for completing the delivery note must be the delivery vehicle’s logbook, to which the regulatory board must have access. This documentation must be accompanied by the relevant invoice and proof of payment for the milk delivered and recorded in the mandatory cheesemaking records.

has been amended to read:

Checks must be performed to ensure that the milk used in the cheesemaking process comes exclusively from authorised livestock holdings listed in the regulatory board’s register and supervised by the regulatory board.



The livestock holdings at which the milk used to make ‘Gamonéu’ cheese is produced must be supervised by the regulatory board for the purposes of entry in the relevant registers.



Where cheesemakers obtain this raw material from their own livestock, their

production

records and livestock registry paperwork must be checked to ensure that the milk declared is consistent with their herd or flock.


Where cheesemakers obtain milk from other holdings, checks must be conducted on their cheesemaking records and the documentation that reliably proves where the milk came from.


Explanation: the paragraph that begins ‘The livestock holdings …’ has been moved to this section from Section B) DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCT.
The proposed changes to the references to the different records reflect the fact that, now that the product is certified under standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065, it is assumed that cheesemakers have to have these or other internal control records in place with which they can demonstrate to the control body that they meet the requirements of the product specification, without there being any need to specify the name or format of those records.
5.1.4.8.   Checks on cheesemaking
The following text:

For each cheesemaking session, cheesemakers must have records stating the origin and quantity of milk used and the total number of cheeses made – as well as the breakdown of this figure by format if more than one format has been made – and clearly identifying the batch or batches made in that session. These records must allow the identification of any cheese or batch held anywhere in the facility at any time during each of the post-cheesemaking stages, i.e. smoking, maturing and pre-dispatch storage. The regulatory board is to verify the correctness of these records by conducting an on-the-spot check to establish whether the information they contain reflects the stocks actually held in the different areas of the cheesemaking facility.

has been amended to read:

For each cheesemaking session, cheesemakers must have records stating the origin and quantity of milk used and the total number of cheeses made – as well as the breakdown of this figure by format if more than one format has been made – and clearly identifying the batch or batches made in that session. These records must allow the identification of any cheese or batch held anywhere in the facility at any time during each of the post-cheesemaking stages, i.e. smoking, maturing and pre-dispatch storage. The

control body

is to verify the

existence

of these records by conducting an on-the-spot check to establish whether the information they contain reflects the stocks actually held in the different areas of the cheesemaking facility.


Explanation: the control body has replaced the regulatory board as the body responsible for these checks, and the word ‘correctness’ has been changed to the more objective term ‘existence’. This amendment has been requested with a view to adapting the text to the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias.
5.1.4.9.   Labelling and dispatch checks
The following text:

The records must show the link between labels, the cheeses they have been used to identify, and the batches from which those cheeses came. All stocks held in pre-dispatch storage must also be recorded and identified, regardless of whether they have been labelled. Finally, cheesemaking records must show the final destination of the cheeses made, and the cheesemaker must have paperwork proving said destination – namely delivery notes and sales invoices for each dispatched consignment – available for consultation by the regulatory board.

has been amended to read:

The records must show which

certification labels identify

which cheeses and the batches of origin of those cheeses. All stocks held in pre-dispatch storage must also be recorded and identified, regardless of whether they have been labelled. Finally, cheesemaking records must show the final destination of the cheeses made, and the cheesemaker must have paperwork proving said destination – namely delivery notes and sales invoices for each dispatched consignment – available for consultation by the

control body
.

Explanation: the control body replaces the regulatory board as the body responsible for these checks, and ‘labels’ is to be changed to ‘certification labels’ to avoid confusion. This amendment has been requested with a view to adapting the text to the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias.
Bibliography






—


Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019, published in Issue 47 of the Official Gazette of Asturias on 8 March 2019).










—


Milk quality legislation:
https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/ganaderia/temas/sanidad-animal-higiene-ganadera/Higiene-de-la-produccion-primaria-ganadera/calidad-de-la-leche-letra-q/




5.5.   
Section E) Method of production


5.5.1.   The animals’ diet

The first, second and third paragraphs:


                        ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ cheese must be made from raw milk – cow, sheep or goat, or a mixture of two or three of these types – produced by livestock fed on the region’s natural resources in accordance with specific traditions linked to geographical and sociological factors that are unique to the local area.


The diet fed to the livestock is based on year-round grazing, supplemented with home-grown forage in the form of freshly cut grass and hay.


While the animals’ diet must be sourced from the defined geographical area, cereal- and legume-based concentrates may be used when a livestock holding has a shortage of home-grown forage, usually due to weather conditions.


Distinctions need to be made by livestock species and time of year. As this is a mountainous area, the climate plays an important role in determining how forage resources are fed to the livestock. In the traditional rotation system, in the springtime forage would be cut from lowland pasture and fed fresh to the animals – or, even better, they would graze that pasture themselves – and that same pasture would be a source of hay later on in the summer. In the highlands, direct grazing is the usual method of feeding. How, and for how long, these natural resources are fed to livestock depends on weather conditions throughout the year, which lengthen or shorten the time that animals can spend on highland pasture.

have been amended to read:


                        ‘Gamonéu’ cheese must be made from raw milk – cow, sheep or goat, or a mixture of two or three of these types – produced by livestock fed

mainly

on the region’s natural resources in accordance with specific traditions linked to geographical and sociological factors that are unique to the local area.


The diet fed to the livestock is based on year-round grazing, supplemented with home-grown forage in the form of freshly cut grass and hay.


While the animals’ diet must be sourced from the defined geographical area,

supplementation with other animal feed is permitted for certain physiological conditions – such as lactation – or

when a livestock holding has a shortage of home-grown forage, usually due to weather conditions.

In order to ensure that the link is not affected, feed sourced from outside the defined geographical area must not, in any event, exceed 50 % of dry matter on an annual basis
.

