COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 8 August 2019

on the publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council

‘Αρσενικό Νάξου’ (Arseniko Naxou) (PDO)

(2019/C 271/04)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Greece has sent to the Commission an application for protection of the name ‘Αρσενικό Νάξου’ (Arseniko Naxou) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(2) In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

(3) In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation for the name ‘Αρσενικό Νάξου’ (Arseniko Naxou) should be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 for the name ‘Αρσενικό Νάξου’ (Arseniko Naxou) (PDO) are contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the registration of the name referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the

Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 8 August 2019.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

(1)  

OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1

.

ANNEX

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ΑΡΣΕΝΙΚΟ ΝΑΞΟΥ’ (ARSENIKO NAXOU)

EU No: PDO-GR-02323 – 6.11.2017

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   

Name(s)

‘Αρσενικό Νάξου’ (Arseniko Naxou)

2.   

Member State or Third Country

Greece

3.   

Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   

Type of product

Class 1.3 Cheeses

3.2.   

Description of product to which the name in 1 applies

‘Arseniko Naxou’ is a table, mature, hard cheese traditionally produced from non-pasteurised sheep’s and goats’ milk.

It is sold in whole wheels and has the following physical characteristics: its cylindrical shape, weighing from 1 to 4 kilograms, and its whitish to yellowish colour with a hard but relatively thin rind.

The minimum fat content in dry weight must be 43 % and the minimum protein content 27 %, while the moisture content must not exceed 38 % and the amount of salt must not exceed 3,5 %.

The product’s organoleptic characteristics which distinguish it from other hard cheeses are the intense spicy, pleasant and bittersweet taste, its buttery and soft texture and its rich aroma. The product becomes spicier and more aromatic as it matures.

Due to the use of non-pasteurised milk, ‘Arseniko Naxou’ should be left to mature for at least three months before it is released for consumption, so as to ensure that the product is free from any undesirable micro-organisms. The cheese is produced from December to May.

3.3.   

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

The sheep and goats of the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas of Naxos are local breeds and their crosses that have adapted to the conditions that prevail in this area and traditionally reared in extensive units. From December to around May, the period of increased milk production during which ‘Arseniko Naxou’ is produced, the animals are fed on local vegetation from the area, the growth of which is boosted by the winter and spring rainfall (thyme, broom, rock-rose, spiny broom, lentisc, Kermes Oak, etc.). In adverse weather conditions, the animals are given dried fodder produced within the geographical area (barley, oats, vetches, clover). From June to September, the period of reduced milk production during which the cheese is not produced, the animals graze and are fed on additional fodder produced on the same holding as well as fodder produced outside the geographical area (starchy cereal grains, bran, hay). From October to November, as a result of low natural vegetation and the animals’ increased needs, their diet is supplemented by the use of dried fodder produced on the same holding and fodder sourced outside the geographical area. The average proportion of supplementary fodder produced outside the geographical area does not exceed 40 % of the dried matter on an annual basis.

The main raw materials for producing ‘Arseniko Naxou’ are: milk, rennet, salt and oil.

3.4.   

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

The production and processing of the milk, and the production and maturation of the final product, are carried out in the defined geographical area.

3.5.   

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

The product must be packaged within the defined geographical area so as to ensure: (a) the quality of the product during its preservation and transport against natural factors (humidity, light, temperature, dust, fumes) and biological factors (bacteria, fungi, viruses), (b) the traceability of the product and (c) the required checks monitoring the quantities produced/packaged/sold and that the permitted raw materials and production methods are complied with.

The producer must package the product in food wrapping paper or other packaging material suitable for food.

3.6.   

Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

A label must be placed on the whole wheel indicating the following:

— the name ‘Arseniko Naxou’, followed by the words ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ or the acronym PDO;

— ‘made with raw milk’;

— the name and address of the production and/or packaging enterprise;

— the date of production.

4.   

Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where the cheese is produced and matured comprises the entire administrative territory of the following communities: Apeiranthos, Damarionas, Danakos, Keramoti, Koronida, Koronos, Kinidaros, Mesi, Moni, Filoti and Chalkeio of the Municipality of Naxos and the Small Cyclades.

5.   

Link with the geographical area

5.1.   

Specificity of the geographical area

Territory:

The area in which the cheese is produced is situated in the mountainous and semi-mountainous part of the island at its northern and eastern edge. The area is characterised by its gradients, the presence of terraces and large areas of pasture.

Climate:

The climate of Naxos is classified as a mild form of the ‘Mediterranean island’ climate: mild, with humidity and strong winds. In the island’s mountainous areas, temperatures are about 5 °C lower, the average annual relative humidity reaches 85 % and the amount of rainfall is 770 mm. Heavy snowfall can sometimes occur.

Vegetation:

The specific temperature, humidity and rainfall conditions permit the growth of typical mountain species of vegetation which are the main source of food for the sheep and goats.

Olives and vines are cultivated extensively in the defined area. The rocky sides of the mountains are covered with low phrygana and medium or high scrub vegetation. The scrub vegetation mainly consists of spiny broom (

Calicotome villosa

), lentisc (

Pistacia lentiscus

), Kermes Oak (

Quercus coccifera

), Cretan maple (

Acer sempervirens

), Holly Oak (

Quercus ilex

) and Oriental Plane (

Platanus orientalis

), which are a valuable source of food mainly for goats. The area’s pastures have an abundance of native plant species such as the herbaceous plants

Allium luteolum, Alyssum foliosum, Bolanthus greacus, Bupleurum aira, Campanula calaminthifolia, Centaurea oliverana, Cerastium runemarkii, Corydalis integra, Erysimum hayekii, Erysimum naxense, Galanthus ikariae, Galium conforme, Scutellaria virgaurea, Symphytum davisii and Verbascum adeliae,

which are suitable for animal grazing.

