Publication of an application for registration of a geographical indication pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2026-07-20
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Italy, Molise, consumer information, cows’ milk cheese, designation of origin, fresh cheese, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_202603908EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/3908


20.7.2026






Publication of an application for registration of a geographical indication pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(C/2026/3908)

Within three months from the date of this publication, the authorities of a Member State or of a third country, or a natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in a third country, may lodge, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) an opposition with the Commission.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products


‘Fior di latte molisano’


EU No: PDO-IT-03355 – 7.10.2024
                  

1.   Name(s)

‘Fior di latte molisano’
2.   Geographical indication type

PDO ☒ PGI ☐
3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Italy
4.   Description of the agricultural product

4.1.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143

04 – DAIRY PRODUCE; BIRDS’ EGGS; NATURAL HONEY; EDIBLE PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN, NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDED

                  0406  – Cheese and curd
4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies

‘Fior di latte molisano’ is a fresh stretched-curd cheese made using only raw cow’s milk, which may be thermised or pasteurised. The production method is based on the use of selected lactic acid bacteria.
When released for consumption, ‘Fior di latte molisano’ has the following characteristics:






lactose:


< 1 %;




moisture:


between 55 % and 70 %;




fat content:


not less than 36 % of the dry matter;




external appearance:


no rind, milky-white in colour, with a soft skin and a homogenous, smooth and shiny surface;




paste:


milky-white in colour with a soft, moist fibrous structure and fine layers; soft in consistency with slight elasticity that is more accentuated at first; when cut or gently pressed it releases a milky homogeneous liquid; it has no marks or veins; on cutting, small bubbles of buttermilk are permitted but these must not be caused by gaseous fermentation;




taste:


fresh, milky taste that is mild and slightly acidic, with a delicate aroma and an aftertaste of grass and hay;




aroma:


fragrant, reminiscent of slightly soured milk;




shape:


regular, rounded shape, including when the cheese has a ‘head’ (known as a ‘testina’). The use of knotted and plaited shapes is permitted;




weight:


from a minimum of 10 grams to a maximum of 1 000  grams for the round shape and up to a maximum of 3 kg (3 000  g) for the plaited and knotted shapes.




Lactose-free ‘Fior di latte molisano’ may also be produced. It has the same physical, chemical (except for the lactose content) and organoleptic characteristics as the original lactose-containing product.
4.3.   Derogations on sourcing of feed (for products of animal origin designated by a Protected Designation of Origin only) and restrictions on sourcing of raw materials (for processed products designated by a Protected Geographical Indication only)

At least 60 % of the total dry matter fed to the cows producing the milk used in ‘Fior di latte molisano’ must be grass and/or hay from meadows offering a wide variety of vegetation. The cows’ diet may also include cereal-based concentrates (maize, barley, wheat, oats), legumes (soya, broad beans, field beans, field peas), meal or flakes, which may also be administered as complementary feed. Cereal processing by-products, such as common wheat bran and middlings and durum wheat middlings, can also be used. These foodstuffs must not exceed 40 % of dry matter annually. Mineral and vitamin complexes may be used as supplements.
Fodder made from grass crops (wheat, fodder sorghum, permanent pasture grasses, lucerne and the like) may also be used, where the silaging process is monitored and a controlled fermentation technique used to ensure the fodder is free of mould and to prevent any abnormal or unwanted changes during fermentation.
The dairy cows must not be given feed that could transfer abnormal aromas and flavours to the milk such that its chemical, physical and organoleptic characteristics would be altered. The cows must not be fed foodstuffs that are sources of contamination or in poor condition.
To avoid compromising the quality characteristics conferred on ‘Fior di latte molisano’ by its link with the local area, at least 60 % of the products used to feed the cows must come from the identified geographical area. This percentage requirement is met through the use of fodder (grass/hay from meadows offering a wide variety of vegetation) produced in the identified geographical area and represents the proportion of digestible fibre in the cows’ diet.
Complementary feed, on the other hand, comes almost exclusively from outside the identified geographical area. This is because the territory of the Molise region, which covers an area of 4 438 km2, is predominantly mountainous and historically has been considered unsuitable for growing cereal crops such as maize, something which will not change in the future. This makes it necessary to allow the use of concentrates and complementary feed from outside the area, since they cannot be produced in the identified area. These are necessary components of the cows’ diet as they make a vital contribution to providing the energy and amino acids that the rumen microbiome needs for metabolism, and are quickly broken down and dissolved in the rumen. They have a grain size smaller than 0,8 cm — i.e. incapable of stimulating ruminal contractions — and provide energy (mainly from reserve carbohydrates such as starch) and readily available protein for metabolism by the rumen microbiome. As a result, their role is to support the microbiome but they have no direct influence on milk quality or the quality of ‘Fior di latte molisano’.
The milk used to make ‘Fior di latte molisano’ comes from cattle reared on livestock farms located in the identified geographical area and belonging to the Frisona (Friesian), Jersey, Pezzata Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Pied), Bruna Alpina (Brown Swiss) and Podolica breeds and crosses thereof, these being breeds that are particularly suited to milk production and known to be hardy. Only whole milk from one or more consecutive milkings can be used to produce ‘Fior di latte molisano’ cheese. The milk arrives at the production facility in its raw state and with the following characteristics: minimum fat content of 3,5 % and minimum protein content of 3,2 %, calculated using pooled milk (monthly geometric average of two chemical analyses carried out by an accredited laboratory).
4.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The milk production and processing area for ‘Fior di latte molisano’ comprises the entire administrative territory of the region of Molise.
4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