Explanation: this amendment clarifies the requirements regarding the animals’ diet, which plays a decisive role in the production of this cheese. ‘Cereal- and legume-based concentrates’ has been changed to ‘feed’, which is the term used in current legislation. The change to allow feed to be used to supplement the forage-based diet when an animal’s condition necessitates this – during lactation for example – is considered absolutely essential. This broadening of the circumstances in which the exception to the rule applies is aimed at safeguarding animal welfare without altering the essential characteristics or authenticity of the PDO product, while also ensuring compliance with Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 in that feed sourced from outside the geographical area must not exceed 50 % so that the link is not affected.
Bibliography






—


Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 of 18 December 2013 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the establishment of the Union symbols for protected designations of origin, protected geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed and with regard to certain rules on sourcing, certain procedural rules and certain additional transitional rules.










—


Lasanta, T. (2010). Pastoreo en áreas de montaña: Estrategias e impactos en el territorio [Grazing in Mountain Areas – Strategies and impact on the local area]. Estudios geográficos [Geographical Studies], 71(268), 203-233.










—


Government of the Autonomous Community of Asturias, Ministry of Rural Affairs and Fisheries, Directorate-General for Forestry Policy (2011), El Monte en Asturias [Woodland in Asturias].




5.5.2.   The traditional term del Valle
The fourth, fifth and sixth paragraphs of this section of the product specification have been deleted. They read as follows:

The traditional terms ‘del Valle’ [of the valley] and ‘del Puerto’ [of the mountain pass] are used to reflect the different farming practices used in the lowlands and highlands. ‘Del Puerto’ cheese is made using milk from livestock that has spent the entire summer grazing the highland grasslands, only being rounded up for milking and then returned to pasture. During this period grazing is the only way the animals are fed: their diet is not supplemented because abundant forage is usually available in the meadows and additional feed cannot be transported to such hard-to-reach locations. There is also no possibility of housing the livestock – there are no stables and none can be built due to these pasturelands being under environmental protection. The conditions in which this highland farming is practised mean that the period that the animals spend on these pasturelands can be shorter or longer depending on the weather, as this influences the amount of forage available and temperatures determine how long livestock can be kept outdoors.


The term ‘Valle’ refers to the lowland farming tradition, in which the cows’ food comes from meadows located close to inhabited areas and they have access to shelter in the event of extreme weather conditions. The animals are also fed home-grown hay and, as stated above, their diets can occasionally be supplemented with cereal- and legume-based concentrates.


As regards the different species of sheep and goats, their diet is based primarily on grazing in the highest grasslands throughout late spring, summer and early autumn, all depending on weather conditions. When the weather conditions are at their most adverse, the animals are pastured on the lowest meadows and their diet is supplemented with hay made during the summer. Cattle are fed from meadows located near inhabited areas, and their diets are supplemented with hay and cereals in the winter. Some producers move their cows onto highland pasture for the summer.

The 22nd and 23rd paragraphs of this section of the product specification have been deleted. They read as follows:


                        ‘Gamoneu’ del Valle / ‘Gamonedo’ del Valle [of the valley]: made in the lowlands of the defined geographical area, falling within the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís.


In the valleys, production is not affected by seasonality because the livestock are raised semi-extensively, using a system that focuses heavily on grazing.


Explanation: the name ‘Gamonéu’ is to be used instead of the traditional term del Valle, so all the requirements already established in the product specification for the del Valle version now apply to ‘Gamonéu’ cheese. This proposed change does not alter the characteristics of the product but instead clarifies the traditional terms that have been used until now.
Bibliography






—


Decree 8/2009 of 4 February 2009 listing official place names for the municipal district of Cangas de Onís.




5.5.3.   Method of production

The following paragraphs have been moved here from Section B) Description of product:

The regulatory board must encourage the adoption of techniques aimed at improving the amount and quality of milk produced by herds and flocks.


Milking must be carried out using the best possible technique for obtaining clean, hygienic milk with a low microbial load, taking account of the rules in force.



If it is not going to be used immediately

, the milk to be used to make PDO cheeses must be refrigerated after milking and,

as the case may be

, kept chilled until cheesemaking begins.


If the milk has to be picked up and transported to another location, good standards of hygiene must be observed in this process, including the use of refrigerated tanks or any other system that prevents milk quality from deteriorating.


The regulatory board must promote the introduction of incentives for holdings that install milking, milk-chilling, milk-preserving and milk-transporting equipment or upgrade their existing equipment.


Explanation: the reason for this amendment is that the product specification has been restructured in line with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs. The following change has also been made in this restructuring of the content of the product specification: ‘The milk to be used to make PDO cheeses must be refrigerated after milking and kept chilled until cheesemaking begins’ has been amended to ‘
                     If it is not going to be used immediately, the milk to be used to make PDO cheeses must be refrigerated after milking and, as the case may be, kept chilled until cheesemaking begins’. This clarification has been added for circumstances in which the milk is not stored but rather used immediately after milking. Milk to be used to make dairy products is subject to the conditions laid down in current legislation, including Royal Decree 752/2011 of 27 May 2011 establishing the basic control rules to be followed by operators in the raw sheep and goat milk sector.
Bibliography






—


Royal Decree 1728/2007 of 21 December 2007 establishing the basic control rules to be followed by operators in the dairy sector and amending Royal Decree 217/2004 of 6 February 2004 regulating the identification and registration of the operators, establishments and containers involved in the dairy sector and the recording of milk movements










—


Royal Decree 752/2011 of 27 May 2011 establishing the basic control rules to be followed by operators in the raw sheep and goat milk sector




5.5.4.   The curdling process

The ninth paragraph:

Milk from authorised livestock holdings located in the production area, duly chilled, is delivered to the cheesemaking facility and undergoes a process of curdling.


Curdling – This process must be achieved via lactic acid coagulation, catalysed using animal rennet or other milk-clotting enzymes specifically authorised by the regulatory board, at the correct dosage to ensure that the curdling process takes at least 1 hour. The milk must be at a temperature of 24-30 °C at the point of curdling and throughout this entire process.

has been amended to read:

Milk from authorised livestock holdings located in the production area is delivered to the cheesemaking facility and undergoes a process of curdling.


