3.5.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 156/51
The art of cheesemaking is based on the know-how of the milk processors involved in production in different ways depending on their individual role in the process, whereby the typical quality of ‘Vorarlberger Bergkäse’ is achieved.
This starts with the use and cultivation of lactic acid bacteria cultures.
For example, determining the composition of the lactic acid bacteria culture, temperature, rest periods, quantities and ratio added and storage conditions stems from the milk processor’s experience.
One particular potential impact of their experience is the specific storage and maturation of the milk in a manner propitious to the formation of lactic acid bacteria which significantly improve the cheese’s characteristics in terms of shelf life, smell and taste.
The quantity of calf rennet, the timing and manner of cutting the curdled (coagulated) milk and the size of the curds, the subsequent development of the cheese and the heating of the curd/whey mixture result from the cheesemaker’s specific experience, and account for the quality of ‘Vorarlberger Bergkäse’.
The cheesemaker must monitor each stage of cheese production very closely and identify the right time for each processing stage.
For example, the careful heating of ‘Vorarlberger Bergkäse’ to 51-54 °C after cutting the coagulated milk is an important prerequisite for the long shelf life of the cheese.
At the same time, the milk must be handled carefully to ensure that the aromatic and microbiological characteristics and components and thus the specific qualities of the milk are retained.
In addition, the naturally changing feeding conditions on the mountain pastures mean that the milk does not have any standard characteristics, but rather that its quality (in terms of protein content or other milk composition, for example) fluctuates.
Their vast experience allows the makers of ‘Vorarlberger Bergkäse’ to amply compensate for these natural fluctuations.
The cheesemaker’s careful handling of all stages in the process is crucial to the rest of the maturing process and thus the quality of the end product.
During maturing, particular attention must also be paid to careful handling of the cheese.
As a result of their experience, the cheesemaker instinctively knows when the cheese has to be turned, brushed and rubbed, and therefore has a significant impact on the quality of the cheese.
Regular meetings of managers of milk processors and/or cheesemakers, at which they share the knowledge they have gained, give rise to a constant process of training, helping to maintain the quality and tradition of ‘Vorarlberger Bergkäse’.
Reasons Changes have been made to the production process with the aim of ensuring the unmistakeable quality of ‘Vorarlberger Bergkäse’, which is based, in particular, on the producers’ knowledge of the traditional production method.
Together with the – now amended – wording already contained in the original specification, this traditional production method is described in more detail, in particular by defining the processing method more precisely.
The words ‘at a fat content of 3,3 %’ have been deleted without replacement because they are unnecessary in the light of existing legal requirements.
The individual amendments relate to the following points: — Raw material – milk In order to ensure a balanced supply of nutrients necessary for animal welfare, independently of exceptional climatic conditions, such as droughts, it has been made possible to purchase crushed grain and use it as compensatory and complementary feed up to a proportion of 30 % of dry matter annually.
Supplementary feed in the form of crushed grain up to a proportion of 30 % is also necessary for the welfare of animals in order to ensure adequate feeding during periods of high milk yield.
The above derogation for feed supplements does not affect the high and constant quality of the milk as most of the roughage must come from the demarcated area.
Further transport from one dairy to another within the defined area is to be permitted in future since, given the current state of technology, this no longer affects quality.
Moreover, the daily delivery of milk is not a decisive quality parameter given the current state of technology, and for this reason this text has been deleted from the