Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27
Date: 2025-07-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Castile-Leon, Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, meat product, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_202503571EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/3571


3.7.2025






Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 (1)

(C/2025/3571)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)



                     ‘Morcilla de Burgos’
                  


PGI-ES-01282-AM01 – 4.4.2025
                  

1.   Name of product


               ‘Morcilla de Burgos’
            
2.   Geographical indication type

☐ protected designation of origin (PDO)
☒ protected geographical indication (PGI)
☐ geographical indication (GI)
3.   Sector

☒ Agricultural products
☐ Wines
☐ Spirit drinks
4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Spain
5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León [Castile and Leon Institute of Agricultural Technology] (ITACYL)
6.   Qualification as standard amendment


Explanation of why the amendment(s) fall under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143

This is a ‘standard amendment’, as provided for in Article 24(3) and (4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024, as the changes made do not include a change in the name of the protected geographical indication or its use, do not risk voiding the link and do not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.
7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)

1.   Changes to the proportions of the product made up of particular ingredients

Amendments to the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
The proportions of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ represented by the particular ingredients have been adjusted as follows:






—


onions of the ‘Horcal’ variety: from ‘Over 35 %’ to ‘Over 30 %’;










—


rice: from ‘15 % to 30 %’ to ‘10 % to 40 %’;










—


blood: from ‘Over 12 %’ to ‘Over 9 %’;










—


lard or tallow: from ‘10 % to 22 %’ to ‘10 % to 25 %’.




To increase the percentage of fat in the recipe and thereby adapt the characteristics of the product to the forms of presentation demanded by the market, this parameter has been adjusted slightly, entailing an accompanying adjustment of the percentages represented by the other ingredients in the recipe. These do not change substantially, nor do they entail any changes to the organoleptic characteristics laid down in the product specification.
The amendment affects the single document.
2.   Change to the diameter, length and external colour of the blood sausage

Amendments to the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
The maximum diameter of the blood sausage has been increased to 150 mm, owing to the fact that the natural casing, pig intestine, is irregular and displays considerable variability in terms of form and diameter. In the current product specification, the diameter of the product is listed as varying between 30 mm and 100 mm. Much of the data obtained in the study carried out fell within these limits; nevertheless, some cuts of the blood sausage had a diameter of more than 140 mm. The range of lengths of the blood sausage has also been expanded slightly to adapt to market demand. With regard to this point, it has been proven that an increase in the diameter of the product and changes to its length have no effect on the product’s other characteristics as laid down in the product specification.
Likewise, its irregular form does not fit well with the definition of a cylinder; for this reason, this description has been removed from the product specification, which now reads as follows:
When finished, the ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ has a shape that depends on the shape of the natural or artificial casing used, is between 30 mm and 150 mm in diameter and varies in length between 100 mm and 400 mm.
The description of the product’s external characteristics has been changed to include a wider range of outer colours since, in the case of blood sausages stuffed into natural casings, the colour can be a lot paler, extending all the way to pale off-white, yellowish and/or greyish tones.
Its outer colour varies from brown to dark brown, almost black, possibly with pale off-white, yellowish and/or greyish tones. ‘Morcilla de Burgos is not split, there are no tears in the natural or artificial casing, nor is there any visible mould. The sausage is firm and compact to the touch.
The amendment affects the single document.
3.   Change of pH

Amendments to part (e) ‘Physico-chemical parameters of the final product’ of the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
The lower limit of the pH range has been reduced by a few tenths from 6 to 5,8. The reason for this amendment is the influence the ‘Horcal’ variety of onion has on this value. According to the literature, a higher proportion of onion of the ‘Horcal’ variety among the ingredients correlates with lower pH values; hence blood sausages with a higher proportion of onion of the ‘Horcal’ variety among the ingredients tend to have a lower pH. Therefore blood sausages made from a higher proportion of onion may have a pH of less than 6.
The amendment affects the single document.
4.   Change to the moisture content

Amendments to part (e) ‘Physico-chemical parameters of the final product’ of the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
The current range of moisture content of 54-67 % has been amended by rounding off the values to 50-70 %; these depend to a large extent on the percentage of onion in the recipe, which can increase or decrease the moisture content of the final product.
The amendment affects the single document.
5.   Change to the fat content