Curdling must be achieved via lactic acid coagulation, catalysed using animal rennet or other authorised milk-clotting enzymes, at the correct dosage to ensure that the curdling process takes at least 1 hour. The milk must be at a temperature of

22

-30 °C at the point of curdling and throughout this entire process.


Explanation:

The reference to the regulatory board authorising milk-clotting enzymes or animal rennet has been removed. It was initially established that milk-clotting enzymes and rennet needed to be specifically authorised by the regulatory board because the scarcity of these products meant that without internal regulation operators might, through a lack of awareness, end up using banned substances or ones that could pose a risk to consumers. Operators are now responsible for the food safety aspects of their products, and, thanks to the fact that there is now a much more established industry supplying processing aids such as milk-clotting enzymes and rennet, they also have access to a wide range of products regulated by very stringent legislation. This authorisation duty is therefore not considered relevant to the regulatory board’s role as a management body, since it would merely perform this task by endorsing any substance authorised by the legislation in force, so continuing to hold this duty would only mean extra paperwork for the management body, without any value or assurance for the final product.
Another proposed change affects the description of the curdling process and is aimed at avoiding the repetition of information provided earlier in Section B), as well as ensuring that the text reflects temperatures actually recorded during cheesemaking by adjusting the temperature range within which the milk has to be kept during curdling. The change affects the lower value of this range – a low-risk adjustment of little consequence. Extending the range by lowering the bottom threshold brings the description of this process into line with current practice, allowing cheesemakers to use traditional, conservative curdling methods without any impact on the quality of the raw material or, therefore, the final product. This is not an increase in temperatures, which could result in denaturing and therefore affect the product’s sensory characteristics.
Bibliography






—


Battro, P. (2010). Quesos artesanales [Artisan Cheeses], published by Editorial Albatros.










—


Navarro, Andrés. La Elaboración: Coagulación de la Leche [Cheesemaking – Curdling the milk]: http://asociaciondequeserosartesanos.com/asturias/el-queso/la-elaboracion/coagulacion-de-la-leche/










—


Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives










—


Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety




5.5.5.   Cut curd size

The 10th paragraph:

Cutting: Once the milk has curdled, the curd mass is carefully cut several times until the curds are in small pieces measuring 5-15 mm. The whey is then drained off.

has been amended to read:

Cutting: Once the milk has curdled, the curd mass is carefully cut several times until the curds are in small pieces measuring

approximately

5-15 mm. The whey is then drained off.


Explanation: the intention in stating a measurement alongside the reference to ‘small pieces’ of cut curds was to give an idea of what was considered to be ‘small’. The word ‘approximately’ has been inserted so that, while maintaining the original aim of giving an indication of size, cheesemakers are not burdened with the task of measuring a representative sample of curd pieces using callipers, seeing as a difference of a few millimetres either way would have no impact whatsoever.
5.5.6.   Salting

The 12th paragraph:

Salting: the salting process consists in coating the top and bottom faces of the cheeses with sodium chloride after 24 hours (top face) and 48 hours (bottom face).

has been amended to read:

Salting: the salting process consists in coating the top and bottom faces of the cheeses with sodium chloride between 6 and 72 hours after moulding.


Explanation: this proposed amendment to the 11th paragraph adapts the salting times to the production of the larger cheeses demanded by the restaurant industry.
Bibliography






—


Navarro, Andrés. La Elaboración: Coagulación de la Leche [Cheesemaking – Curdling the milk]: http://asociaciondequeserosartesanos.com/asturias/el-queso/la-elaboracion/coagulacion-de-la-leche/




5.5.7.   Correction of errors

In the description of the smoking stage, the misspelt term Penicilliun has been corrected to Penicillium in order to standardise the terminology used.
5.5.8.   Maturing

The 14th and 15th paragraphs:

Smoking: once they have been removed from the moulds, the cheeses are smoked. The duration and intensity of the smoking process must be tailored to the prevailing environmental conditions, ensuring that the cheeses dry out sufficiently and develop a burnt sienna-coloured rind of a consistency that allows Penicilliun to penetrate during maturing, and ensuring at the same time that they develop their characteristic subtle smoky flavour, without letting this become predominant. The wood used for smoking must be ash (Fraxinus excelsior), heath (Erica sp.), beech (Fagus sylvatica) or from other native hardwood species.


Maturing: the cheeses must undergo a process of maturing in limestone caves or cellars where conditions are such that they will be able to develop their distinctive characteristics, with an average temperature of 10 °C and average humidity of 90 %. The cheeses must be matured for at least 2 months from the date on which the curds are formed. Penicilliun must be allowed to penetrate the cheese and bloom in the part of the paste closest to the rind, giving the cheese its characteristic bluish-green streaks around the edges.

has been amended to read:

Maturing:

The cheeses must be matured for at least 2 months (3 months in the case of cheeses weighing over 7 kg) from the date on which the curds are formed.

The following processes must take place during this period:


Smoking: once they have been removed from the moulds, the cheeses are smoked. The duration and intensity of the smoking process must be tailored to the prevailing environmental conditions, ensuring that the cheeses dry out sufficiently and develop a burnt sienna-coloured rind of a consistency that allows Penicillium to penetrate during maturing, and ensuring at the same time that they develop their characteristic subtle smoky flavour, without letting this become predominant. The wood used for smoking must be ash (Fraxinus excelsior), heath (Erica sp.), beech (Fagus sylvatica) or from other native hardwood species.


Cave-maturing: the cheeses must undergo a process of maturing in limestone caves where conditions are such that they will be able to develop their distinctive characteristics. The average temperature in the caves must not exceed 12 °C and average relative humidity must not fall below 85 %. This cave-maturing process has a minimum duration of 30 days.


During this period the cheeses must be turned and cleaned as required for their specific features to develop. This includes ensuring and encouraging the development of the characteristic fungi and yeasts, which must come from the maturing premises and must not under any circumstances be added to the milk. The rind formed during the smoking stage allows Penicillium to slowly penetrate the cheese and possibly to bloom in the part of the paste closest to the rind, giving the cheese its characteristic bluish-green streaks around the edges.


