Publication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication in the sector of agricultural products and foodstuffs, as referred to in Article 6b(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014
Date: 2025-03-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Campania, Italy, bioprocess, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, sea fish




C_202501613EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/1613


12.3.2025






Publication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication in the sector of agricultural products and foodstuffs, as referred to in Article 6b(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014
(C/2025/1613)

This communication is published in accordance with Article 6b(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).
COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION ORIGINATING IN A MEMBER STATE


                     ‘Colatura di alici di Cetara’
                  


EU No: PDO-IT-02440-AM01 — 7 January 2025
                  


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name of product


               ‘Colatura di alici di Cetara’
            
2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

Italy
3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry - Department for Food Sovereignty and Equestrian Sports
4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)


Explanation of why the amendment(s) fall under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) No 2024/1143

The amendments to the specification for the ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ PDO:
do not amend the name of the protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication or the use of that name;
do not risk voiding the link referred to in Article 5(1), point (b), for protected designations of origin, or the link referred to in Article 5(2), point (b), for protected geographical indications; and
do not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.

Amendment to Article 2

Amendment
The amendment concerns Article 2 of the product specification and point 3.2 of the single document.
The part of the table containing the reference values
FAT From 0,1 to 3 g per 100 g of product
has been revised as follows:
FAT From 0 to 3 g per 100 g of product
Description: The value for fat in the finished product has been changed. A value of 0 is now also allowed.
Reason: The minimum fat limit has been changed from 0,1 g/100 g of product to zero after observing fat values of the anchovies caught in the PDO production area, but this change has no impact and does not change the characteristics of the Colatura di Alici di Cetara PDO.
The amendment affects the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT


                     ‘Colatura di alici di Cetara’
                  


EU No: PDO-IT-02440-AM01 — 7 January 2025
                  


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) (of PDO or PGI)


               ‘Colatura di alici di Cetara’
            
2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Combined Nomenclature code







—


03 - FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES










—


16 - PREPARATIONS OF MEAT, OF FISH, OF CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS OR OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES, OR OF INSECTS




3.2.   Description of product to which the name in (1) applies


                  ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ [anchovy drippings] is a liquid product obtained by fermenting anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) in salt. When released for consumption, it must have the following characteristics: clarity: clear and bright; colour: amber, tending towards brown-mahogany; aroma: long-lasting, intense, recalling the scent of anchovies in salt, fresh anchovies and a salty sea smell; taste: umami, strong and very flavoursome, due to the use of anchovies and salt as raw materials.

                  ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ is a high-protein extract made up of free amino acids that can be immediately absorbed by the body. The fat content is the result of the cell disruption process that occurs as the anchovies ferment, in close contact with the sea salt, inside the wooden barrels and terzigni [small barrels].
The table below shows the reference values for Colatura di Alici di Cetara at the end of the salting-fermenting process.






Parameter


Reference value




SALT


≥ 20 g per 100 g of product




PROTEIN


≥ 8 g per 100 g of product




FAT


From 0 to 3 g per 100 g of product




pH


From 5 to 7




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

Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) caught in the area of the sea off the coast of the province of Salerno; medium or large grain sea salt.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The anchovies are caught in the area of the sea off the coast of the province of Salerno, at a maximum distance of 12 miles from the coast. The stages of processing, fermenting, ageing and dripping the Colatura di Alici di Cetara PDO take place at processing sites in the specific area defined in point 4 below. The ageing and dripping operations may also be carried out at catering businesses but only those based in the municipality of Cetara.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to


                  ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ PDO must be sold in clear transparent glass containers with a capacity of between a minimum of 50 ml and a maximum of 1 000 ml.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The label to be affixed to the glass containers should bear the wording ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ DOP [PDO], printed in clear, indelible lettering which is clearly distinguishable from any other wording on the label. The label must also include the following: (a) the logo of the PDO; (b) the European Union symbol; (c) the characteristics of the container: terzigno [small barrel] or barrel.
If the product is aged, the word ‘
                  invecchiata
                  ’ [‘aged’] may be used on the label, followed by the number of months/years of ageing.
The logo of the ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ PDO contains four stylised elements: a terzigno, an outline of the tower of Cetara within it, an anchovy in the foreground and finally a drop of anchovy drippings.