Livestock:

The sheep and goats are perfectly adapted to the area’s local conditions. They are small and have low milk production. The traditional practice of free grazing (extensive rearing method) allows the animals to exploit the area’s pastures and the local vegetation.

Human factors:

‘Arseniko Naxou’ has played a very important part in the life and diet of the inhabitants since ancient times. Farmers/cheesemakers still insist on producing the cheese in the traditional way. The cheesemakers’ know-how during the different stages of producing the cheese is an important specific feature and key factor in the subsequent quality of the product. The cheesemakers’ ability to identify the perfect time during the milk curdling at which the curd is ready to separate is a key element. Cutting the curd with a suitable tool so that it acquires a milky texture, slowly stirring the mixture so that the curd separates from the whey, and compressing the curd by hand into the moulds to remove the fluids and form the final shape attest to the fact that the production process is carried out manually. During maturation, experienced cheesemakers can identify the perfect moment to: (a) select the cheese wheels that have been produced correctly and discarding the unsuitable ones, (b) turn over the wheels and (c) coat the cheese with olive oil or olive oil dregs, thus contributing decisively to the quality of the cheese.

5.2.   

Specificity of the product

‘Arseniko Naxou’

— has an intense, spicy, pleasant, bittersweet taste and a rich aroma.

Its organoleptic characteristics are due to the use of endemic plant species to feed the animals, giving the milk and ‘Arseniko Naxou’ its intense, pleasant taste and rich aroma. The distinctiveness of the production technology, with the use of non-pasteurised milk, preserves the characteristics of the milk produced in the area and the presence of indigenous lactic bacteria which play a vital role in contributing to the cheese’s spicy and bittersweet taste.

It has a buttery, smooth texture owing to the high percentage of fat. In cheese-making, ‘Arseniko Naxou’ is the first cheese to be produced from fresh, whole milk and it contains more fat.

— It is characterised by the shape of the cheese wheels from the mould. It has a hard and thin rind due to the lengthy maturation period. Kneading the curd in the moulds and coating the product with salt and oil also contribute to the formation of the rind.

— It has a greater fat content in dry weight (43 %) and protein content (27 %) compared to other cheeses of the same type.

— It has a particular name ‘arseniko’ [masculine] given to it by the area’s shepherds/cheesemakers themselves, to show that it is the ‘strongest’ cheese in fat and proteins, the most long-lasting and the hardest. These are characteristics associated with masculine qualities.

5.3.   

Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

‘Arseniko Naxou’ is the result of the combination of the area’s soil and climate conditions, the extensive rearing system and the traditional method of production.

The area’s geohistory, geomorphology, topography and variety of rocks contributed to its rich vegetation which is the main source of food for the sheep and goats from which the cheese is produced. Thanks to free grazing on mountainous and semi-mountainous pastures, the local breeds of sheep and goats are abstemious, strong and fully adapted to the particular geographical environment.

The area’s climatic conditions favour:

(a) the presence and growth of a large number of aromatic plants including creeping and herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees, which belong to the

Labiatae

,

Umbelliferae

,

Compositae

, etc. families. These are consumed by the sheep and goats during grazing, giving the milk and the cheese produced its aroma and taste;

(b) the long-term presence of the sheep and goats in the area’s natural pastures and better use of the endemic plant species; and

(c) the maturation of ‘Arseniko Naxou’. The area’s temperature and humidity conditions, where the temperature does not drop below 10 °C and the humidity level ranges from 70 % to 90 %, contribute to the natural maturation of the product in the storage areas and the production of the cheese with its characteristic structure and texture. The stable temperature and humidity levels, which do not change significantly, result in the gradual maturation of the product, thus contributing to the qualitative and quantitative changes which take place during maturation and which form the cheese’s characteristic structure.

The specific nature of the rearing system (free grazing), which has traditionally been practised by the area’s farmers/cheesemakers, results in the exploitation of the area’s pastures and thus of the local vegetation, which contributes to the product’s organoleptic characteristics.

The production technique for ‘Arseniko Naxou’ supports its specific nature as regards the use of non-pasteurised milk which allows for the presence of indigenous microflora from the holding pens and the cheesemaking site. This plays a crucial role in forming the cheese’s taste. As it matures, its aromas and taste become more intense. The positive correlation between the spicy taste, the rich aroma and the characteristic texture and the age of the cheese is attributable to the extensive proteolysis and lipolysis caused by the area’s lactic bacteria during maturation.

The skills of the area’s cheesemakers, who intervene manually during the curdling, shaping and maturation of the product, are crucial in forming the product’s physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics.

The production process is closely linked to the cheesemakers’ knowledge, as they know how long it takes to make the cheese, taking into account the area’s climatic conditions and the composition of the vegetation and to their manual intervention during the maturation process, so that the cheese is produced on a small scale.

References to ‘Arseniko Naxou’ have been made in the press, on the internet and on the television. It is described as a cheesemaking tradition of Naxos and as one of the best-known cheeses of the island, with a specific, unique, sharp, pleasant taste, which over time becomes more spicy and aromatic, qualifying it as a top-quality cheese and a source of inspiration. The product’s reputation has gone beyond the boundaries of the production area and is now also appreciated by consumers in other areas.

The name ‘Arseniko Naxou’ has been established as demonstrated by the historical references, publications in print and online, and by invoices for the purchase and sale of this product.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://www.minagric.gr/images/stories/docs/agrotis/POP-PGE/prodiagrafes_arsenikou_naxou.pdf