Explanation: the proposed changes to the description of the maturing process consist in maintaining the minimum maturing period established in the current version of the product specification – 2 months from the curd formation date – and extending it by a further 30 days for the cheeses weighing more than 7 kg, as introduced by another of the amendments in this application. The text is also to be restructured to make it clearer that maturing begins when the curds are formed and comprises both the smoking stage and the time spent in the cave.
In the description of the cave-maturing process, adjustments are to be made to the relative average temperature and humidity conditions required inside caves during the maturing process, as well as the minimum period that the cheeses have to spend inside the cave. To support this amendment, a study which looked at the temperature and humidity conditions inside nine caves is annexed hereto (7.1 Estudio justificativo Condiciones Ambientales Cuevas Maduración [Maturing-cave environmental conditions – Supporting study]). The purpose of this amendment is to update the description of the meteorological conditions inside the caves, which have been affected by the same climate change that has taken place across Europe. The proposed new rules still ensure good conditions for maturing cheeses in, without altering the product’s essential characteristics in any way.
Bibliography






—



Condiciones Ambientales en cuevas de maduración para queso Gamonedo [Environmental conditions in Gamonedo cheese-maturing caves], a study by the Asturias Inter-Industry Milk and Agri-Food Laboratory (June 2018)










—


Taboada, F. G., Álvarez, R. A., Gutiérrez, N. R., Ibáñez, P. O., the Sustainability, Climate Change and Participation Office of the Government of the Autonomous Community of Asturias (2011). Análisis de escenarios de cambio climático en Asturias [Analysis of climate change scenarios in Asturias]










—



Plan forestal de la Comarca de Cangas de Onís [Forestry plan for the municipal district of Cangas de Onís] (2010), Government of the Autonomous Community of Asturias, Ministry of Rural Affairs and Fisheries










—


Climate change evident across Europe, confirming urgent need for adaptation, European Environment Agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/media/newsreleases/climate-change-evident-across-europe










—


Spotts, R. A., & Cervantes, L. A. (1986). ‘Populations, pathogenicity, and benomyl resistance of Botrytis spp., Penicillium spp., and Mucor piriformis in packinghouses’. Plant Disease (USA).










—


Marin, S., Sanchis, V., Saenz, R., Ramos, A. J., Vinas, I., & Magan, N. (1998). ‘Ecological determinants for germination and growth of some Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. from maize grain’. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 84(1), 25-36.










—


Fernández Bodega, M. Á. (2011). Aislamiento y caracterización de cepas de Penicillium roqueforti a partir de distintas variedades de queso azul. Análisis de la actividad proteolítica y eliminación de la producción de micotoxinas [Isolation and characterisation of Penicillium roqueforti strains from different varieties of blue cheese – Analysis of proteolytic activity and prevention of mycotoxin production]










—


Sopeña Pérez, F. (1978). El queso de Aliva: una elaboración artesana [Aliva Cheese – Artisan production]




5.5.9.   The traditional term del Puerto
The 17th to 21st paragraphs:


                        ‘Gamoneu’ del Puerto / ‘Gamonedo’ del Puerto [of the mountain pass]: made in the highland territory of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís comprising the following plains and grasslands located along mountain passes in the Picos de Europa range:


Cangas de Onís: Orandi, Las Mestas, Huesera, Uberdón, Teón, Gumartini, Fana, Comeya, Enol, La Cueva, Ercina, Las Reblagas, Ceña, Tolleyu and Rondiella.


Onís: Soñin, Belbín, Parres, Arnaedo, Camplengo, Las Bobias, Las Fuentes, Vega Maor and Ario.


The milk used to make this cheese must be obtained from herds and flocks that graze the grasslands listed above, and a mixture of two or all three of the permitted milk types – i.e. cow, sheep and goat – must be used, always ensuring that sheep and/or goat milk makes up more than 10 % of the mix.


These cheeses are made on a seasonal basis, from June to September, by dedicated small-scale cheesemaking facilities located along these mountain passes within the Picos de Europa National Park.

have been amended to read:

Del Puerto [of the mountain pass]:

cheeses made at dedicated small-scale cheesemaking facilities

located in the highland territory of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís comprising the following plains and grasslands located along mountain passes in the Picos de Europa range:


Cangas de Onís: Orandi, Las Mestas, Huesera, Uberdón, Teón, Gumartini, Fana, Comeya, Enol, La Cueva, Ercina, Las Reblagas, Ceñal, Tolleyu and Rondiella.


Onís: Soñin, Belbín, Parres, Arnaedo, Camplengo, Las Bobias, Las Fuentes, Vega Maor and Ario.


The milk used to make this cheese must be obtained from herds and flocks that graze the grasslands listed above, and a mixture of two or all three of the permitted milk types – i.e. cow, sheep and goat – must be used, respecting the following requirements:







—




when cow milk is used, it must not make up more than 90 % of the mix;












—




when sheep milk is used, it must make up at least 5 % of the mix;












—




when goat milk is used, it must make up at least 5 % of the mix.







These cheeses are made on a seasonal basis

from late spring to early autumn, although this can vary depending on weather conditions. The regulatory board may, however, decide to shorten or lengthen the cheesemaking season in a given year, taking account of weather conditions and following consultation with cheesemakers that make this variety.



Explanation: the reason for this amendment is that the wording of the text was confusing. The traditional approach has always been to apply the 10 % rule when all three milk types are used together: the 10 % requirement applied to the amount of sheep and goat milk taken together, not separately, so the proportion of either sheep or goat milk in the mix will always be 5 % or more. The new wording states minimum and maximum proportions for the milks from the different species, to provide assurance regarding the production process and guarantee the organoleptic and physical and chemical characteristics of the final product, without any ambiguity.
Another change deemed necessary is qualifying the statement about production being seasonal, since weather conditions might mean that production begins earlier than June or carries on beyond September. Seasonality is not linked to the actual month, but rather to the state of the natural resources available on plains and grasslands.
Bibliography






—


Taboada, F. G., Álvarez, R. A., Gutiérrez, N. R., Ibáñez, P. O., the Sustainability, Climate Change and Participation Office of the Government of the Autonomous Community of Asturias (2011). Análisis de escenarios de cambio climático en Asturias [Analysis of climate change scenarios in Asturias]




5.5.10.   Portioning

A final paragraph has been added specifying how the cheese is to be portioned:

Portioning in the cheesemaking area


The PDO product may be marketed in portions provided that they are packaged and their origin can be ascertained. To preserve the product and maintain its quality, this process must be carried out in the cheesemaking area by businesses that have accepted the established protocol and follow it. This ensures that ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheese is traceable and provides assurance regarding the relevant processes.