‘Fior di latte molisano’ must be packaged in protective wrapping and marketed in packages of various weights and/or in individual portions, immersed in preservative liquid comprising water, possibly with added salt (natural salt only – sodium chloride).
‘Fior di latte molisano’ must be packaged on the premises where it is made within the identified geographical area, as it is a fresh product that tends to deteriorate rapidly.
4.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the agricultural product the registered name refers to









1.


When the product is released to market, the packaging of ‘Fior di latte molisano’ must bear the logo (indicating whether raw milk or thermised/pasteurised milk has been used).












2.


The logo consists of a design in the form of a droplet of milk. The tip represents the mountains and inside the lower part of the droplet there are semi-circular geometric lines (hills) in colours representing the Italian flag. The upper part of the design features a crown at its centre to signify that ‘Fior di latte’ is the king of fresh cheeses. The words ‘Fior di latte molisano’ D.O.P. appear at the bottom of the logo.

















3.


The logo described above must never be smaller than 15 mm along its base and must be positioned on the packaging in accordance with food labelling rules to ensure that it is sufficiently legible and recognisable. The packaging of single wrapped portions must bear the logo in line with the minimum size requirement set out above.




5.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The milk production and processing area for ‘Fior di latte molisano’ comprises the entire administrative territory of the region of Molise.
6.   Link with the geographical area