Amendments to part (e) ‘Physico-chemical parameters of the final product’ of the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
The percentage of fat in the composition of the final product has been amended. It has been changed from 15-25 % in dry matter to 15-40 %. The form in which the fat is incorporated into the product (rendered fat or chunks of fresh fat), the variability among the various accredited laboratories of the uncertainty associated with the analytical method and the slight increase in the percentage of fat in the recipe (10-25 %) means that the percentage range of fat in the final product must be wider than that currently laid down.
The study carried out found that blood sausages made using the recipe currently set out in the product specification (with a fat content of 10 % to 22 %) can attain a fat content (expressed in terms of dry matter) of 15-40 %. In addition, a slight (3 %) increase in fat from the current 22 % to 25 % favours a proportion of fat in the final product approaching 40 %, as proposed in the current application for amendment. The study in question also confirms that the quality of the final product is not affected.
The amendment affects the single document.
6.   Change to total sugar and fibre content

Amendments to part (e) ‘Physico-chemical parameters of the final product’ of the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
As a consequence of the change in the minimum onion content from 35 % to 30 %, the minimum values for sugar and fibre have been slightly reduced. This is justified by the fact that the percentage of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ consisting of onion has a direct influence on total sugars and total dietary fibre (TDF): the lower the percentage of onion employed, the lower the sugar and fibre content in the final product. Furthermore, according to the literature, the quality of the onion diminishes while in refrigerated storage, with an accompanying reduction in total sugar content. This fact gives reason to readjust the sugar content downwards, in view of the reduction in sugar content that can occur during storage in comparison with the sugar content at the beginning of each onion season.
The amendment affects the single document.
7.   Change to the way the product is presented

Amendments to part (e) ‘Physico-chemical parameters of the final product’ of the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification and Section 3.2 of the single document.
The way in which the product is presented has been updated by removing the description of ‘slices’ to bring the text into line the terminology usually used for this type of product and retaining the ‘portions’ format. The wording has also been clarified with regard to the obligation to package the product in portions and the possibility of presenting the product without a casing solely in this particular format.
The amendment affects the single document.
8.   Change to the method of production

Amendment of the “Method of production” section of the product specification and Sections 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 of the single document.






—


Raw materials




The following amendments have been introduced concerning the raw materials used in the making of “Morcilla de Burgos’:
Rice
In subsection (b), in addition to the ‘Extra’ class, the ‘Primera’ [Class I] class has been included as usable in the making of the blood sausage. The descriptive phrase ‘short-grained’ has been removed, since the authorised varieties are also defined as ‘short-grain’, ‘medium-grain’ and ‘round’; furthermore, each variety has its own distinct characteristics.
Lard or tallow
In subsection (c), the words”... below 4 °C’ have been removed, since the maximum refrigeration temperature for this raw material is already governed by the existing health regulations.
Casing
In the product specification, the word ‘casing’ has been replaced by ‘natural or artificial casing’ in all subsections in which it appears.
The designation ‘casing’ (tripa), which in the previous regulation (the Order of 7 February 1980) was used to denote both the natural and artificial casing, has been adapted to the legislation in force (Royal Decree 474/2014 of 13 June 2014), which distinguishes between the natural casing (tripa natural) and the artificial casing (envoltura artificial).






—


The making of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’
                     




The maximum cooking temperature has been changed from 90 °C to 85 °C.
The heat treatment applied may vary between different producers in terms of the combination of times and temperatures; it is acceptable from a health and product quality point of view to cook at a slightly lower temperature and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
The amendment affects the single document.
9.   Change to the wording of the section on ‘Labelling’
                           

Amendment of the ‘Labelling’ section of the product specification and Section 3.6 of the single document.
The requirement to include the EU PGI symbol has been added to the wording required on the labelling. The wording of this section has been made clearer.
The amendment affects the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT


                     ‘Morcilla de Burgos’
                  


EU No: PGI-ES-01282-AM01 – 4.4.2025
                  


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) (of PDO or PGI)


               ‘Morcilla de Burgos’
            
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Combined Nomenclature code







—


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

                        1601 – Sausages and similar products of meat, meat offal, blood or insects; food preparations based on these products










—


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

                        1601 – Sausages and similar products of meat, meat offal, blood or insects; food preparations based on these products

                        1601 00 99  – Other




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


                  ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ is a meat product obtained by stuffing a sausage and then cooking it. It is made from the following basic ingredients: onion of the ‘Horcal’ variety, lard or tallow, rice, blood, spices and salt.
The following ingredients make up the following proportions of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’:






—


onions of the ‘Horcal’ variety: Over 30 %










—


rice: 10 % to 40 % - blood: Over 9 %










—


lard or tallow: 10 % to 25 %




When finished, ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ has the following morphological and organoleptic characteristics:
(a)   Shape and external appearance
When finished, the ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ has a shape that depends on the shape of the natural or artificial casing used, is between 30 mm and 150 mm in diameter and varies between 100 mm and 400 mm in length. The ends are stapled or tied shut; in the latter case enough thread is left to hang it up to air.
Its outer colour varies from brown to dark brown, almost black, possibly with pale off-white, yellowish and/or greyish tones. The ‘Morcilla de Burgos is not split, there are no tears in the natural or artificial casing, nor is there any visible mould. The sausage is firm and compact to the touch.
(b)   Colour and appearance when cut
When cut, the predominant aspects of the sausage’s appearance are white flecks owing to the presence of rice, and the even distribution of the ingredients. Occasionally, small pieces of lard can be seen. The colour of the binder depends on permitted variations in its composition, although the basic colour is various shades of brown in all cases.
(c)   Texture
The sausage has a crumbly texture in the mouth, with the noticeable presence of onion and whole grains of rice, which should not be tough. It has a slightly fatty feel.
(d)   Aroma and flavour
The aromas and flavours of onion and the various spices should be perceptible.
(e)   Physico-chemical parameters of the final product






—


Tel. 5,8–7










—


Moisture content: 50–70 %










—


Fat: between 15 % and 40 % in dry matter;










—


Total sugars: ≥ 2,7 % in dry matter;










—


Fibre: ≥ 2,4 % in dry matter;










—


Salt content: 0,5–2 %





                     ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ may be presented for sale whole or in portions. The portions may be sold with or without a natural or artificial casing, as long as they are packaged.
3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

No requirements are indicated.
The ‘Horcal’ variety of onion (Allium cepa L). This is an indigenous variety of onion with the following characteristics: flattened spherical in shape, diameter of at least 80 mm, weight greater than 100 g, brown skin and the flesh varying from white to light greenish-yellow in colour.
The rice is dry, whole-grained, of Japanese varieties such as ‘Bahía’ or ‘Bomba’, belongs to the ‘Extra’ or ‘Primera’ [Class I] class and is stored in hygienic conditions. It may be pre-cooked.
It contains lard or tallow. It is stored frozen or refrigerated.
Sheep’s, cow’s or pig’s blood.
Salt (table salt).
Spices: The essential spice is black pepper. The use of paprika, oregano, cumin, cloves, garlic, cinnamon, caraway, parsley and aniseed is optional. These are kept, appropriately stored, in a dry environment until used.
Natural or artificial casing. Clean, well-conserved and in good condition.






—


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




All stages in the preparation and production of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ must take place in the area, including the following:






—


preparation of the lard or tallow and the onion;










—


mixing of the ingredients;










—


stuffing of the natural or artificial casing;










—


cooking and airing of the blood sausages.




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

Slicing into portions must take place in the defined geographical area, because the portioning must take place immediately prior to cooling in order to prevent the cuts of blood sausage from changing shape and the formation of non-uniform portions.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

All cuts and/or packages containing ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ released for consumption must bear a seal of guarantee containing, as a minimum, the logo of the designation including the terms ‘Indicación Geográfica Protegida’ [protected geographical indication] and ‘Morcilla de Burgos’, the EU symbol for protected geographical indication and the identification number. The seal must be affixed in such a way that it cannot be re-used.
The logo of the ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ protected geographical indication is as follows:





4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area covers the province of Burgos in its entirety.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The reputation of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ is one of the pieces of evidence for a link between the geographical area and the product.
There is little in the way of written information on ‘Morcilla de Burgos’, as for many centuries farmyard slaughter of pigs and the production of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ took place within the family, and various recipes for making it were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. From the second half of the 20th century onwards, regional cooking made a comeback, and a considerable number of books on gastronomy were published making mention of this fact and aimed at reviving or drawing attention to these gastronomic treasures.
For centuries, pigs were slaughtered in Burgos in winter. This was a deeply rooted family tradition, practised on a small scale. The products from slaughtering the pigs included fresh meat and tasty sausages, which helped feed the entire family for the rest of the year. The ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ was noteworthy in that it incorporated the blood, fat and intestines of the pigs.
The first written reference to ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ dates from 1928, when the renowned Spanish veterinary surgeon of the early 20th century, Cesáreo Sanz Egaña, refers to ‘a minced blood sausage made in the villages of [the province of] Burgos, characteristically containing a high proportion of onion, as well as rice, blood, fat and spices such as pepper, paprika and aniseed’. The fact that Sanz Egaña mentions this product in a technical manual shows that the product had already acquired well-deserved fame and prestige by that time. ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ originated some time after rice appeared in the Burgos region. In the 15th century, owing to its strategic location within Spain, Burgos became one of the most active centres of trade, which facilitated the arrival of rice from Valencia. It is believed that rice was incorporated into ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ in response to the need to increase production, extend its shelf life, and make it firmer and smoother on the palate.
The Burgos Municipal Archives holds the first application for an authorisation to sell ‘Morcilla de Burgos’, dating from 1908. The number of these applications increased from the 1950s and 60s onwards.
It was in the second half of the 20th century, as a result of the improvement in the transport of goods and a major migration of the rural population to industrial areas, that ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ crossed the boundaries of the province and its fame spread throughout Spain. Mention of “Morcilla de Burgos’ became more frequent, particularly in tourist guides and cookbooks, thus confirming it as one of the province’s typical specialities. These publications included:






—



Enciclopedia de la carne: producción, comercio, industria, higiene [Encyclopaedia of meat: production, commerce, industry, hygiene]. Ed. EspasaCalpe. Madrid. Sanz Egaña, C., 1948.










