C 202/60
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
9.6.2023
The quality characteristics of ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ are well defined in the product specification, and they include specific references to the cheese paste: — characteristic aroma and taste of the paste: fragrant, delicate and flavoursome without being strong; — texture of the paste: fine-grained and flaky.
Moreover, the product specification has capped the amount of rind present in grated cheese at 18 % since 1991 (Prime Ministerial Decree of 4 November 1991).
Only grated cheese was concerned by the addition of this requirement, since the rind component is always less than 18 % on the formats with rind (whole cheeses and portions with rind).
As described earlier in relation to ‘trimmings’, offcuts from the faces and sides of wheels of cheese (pieces with more than 18 % rind) are left over from the preparation of sales formats.
If these offcuts are not to be used in the preparation of grated ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’, in which case the addition of cheese paste corrects the paste-rind balance, they can be sold.
However, such offcuts comprise a large amount of rind and thus do not contain enough actual cheese paste to comply with the definition of the typical characteristics of ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’.
Accordingly, as they are no longer compliant with the product specification, they can no longer be sold as ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’.
For the above reasons, as well as to provide consumers with accurate information and ensure fair competition between operators, unless used as ‘trimmings’, offcuts from the faces and sides of wheels of cheese (pieces with more than 18 % rind) cannot use the name ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ PDO.
—
Article 9 The following from the first paragraph: [...] the logo shown below, depicting a wedge and a wheel of ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ cheese and a small knife above the words ‘PARMIGIANO REGGIANO’, must be displayed on every pack.
This logo must be printed in CMYK following the technical specifications laid down by the pertinent Consortium agreement.
has been amended to read: [...] the logo shown below, containing a stylised depiction of a wedge and a wheel of ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ cheese above the words ‘PARMIGIANO REGGIANO’, must be displayed on every pack.
This logo must be printed in colour following the technical specifications laid down by the pertinent Consortium agreement.
This amendment has been partially included in point 3.6 of the single document.
The logo has been changed to make it stylistically more modern and current.
It, too, has been included under point 3.6 of the single document.
The second paragraph: To allow consumers to find out how mature ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ is, the minimum maturing time must be stated on the labelling of all pre-packaged portions of more than 15 g placed on the market.