4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The fishing area comprises the area of the sea off the coast of the province of Salerno, at a varying distance from the coast depending on the fishing depth (bathymetry between 50 and 200 m), with a maximum distance of 12 miles. All stages of preparation, processing, ageing and dripping must take place exclusively in the municipalities of the province of Salerno.
5.   Link with the geographical area

Because of its aroma and taste characteristics, ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ is used as a natural seasoning and sauce for pasta and other dishes, whether simple or more complex.
The aroma is of anchovies in salt, with the smell of the sea, and is long-lasting and intense. The taste is strong and very flavoursome.
The aroma and taste characteristics of ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ derive from the specific conditions in the fishing area off the coast of the province of Salerno as well as the skill involved in preparing the anchovies and preparing the traditional containers in which the fermentation phase takes place.
The physical characteristics of the production area are very unusual: in the north, it is bounded by the Lattari mountain range, which forms the backbone of the Amalfi and Sorrento coast, with a significant range of altitudes (from sea level to more than 1 400 metres above sea level), and to the south it ends with the Cilento coast, with similar characteristics. Furthermore, the great variability of the marine area helps to create specific environmental conditions in which the targeted fish species develop: there are some very deep sea areas within just a few miles of the coast, meaning that anchovy fishing in the area is carried out at up to a maximum distance of 12 miles from the coast, at an average depth of around 200 m. High salinity levels of approximately 38 parts per thousand are found in this sea area, with lower growth of the plant component that is phytoplankton. Because of this, the anchovies grow less, and more slowly, and therefore have low levels of fat, a factor that makes the anchovies kept in salt and the drippings which emerge from the prolonged salting process more palatable. The low fat content reduces the risk of chemical reactions that may cause the product to become rancid during the fermentation period of the anchovies in salt.
Anchovy fishing has traditionally been carried out in many coastal locations in the province of Salerno, leading to the development of a distinctive and widespread skill in preparing and salting the anchovies, first within the families of the fishermen and then through the establishment of small workshops followed by medium-sized industrial undertakings. ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’, even when produced in medium-sized undertakings, continues to be made with great craftsmanship, due to the skill of the local workers.
One of the main skills is the ability of the workers in the area, predominantly women, to behead and gut the anchovies quickly and faultlessly. This is done exclusively by hand in order to ensure complete removal of the head and guts, the absence of which has a positive effect on the quality and the aroma and taste characteristics of ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ as it prevents the development of any bitter notes.
These activities are carried out immediately after the anchovies are caught so as to avoid freezing or long hours of storage in the refrigerator, which would cause the quality of the raw material to decline.
Moreover, the skill of the workers in preparing the traditional wooden containers for salting the anchovies is also important. This is done exclusively by hand, with the anchovies and sea salt being arranged in alternate layers. Once all the layers have been arranged, a cover is placed on the container and weights are then applied to the cover to ensure that enough pressure is applied.
It is necessary to fill the container correctly and to place the anchovies in an orderly fashion, making sure that they are close to each other in the individual layers and completely covered by the salt, in order to avoid the risk of deterioration due to unwelcome oxidative processes caused by the presence of oxygen pockets; these conditions are important as it is within this container that the ‘Colatura di Alici di Cetara’ originates and where it develops, during the fermentation phase of the anchovies in salt, its organoleptic characteristics of aroma and taste.
For centuries, the Colatura di Alici di Cetara was not widely available and was found exclusively in the area of the Amalfi coast, in particular in Cetara, where, according to a well-established tradition, it forms the basis of Christmas Eve festivities where it is served with spaghetti or linguine pasta.
The attention of the media has helped to increase awareness of the product.
The product started to be marketed in the second half of the 1980s, first locally and then on a larger scale.
Colatura di Alici di Cetara is a highly appreciated gastronomic product throughout Italy and, in many cases, has crossed the national borders as a distinctive ingredient from the local cuisine of the Amalfi coast and of Cetara in particular.

Reference to publication of the specification


https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/gu/2024/11/25/276/sg/pdf



(1)  
            OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/1613/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)