—



El trasfondo antropológico de la cocina castellano-leonesa [Anthropological background to the cuisine of Castile and Leon]. Libro de Gastronomía de Castilla y León. Ministry of Education and Culture, Government of the Autonomous Community of Castile and Leon. Valladolid. Jiménez Lozano, 1987.










—



Embutidos (Alimentos de España) [Cured sausages (Foods of Spain)]. El País Aguilar. Madrid. Arrate, B., 1992.










—



Cocina y gastronomía de Castilla y León [Food and gastronomy of Castile and Leon]. Ediciones Pirámide. Madrid. Fernández de Alperi, S.1995.










—



Libro práctico de la chacinería en casa [Practical manual for sausage-making at home]. Ediciones Altosa. Madrid. Díaz, R., 1999.










—



Cocina Burgalesa Actual. Cocineros, Restaurantes y Artistas de Burgos 2011-2012 [Contemporary Burgos cuisine – chefs, restaurants and artisans of Burgos, 2011-2012]. Javier Cano Hernán. Revista Siburita, 2011.




It is worth highlighting what Díaz Yubero (1998) says about this product in his work Sabores de España [Flavours of Spain]:”...the blood sausage is a humble yet incredibly flavourful sausage. The best blood sausages in Spain are made in Burgos, from pig’s blood’.
The making of ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ is associated historically with the farmyard slaughter of pigs. In the 20th century, ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ began to be made in industrial kitchens and factories using traditional methods and following recipes passed down from generation to generation. This did not lead to a decline in quality; in fact, the opposite occurred, as the product was made subject to cleanliness and hygiene checks, ensuring optimum conditions for its consumption. Thanks to mechanisation of the sausage-making process, the blood is supplied by authorised slaughterhouses.
Most slaughterhouses in the province of Burgos handle several different types of slaughter animals and the blood of the various animals is not kept separate, so ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ can be made using pig’s, sheep’s or cow’s blood while safeguarding the end quality of the product at all times.

               ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ displays specific qualities distinguishing it from blood sausages produced in other parts of Spain. These qualities result from using the ‘Horcal’ variety of onion. According to the oral tradition concerning the slaughter of the animal, which is passed on from one generation to the next and persists in many villages even to this day, the best onion for making the blood sausage is the regional variety known as ‘Horcal’, also referred to as matancera (‘slaughterer’) or de matanza (‘of the slaughter’) because of its close association with that activity, given that it is harvested in autumn and at the beginning of winter, which coincides with slaughtering time. This onion has traditionally been grown in the valleys of the main rivers crossing the province of Burgos: the Pisuerga, the Arlanzón, the Arlanza and the Duero, and in more isolated areas in the Ebro basin.
This type of onion was described by José López y Camuñas (1854) and Sanz Egaña (1948, 1949) in relation to the production of the blood sausage. According to José López y Camuñas, author of numerous recipe books of the time, in order to make a blood sausage using the onions, ‘some sweet Horcal onions are chopped up, put on a piece of pale linen and left to stand overnight; shortly before making the blood sausages, take an onion from the cloth without touching it and put it in water to boil with some salt, and after taking it out, leave it to drain for a while’.
This type of onion is used in ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ because it is a sweet onion which is easy to chop up and because of its high fibre and water content (almost 92 %) and high water-holding capacity. In addition, being white, this onion is less strikingly visible in the finished product than other types of onion.
The proportion of ‘Horcal’ onion in ‘Morcilla de Burgos’ has a direct influence on three of the physico-chemical aspects of the product – pH, total sugars and total dietary fibre (TDF) – and furthermore influences the number and intensity of volatile compounds, particularly sulphur compounds, it contains, which give it its particular aroma and spicy taste, enabling it to be distinguished from other blood sausages made in Spain with rice.’
            

Reference to publication of the product specification


http://www.itacyl.es/opencms_wf/opencms/informacion_al_ciudadano/calidad_alimentaria/4_condiciones_DOP/index.html



(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3571/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)