Explanation: the insertion of this passage has been proposed because, since consumers are now demanding that the certified product be available on the market in portions, the rules on this presentation format needed to be defined. The reasons for requiring that portioning take place in the cheesemaking area are:






—


When a cheese is portioned, at least two sides of the resulting portion are no longer protected by the rind and could be susceptible to organoleptic changes that might also affect the rest of the product. Portions therefore need to be packaged as soon as possible after they are cut, i.e. at the source.










—


In the portioning process, the markings guaranteeing a cheese’s origin and authenticity can be removed or made impossible to see.




This insertion does not involve any change to the essential characteristics and authenticity of the PDO product. The intention is to ensure that once a cheese has been made, its authenticity is not impaired by subsequent handling (portioning), which means that portioning and packaging have to take place at the source.
5.6.   
Section G) Control body


The following text:

Name: Consejo Regulador de la D.O.P. ‘Gamonéu’ o ‘Gamonedo’ [‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ PDO Regulatory Board]


Address: La Plaza, s/n – E-33560 Benia – Onís (Asturias)


Telephone: (+34) 985 84 40 05


Fax: (+34) 985 84 42 30

has been amended to read:

The competent authority for control is the Directorate-General from the Asturian Government whose remit includes agri-food matters.


Control may be delegated to an entity acting as a product certification body and accredited under Standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065, or any standard that may replace it in the future.


Explanation: this change updates the text to identify the authority responsible for checking compliance with the product specification in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs and Article 36 of the Food Quality, Quality Schemes and Direct Sale of Food Products Act (Act 2/2019 of the Autonomous Community of Asturias of 1 March 2019).
5.7.   
Section H) Labelling


5.7.1.   Identification

The following text:


                        ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ PDO cheeses intended for the consumer market must be identified with a numbered label or certification label approved, controlled and supplied by the regulatory board in accordance with the rules found in the Quality Manual.

has been amended to read:


                        ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheeses intended for the consumer market must

have markings on the rind and

be identified with the PDO product’s own logo and a numbered certification label in accordance with the rules

laid down by the management body, which is also responsible for controlling and supplying the numbered certification labels
.

Explanation: the restructuring of this sentence is to make it easier to understand. It also now states that responsibility for establishing product identification rules and for checking and issuing the conformity marking (certification labels) lies with the management body.
A reference to the product being identified with the PDO product’s own logo has been included in the interests of consistency with Section D of the product specification. (The Control Body must supervise and safeguard the process of identifying the products and certifying their origin.) A certification label and the PDO product’s own logo must be displayed on all products.
5.7.2.   Naming the product


As well as providing all the information required by the applicable legislation, the main and certification labels of PDO cheeses must state ‘Denominación de Origen Protegida [Protected Designation of Origin] – “Gamoneu”/“Gamonedo”
                        ’, along with the relevant traditional term, ‘del Valle’ or ‘del Puerto’.


The logo approved by the regulatory board (shown below) must be displayed on the labelling used by all operators.

has been amended to read:

The following must appear prominently on the labels of PDO cheeses:







—



the words ‘Denominación de Origen Protegida [Protected Designation of Origin] “Gamonéu”
                              ’;











—



the traditional term ‘del Puerto’ where applicable.






Explanation: these are proposed changes to the labelling requirements concerning the use of the traditional terms. This change does not alter the characteristics of the product but instead clarifies how the PDO and traditional term are to be used on labels.
5.8.   
Deletion of references to national legislation


Section I) National legislation has been deleted.
This deletion affects the following list of documents:






—


Vine and Wine Act (Act 24/2003 of 10 July 2003)










—


Vine, Wine and Alcohol Statute (Act 25/1970 of 2 December 1970)










—


Implementing Regulations for Act 25/1970 (Decree 835/1972 of 23 March 1972)










—


Order of 25 January 1994 specifying the equivalence between Spanish legislation and Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs










—


Royal Decree 1643/1999 of 22 October 1999 establishing the procedure for processing applications for listing on the Community register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications










—


Royal Decree 1679/1994 of 22 July 1994 (published in the Official State Gazette on 24 September 1994) laying down the health and hygiene requirements for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products










—


Royal Decree 402/1996 of 1 March 1996 (published in the Official State Gazette on 8 April 1996) amending Royal Decree 1679/1994 of 22 July 1994 laying down the health and hygiene requirements for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products










—


Order of 8 May 1987 (published in the Official State Gazette on 12 May 1987) amending the Order of 29 November 1985 approving the quality standards for cheese and processed cheese intended for the domestic market










—


Order of 20 May 1994 (published in the Official State Gazette on 26 May 1994) partially amending the Order of 29 November 1985 approving the quality standards for cheese and processed cheese intended for the domestic market





Explanation: it is proposed that Section I of the current product specification be deleted in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, and because of the repeal of the documents referred to.
5.9.   
Adaptation of the published summary (OJ C 236, 9.10.2007, p.13) to the single document


The table below shows how the different parts of the published summary correspond to the single document drawn up using the template from Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, together with a description and explanation of the changes made to the summary text when adapting it to the single document.







SUMMARY




SINGLE DOCUMENT






Point 1. Responsible department in the Member State

This point has been deleted, as it is not part of the single document under Annex I.


 





Point 2. Applicant group

This point has been deleted, as it is not part of the single document under Annex I.


 




 


The following has been inserted as point 2:

Point 2. Member State or Third Country: Spain





Point 3. Type of product




Point 3.1. Type of product – The class has not changed under Annex XI to Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, and is still Class 1.3 (Cheeses).