Many factors determine the link with the area and the environment in which ‘Fior di latte molisano’ is produced, including the distinctive character of the milk, which features specific aromas and flavours on account of the cows’ diet of local forage crops typical of the area. While the soil and climate of the Molise region are structurally complex, they present unique features for agriculture and livestock farming owing to the influences typical of the Mediterranean climate, determining which crops are grown there and how the animals live. As a result, milk production is mainly affected by local factors, setting it apart from other areas.
Geographically speaking, the territory of Molise, as covered by the ‘Fior di latte molisano’ PDO, is located where the Southern Apennines and the Central Apennines meet and is characterised by very complex geology. The Matese massif is a feature of the landscape that serves both to separate and connect. It runs north-west to south-east, an orientation which is unique in the Apennine chain, giving rise to particular climatic conditions and making it the ideal environment for many plant species and communities. All these factors explain why, despite being a region that is modest in size, Molise has a range of physical environments evident in its rich flora and the good degree of phytocenotic complexity. One reason for this complexity is the co-existence of species typical of alpine environments and those that are strictly Mediterranean, for example.
The habitats in the area allow biodiversity to flourish and have a very high biodiversity rating. Extensive and conservative farming are practised in mountain areas and areas of high nature value (50 % of the UAA) and there are high levels of biodiversity in the recognised ecosystems that are part of the Natura 2000 network (26 % of the UAA).
The physico-chemical and nutritional characteristics of the milk are linked to the area through the animals’ diet and the environment in which the animals are reared. Fat is the main factor determining the taste and typical aroma of the milk from the various breeds of cattle. Moreover, most of the aromas derived from the food consumed by the animals, such as mountain pasture aromas, are present in the milk fat. Thus, the cows’ diet of hay and fresh grass contains a great many varieties of herbaceous plants and native wild grasses that lend the milk the characteristic flavour of the identified geographical area.
The most prevalent plant species and floral influences include Campanula fragilis, Centaurea centauroides, Cymbalaria pilosa, Geranium asphodeloides, Cyclamen hederifolium, Asplenium onopteris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Phillyrea latifolia, Rubia peregrina, Rosa sempervirens, Lonicera implexa, Buglossoides purpurocoerulea and Viola alba. These plants are particularly rich in polyphenols, terpenes, carbonyl compounds and other volatile substances that can have a direct or indirect influence on the milk’s flavour. A direct process occurs even while the cows are grazing, whereby they breathe in some of the volatile chemical molecules (such as polyphenols, terpenes and carbonyl compounds) that lend the grass its aromas; these molecules enter the animals’ respiratory tracts and are transported by the circulatory system in an unaltered state, such that they end up in the milk. Indirectly, bioactive substances such as polyphenols and terpenes can alter the rumen microflora, influencing nutrient fermentation and thus the available aromatic precursors.
Overall, local environmental conditions and livestock-rearing techniques play an important role in shaping the milk microbiota. This is what gives ‘Fior di latte molisano’ the organoleptic properties described in the ‘Description of the product’ section, including the soft, moist, fibrous and compact structure of the cheese’s paste, a taste that is mild and slightly acidic and a delicate aroma with an aftertaste of grass and hay.
The quality of Molise’s water also contributes to the product’s link with the environment. The region is home to the basins of the Biferno, Trigno, Fortore, Volturno and Sangro rivers and the streams and valleys in between. Molise’s water is covered by the quality mark called ‘Acqua del Molise – Qualità del Matese – Sorgenti Rio Freddo’ (‘Matese Water’). The exceptional quality and quantity of Molise’s water make it an essential and unique component of the biological and physico-chemical make-up of the micronutrients in the main salt groups, giving it a balanced composition that is reflected in the distinctive organoleptic properties of ‘Fior di latte molisano’ linked to the area and the production environment. Water is used throughout the production process, particularly during the stretching process, where the cheese’s water content can reach 70 %. Moreover, the preservative liquid in which ‘Fior di latte molisano’ is stored consists of water.
Therefore, during the process of producing ‘Fior di latte molisano’ and when it is stored in the preservative liquid, a whole series of exchanges between the cheese and the liquid (water) take place. These are determined by the composition of the ‘Fior di latte molisano’ itself, in particular its moisture content, the nature of the preservative liquid (water), the storage temperature and the length of time for which the cheese is stored. Water is exchanged between the ‘Fior di latte molisano’ and the preservative liquid, leading to the absorption or release of water-soluble components such as calcium, lactates, sugars or solubilisers owing to proteolytic activity. These processes can lead to structural changes to the external appearance of ‘Fior di latte molisano’, and can also affect its flavour and aroma. Molise’s water is soft, has a very low dry residue content and is also very low in nitrates and sodium, meaning it is classified as a ‘light’ water. These properties help to prevent any changes to the fresh milk taste, the delicate aroma with an aftertaste of hay and grass and the fragrance of slightly acidic milk that are typical of ‘Fior di latte molisano’.
The production techniques used are very similar to those used in the past. The traditional methods used and high levels of technical expertise evident in the coagulation technique and in the stretching phase are distinctive aspects of the process of producing ‘Fior di latte molisano’. These factors, combined with the characteristics of the Molise region, rich in biodiversity and historical heritage, are what make the product so unique.
The ‘filatore’ [person who stretches the cheese] is a key figure in the process of producing Fior di latte molisano with an important role in determining the organoleptic characteristics of the product. Stretching can be carried out in an open stretching machine, with plunger arms in two chambers and using fresh water, or in a closed stretching machine using recirculated water. In both cases, the ‘filatore’ is a fundamental part of the process, as they use their experience to obtain the desired fibrous texture of the ‘Fior di latte molisano’. Stretching the cheese in this way ensures that the ‘Fior di latte molisano’ has the right elasticity, which is evident when the cheese is sliced along the grain or pulled apart by hand, as the fibres can be seen running through the cheese in the direction it was stretched. The required, slightly ‘fibrous’ texture can also be observed when eating the cheese.

Reference to the publication of the product specification of the geographical indication


https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335



(1)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/3908/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)