Point 4.1. Name




Point 1. Name(s) [of PDO or PGI] – An accent has been added to the letter ‘e’, so the name now reads ‘Gamonéu’.
The Spanish-language version ‘Gamonedo’ has been deleted because it is obsolete.





Point 4.2. Description




Point 3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies – The amendments presented in this application (milk types, breeds and physical characteristics) have been applied to the description of the product from point 4.2 of the summary.
The final paragraph on the use of the traditional term ‘Gamoneu’ del Valle / ‘Gamonedo’ del Valle has been deleted.
See text below (*1).




 


The following has been inserted as point 3.3:

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

See text below (*2).





Point 4.3. Geographical area




Point 4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The text has not changed.





Point 4.4. Proof of origin

This point has been deleted, as it is not part of the single document under Annex I.


 





Point 4.5. Method of production

This point has been deleted, as it is not part of the single document under Annex I.


 




 



Point 3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The text below (*3) has been inserted.




 



Point 3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

The text below (*4) has been inserted.





Point 4.6. Link




Point 5. Link with the geographical area

The text remains the same except for the change in the spelling of the name (‘Gamoneu’ to ‘Gamonéu’) and deletion of the Spanish-language version (‘Gamonedo’) and the deletion of the words ‘in its presence the cheese develops the bloom that lends it its characteristic colour and taste’.





Point 4.7. Control body

This point has been deleted, as it is not part of the single document under Annex I.


 





Point 4.8. Labelling




Point 3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The changes to the product specification described in the amendment application have been applied here, removing references to the traditional term del Valle. See text below (*5).











*1)




Summary text

Description: ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ cheese is a full-fat, natural-rind, matured and lightly smoked cheese with slight bluish-green Penicillium bloom near the edges, made from raw cow, sheep and goat milk, or from mixtures of two or all three of these types of milk.
The cheeses must have the following physical characteristics:






—


wheel-shaped with noticeably flat faces;










—


6 cm to 15 cm in height;










—


10 cm to 30 cm in diameter;










—


weighing 0,5 kg to 7 kg.




They have a thin natural rind formed during smoking, burnt sienna in colour with reddish, green and bluish highlights, with Penicillium bloom near the rind.
The cheeses must have the following chemical characteristics:






—


fat in dry matter: at least 45 %;










—


protein in dry matter: at least 25 %;










—


dry matter content: at least 55 %;










—


pH: between 4,5 and 6,5.




The cheese has the following sensory characteristics:






—


It has a clean, piercing smell with mild touches of smoke, which intensifies as the cheese matures. The predominant flavours are mildly smoky and slightly tangy, developing buttery notes in the mouth and leaving a lingering hazelnut aftertaste.










—


The paste is hard or semi-hard, firm and crumbly (flaking away easily when cut), and randomly dotted with small eyes.










—


Inside, the cheese is white or yellowish white in colour, with a slight bluish-green Penicillium bloom near the edges. The external colour is a distinctive feature: the smoking process gives it a burnt sienna hue, and the subsequent time spent in the cave or cellar causes fungi to form that can add reddish, greenish and bluish highlights.










—


There are mechanical openings in the body of the cheese.




The following traditional terms are permitted:






—



                                    ‘Gamoneu’ del Puerto / ‘Gamonedo’ del Puerto [of the mountain pass], made between June and September at small-scale cheesemaking facilities located in the highland territory of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís, on the plains and grasslands listed in the product specification. This cheese must be made using milk obtained from herds and flocks that graze the grasslands listed for this type, and a mixture of two or all three of the permitted milk types – i.e. cow, sheep and goat – must be used, always ensuring that sheep and/or goat milk makes up more than 10 % of the mix.










—



                                    ‘Gamoneu’ del Valle / ‘Gamonedo’ del Valle [of the valley]: made in the lowlands of the defined geographical area, falling within the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís. Production is not affected by seasonality because the livestock are raised semi-extensively, using a system that focuses heavily on grazing.





Single document text (amendments underlined)


                           ‘Gamonéu’ cheese is a full-fat, natural-rind, matured cheese made from raw cow, sheep or goat milk, or from a mixture of two or all three of these types of milk.
The cheeses must have the following physical characteristics:






—


wheel-shaped with noticeably flat faces;










—


6 cm to 18 cm in height;










—


10 cm to 35 cm in diameter;










—


weighing 0,5 kg to 10 kg.




The cheeses must have the following chemical characteristics:






—


fat in dry matter: at least 45 %;










—


protein in dry matter: at least 25 %;










—


dry matter content: at least 55 %;










—


pH: between 4,5 and 6,5.




The cheese has the following sensory characteristics:






—


It has a clean, piercing smell with mild touches of smoke, which intensifies as the cheese matures.










—


The predominant flavours are mildly smoky and slightly tangy, developing buttery notes in the mouth and leaving a lingering nutty aftertaste, perhaps of hazelnut.











—


The paste is hard or semi-hard, firm and crumbly (flaking away easily when cut), and randomly dotted with small eyes.










—


Inside, the cheese is white or yellowish white in colour, possibly with a slight bluish-green Penicillium bloom near the edges. The external colour is a distinctive feature: the smoking process gives it a burnt sienna hue, and the subsequent time spent in the cave causes fungi to form that can add reddish, greenish and bluish highlights.




The following traditional terms are permitted:






—



                                    ‘Gamonéu’ del Puerto [of the mountain pass], made in the summer at small-scale cheesemaking facilities located in the highland territory of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís, on the plains and grasslands listed in the product specification. This cheese must be made using milk obtained from herds and flocks that graze the grasslands listed for this type, and a mixture of two or all three of the permitted milk types – i.e. cow, sheep and goat – must be used, respecting the following requirements:







—



when cow milk is used, it must not make up more than 90 % of the mix;











—



when sheep milk is used, it must make up at least 5 % of the mix;











—



when goat milk is used, it must make up at least 5 % of the mix.




















* 2)




Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)


Feed


The diet fed to the livestock is based on year-round grazing, supplemented with home-grown forage in the form of freshly cut grass and hay.


While the animals’ diet must be sourced from the defined geographical area, supplementation with other animal feed is permitted for certain physiological conditions – such as lactation – or when a livestock holding has a shortage of home-grown forage, usually due to weather conditions. In order to ensure that the link is not affected, feed sourced from outside the defined geographical area must not, in any event, exceed 50 % of dry matter on an annual basis.


Raw materials



                              ‘Gamonéu’ cheese must be made from raw milk – cow, sheep or goat, or a mixture of two or three of these types – produced by livestock fed on the region’s natural resources in accordance with specific traditions linked to geographical and sociological factors that are unique to the local area.


Milk from the following species and breeds:







—



Cow: Frisona (Friesian), Asturiana de los Valles (Asturian Valley), Asturiana de la Montaña (Asturian Mountain), Parda (Brown), Parda de Montaña (Mountain Brown), Fleckvieh, Jersey and crosses of those breeds.











—



Sheep: Lacha (Lacho), Carranzana (Vasca Carranzana), Milchschaf (East Friesian), Assaf and crosses of those breeds.











—



Goat: Cabra Alpina (Alpine), Cabra Pirenaica (Pyrenean), Murciano-Granadina (Murcia-Granada), Saanen, Malagueña (Málaga), Florida (Florida Sevillana), Cabra del Guadarrama (Guadarrama), Bermeya and crosses of those breeds.






Moreover, the origin of the milk used for production must be authorised livestock holdings listed in the regulatory board’s holding register, and that milk must be obtained using suitable husbandry and milking practices.












*3)




Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area


All of the processes involved in making ‘Gamonéu’ – producing the milk and making (curdling, curd-cutting, moulding and salting), maturing and portioning the cheese – take place in the defined geographical area consisting of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís.












*4)




Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to


Portioning in the cheesemaking area:


The PDO product may be marketed in portions provided that they are packaged and their origin can be ascertained. To preserve the product and maintain its quality, this process must be carried out in the cheesemaking area by businesses that have accepted the established protocol and follow it. This ensures that ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheese is traceable and provides assurance regarding the relevant processes.












*5)




Summary text


                           ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’ PDO cheeses intended for the consumer market must be identified with a numbered label or certification label approved, controlled and supplied by the regulatory board in accordance with the rules found in the Quality Manual. As well as providing all the information required by the applicable legislation, the main and certification labels of PDO cheeses must state Denominación de Origen Protegida [Protected Designation of Origin] – ‘Gamoneu’/‘Gamonedo’”, along with the relevant traditional term, del Valle or del Puerto.
The logo approved by the regulatory board (shown below) must be displayed on the labelling used by all operators.

Single document text (amendments underlined)


                           ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheeses intended for the consumer market must have markings on the rind and be identified with the PDO product’s own logo and a numbered certification label controlled and supplied by the regulatory board.
The following must appear prominently on the labels of PDO cheeses:






—



the words ‘
                                       Denominación de Origen Protegida [Protected Designation of Origin] “Gamonéu”
                                       ’;











—


the traditional term del Puerto where applicable.





Logo of the protected designation of origin










SINGLE DOCUMENT


                     ‘GAMONÉU
                  ’
               

EU No: PDO-ES-0308-AM01 – 17.9.2021
                  


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]


               ‘Gamonéu’
            
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
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 the product to which the name in (1) applies


                  ‘Gamonéu’ cheese is a full-fat, natural-rind, matured cheese made from raw cow, sheep or goat milk, or from a mixture of two or all three of these types of milk.
The cheeses must have the following physical characteristics:






—


wheel-shaped with noticeably flat faces;










—


6 cm to 18 cm in height;










—


10 cm to 35 cm in diameter;










—


weighing 0,5 kg to 10 kg.




The cheeses must have the following chemical characteristics:






—


fat in dry matter: at least 45 %;










—


protein in dry matter: at least 25 %;










—


dry matter content: at least 55 %;










—


pH: between 4,5 and 6,5.




The cheese must have the following sensory characteristics:






—


It has a clean, piercing smell with mild touches of smoke, which intensifies as the cheese matures.










—


The predominant flavours are mildly smoky and slightly tangy, developing buttery notes in the mouth and leaving a lingering nutty aftertaste, perhaps of hazelnut.










—


The paste is hard or semi-hard, firm and crumbly (flaking away easily when cut), and randomly dotted with small eyes.










—


Inside, the cheese is white or yellowish white in colour, possibly with a slight bluish-green Penicillium bloom near the edges. The external colour is a distinctive feature: the smoking process gives it a burnt sienna hue, and the subsequent time spent in the cave causes fungi to form that can add reddish, greenish and bluish highlights.




The following traditional term is permitted:






—



del Puerto [of the mountain pass] for cheeses made in the summer at small-scale cheesemaking facilities located in the highland territory of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís, on the plains and grasslands listed in the product specification. This cheese must be made using milk obtained from herds and flocks that graze the grasslands listed for this type, and a mixture of two or all three of the permitted milk types must be used, respecting the following requirements:






—


when cow milk is used, it must not make up more than 90 % of the mix;










—


when sheep milk is used, it must make up at least 5 % of the mix;










—


when goat milk is used, it must make up at least 5 % of the mix.








3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

a)   Feed
The diet fed to the livestock is based on year-round grazing, supplemented with home-grown forage in the form of fresh cut grass and hay.
While the animals’ diet must be sourced from the defined geographical area, supplementation with other animal feed is permitted for certain physiological conditions – such as lactation – or when a livestock holding has a shortage of home-grown forage, usually due to weather conditions. In order to ensure that the link is not affected, feed sourced from outside the defined geographical area must not, in any event, exceed 50 % of dry matter on an annual basis.
b)   Raw materials

                     ‘Gamonéu’ cheese must be made from raw milk – cow, sheep or goat, or a mixture of two or three of these types – produced by livestock of the following species and breeds:






—


Cow: Frisona (Friesian), Asturiana de los Valles (Asturian Valley), Asturiana de la Montaña (Asturian Mountain), Parda (Brown), Parda de Montaña (Mountain Brown), Fleckvieh, Jersey and crosses of those breeds.










—


Sheep: Lacha (Lacho), Carranzana (Vasca Carranzana), Milchschaf (East Friesian), Assaf and crosses of those breeds.










—


Goat: Cabra Alpina (Alpine), Cabra Pirenaica (Pyrenean), Murciano-Granadina (Murcia-Granada), Saanen, Malagueña (Málaga), Florida (Florida Sevillana), Cabra del Guadarrama (Guadarrama), Bermeya and crosses of those breeds.




Moreover, the origin of the milk used for production must be authorised livestock holdings listed in the regulatory board’s holding register, and that milk must be obtained using suitable husbandry and milking practices.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All of the processes involved in making ‘Gamonéu’ – producing the milk and making (curdling, curd-cutting, moulding and salting), maturing and portioning the cheese – take place in the defined geographical area consisting of the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Portioning in the cheesemaking area:
The PDO product may be marketed in portions provided that they are packaged and their origin can be ascertained. To preserve the product and maintain its quality, this process must be carried out in the cheesemaking area by businesses that have accepted the established protocol and follow it. This ensures that ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheese is traceable and provides assurance regarding the relevant processes.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to


                  ‘Gamonéu’ PDO cheeses intended for the consumer market must have markings on the rind and be identified with the PDO product’s own logo and a numbered certification label controlled and supplied by the Regulatory Board.
The following must appear prominently on the labels of PDO cheeses:






—


the words ‘
                        Denominación de Origen Protegida [Protected Designation of Origin] “Gamonéu”
                        ’;










—


the traditional term del Puerto where applicable.




Logo of the protected designation of origin:





4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area comprises the municipal districts of Cangas de Onís and Onís in the Autonomous Community of Asturias.
These municipal districts are located in the eastern part of Asturias.
The milk is produced and the cheese is made and matured in the defined geographical area.
5.   Link with the geographical area


Historical link


                  ‘Gamonéu’ cheese is linked to preserving the area’s age-old tradition of extensive livestock farming. Its origins can be traced back at least as far as the 17th century, when it fed the ‘poor of the district’, according to a letter written to King Philip IV in 1641 on the subject of grazing pastureland.
Other historical documents (Madoz’s 18th-century Diccionario Geográfico [Geographical Dictionary]) contain several references to this cheese being a staple in the local people’s diet and to this being an area that specialised in livestock farming, where mixed flocks of sheep and herds of cattle and goats were raised by their owners, making use of the highland plains for summer grazing.
Because of these circumstances and because the area was quite cut off from markets, the herdsmen themselves began making the milk into cheese long ago.

Natural link

Cangas de Onís and Onís, both covering a large part of the Cornión, the western massif of the Picos de Europa. The most striking aspect of this mountain range is its abrupt topography, with elevations ranging from 80 metres above sea level in the central stretch of the River Sella to 2 648 metres above sea level at the Torre Cerredo peak. This highland terrain is characterised by predominant limestone, steep slopes and step-like geomorphologic formations that result in two distinct environments: one in the valleys and the other high in the mountain passes.
The valleys are dominated by wide, largely flat grasslands and smallholdings linked to human settlements. This is where the main population centres are located. The livestock’s food for the winter is provided by hay meadows, which can also be used to keep any animals that can be out-wintered some of the time.
The highest terrain, up in the mountain passes, is characterised by vertical rock faces, and a karst landscape, with a great many sinkholes, chasms, caves, lapiés formations and deep clefts. Plains of highly nutritious pastureland, interspersed between those rocky formations, are used to out-summer livestock from spring until the first autumn snowfall. Other landscape features that play a role in raising livestock are hillsides, crags and pockets of high-quality grassland nestled between crags – known locally as xerros.
The region has a maritime climate, with plentiful rainfall throughout the year, moderate sunshine and substantial cloud cover. Precipitation ranges between 2 000 mm in the highest areas, some of it in the form of snow, and 1 200 mm lower down. The highlands also experience frequent heavy fog in the summer.
Temperatures are mild year-round in the valleys, where they average 12 °C, and in the highland area, where they average 3 oC.
Limestone and quartzite rocks – seasoned by erosion, weather and plant life in the valleys – have a dominant influence on the region’s soils.
The climate, topography and geology lend this area a set of unique characteristics which have a direct influence on grassland type and quality. Its pastures are particularly suitable for grazing by cattle, sheep and goats, which then go on to produce the milk that will be made into ‘Gamonéu’ cheese. The plant most commonly found on those grasslands is Festuca burnatii, a perennial grass native to the Cantabria area which grows in mountain-top pastureland. In the depressions and spaces created by breaks of slope, where the snow lies until the end of spring, we find matgrass (Nardus stricta), a hardy grass that can thrive in many different environments, as well as other grass (Phleum alpinum, Festuca iberica, Festuca picoeuropeana) and legume (Trifolium thalii Vill.) species.
The cheese also gets some of its stand-out features from the smoking and maturing processes, the latter involving only the fungi and yeast that are naturally found in the affinage environment, most importantly Penicillium.

Human link

The fact that this area, then known as the ‘Montaña de Covadonga’ park, was the first in Spain to be declared a national park back in 1918 – a national pioneer in the field of environmental protection – makes it clear that this is an ecosystem with unique environmental characteristics.
The herdsmen of these mountains are universally recognised as playing a decisive role in shaping and protecting the local environment. ‘Gamonéu’ cheese came into existence as a result of those traditional practices of living off the land, since cheesemaking was the only economically viable option for making the most of the region’s livestock resources.
The methods and conditions described in the section on the method of production have been developed from a desire to adapt the ancient traditions to the modern world without making concessions that could lead to the loss of the product’s identity and the way of life that has grown up around it.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.asturias.es/documents/217090/555882/Queso+Gamoneu.+Pliego+de+condiciones+sin+control+de+cambios.pdf/4802241a-a982-144c-5ca3-4596354f3e71?t=1648806575216


(1)  
            OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/674/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)