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SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Dalmatinski med'

EU No: PDO-HR-02837 — 14.4.2022

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO]

‘Dalmatinski med’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Republic of Croatia

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.4 Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)

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

3.2.1.   Product definition

‘Dalmatinski med’ is honey produced by colonies of the Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica, Pollmann 1879) from the nectar of the common sage (Salvia officinalis L.), Jerusalem thorn (Paliurus spina-christi Mill.), savory (Satureja spp.), heathers (Erica spp.), mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.), honeydew found on the Montpellier maple (Acer monspessulanum L.) and the other deciduous plant species growing in Dalmatia.

The term ‘Dalmatinski med’ refers to the following types of honey:

—	unifloral honeys, i.e. those where the nectar of a single plant species dominates, each with its own melissopalynological, organoleptic and physico-chemical characteristics set out in this specification;

—	sage honey;

—	Jerusalem thorn honey;

—	savory honey;

—	heather honey;

—	mandarin honey;

—	blossom honey, i.e. a multifloral honey composed of the nectar of a variety of plants in which no single plant species dominates;

—	Montpellier maple honeydew honey;

—	honeydew honey from deciduous trees.

3.2.2.   Melissopalynological characteristics

Type of honey	Pollen spectrum		Note
	Nectariferous plant species	Non-nectariferous plant species	When the pollen content of non-nectariferous plant species is deducted from the total pollen content, the following must apply:
Sage honey	Paliurus spina christi, Erica arborea, Rhamnus spp., Cirsium spp., Trifolium pratense, Liliaceae, Apiaceae and Centaurea spp.	Helianthemum spp., Cistus spp., Fraxinus spp., Quercus ilex, Quercus spp. and Fraxinus ornus	> 10 % sage pollen
Jerusalem thorn honey	Trifolium pretense, Vicia spp., Melilotus spp., Apiaceae, Salvia officinalis, Brassicaceae and Cornus sanguinea	Fraxinus ornus, Dactylis glomerata and Helianthemum spp.	>50 % Jerusalem thorn pollen
Savory honey	Apiaceae, Rhamnus spp., Centaurea spp., Trifolium pratense, Asteraceae – type Taraxacum, Allium spp., Liliaceae and Lotus corniculatus	Helianthemum spp., Fraxinus spp., Filipendula vulgaris, Plantago spp. and Dactylis glomerata	>25 % savory pollen
Mandarin honey	Rhamnus alaternus, Asteraceae – type Taraxacum, Brassicaceae, Erica arborea, Apiaceae and Melilotus officinalis	Fraxinus ornus, Quercus ilex, Quercus spp., Olea europea and Cistus spp.	>5 % mandarin pollen
Heather honey	Hedera helix, Satureja cuneifolia, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Salvia officinalis, Myrtus communis and Rhamnus spp.	Cistus spp., Fraxinus ornus and Ephedra spp.	>50 % heather pollen
Blossom honey	Trifolium pretense, Apiaceae, Paliurus spina-christi, Melilotus spp., Rhamnus spp., Liliaceae, Centaurea spp., Salvia officinalis, Vicia spp., Lotus corniculatus and Cornus sanguinea	Fraxinus ornus, Helianthemum spp., Quercus spp. and Cistus spp.	-
Montpellier maple honeydew honey	Trifolium pretense, Cerinthe minor, Apiaceae, Rhamnus spp., Melilotus spp., Allium spp. and Paliurus spina-christi	Fraxinus spp., Dactylis glomerata, Helianthemum spp., Quercus spp. and Ephedra spp.	The proportion of honeydew elements and pollen of nectariferous plant species may range from 1,17 to 7,55.
Honeydew honey from deciduous trees	Trifolium pretense, Apiaceae, Rhamnus spp., Paliurus spina-christi, Melilotus spp. and Liliaceae	Fraxinus ornus, Helianthemum spp. Cistus spp. and Quercus spp.	The proportion of honeydew elements and pollen of nectariferous plant species may range from 0,38 to 4,46.

3.2.3.   Organoleptic characteristics

Type of honey	Colour	Odour	Taste	Aroma
Sage honey	Light to dark amber, with a characteristic greenish sheen	Moderate intensity, medicinal herbs, dried and aromatic flowers, camphor, dried or boiled fruit	Moderately to very persistent, moderately to very sweet, with medium acidity and slight to moderate bitterness	Moderately persistent, floral, dried and aromatic flowers, herbal liqueur, almonds
Jerusalem thorn honey	Light to dark amber	Low to moderate intensity, warm, toffee, boiled fruit	Moderately to very persistent, moderately to very sweet, with low acidity	Moderately persistent, warm, vanilla, milk toffee, wax, boiled fruit
Savory honey	Light to dark amber	Moderate to high intensity, dried herbs, damp earth	Moderately to very persistent, moderately sweet, with low acidity and slight to moderate bitterness	Moderately to very persistent, pollen, damp earth, aromatic herbs
Heather honey	Brown to dark brown, with shades of orange and red	Moderate intensity, caramel, boiled sugar	Mild to moderately persistent, moderately sweet, with slight bitterness	Faint to moderately persistent, caramel, aromatic wood, glue
Mandarin honey	Light yellow to orange	Moderate intensity, orange blossom fragrance, orange marmalade	Mild to moderately persistent, moderately sweet, with low acidity	Moderately persistent, floral, fruity, aniseed
Blossom honey	Yellow to brown	Moderate to strong intensity, fruity, boiled fruit or compote, aromatic herbs, meadow herbs, wax	Moderately to very persistent, with a pungent sweet aftertaste, moderately to very sweet, with moderate acidity	Moderately to very persistent, floral, fresh fruit, compote, toffee or butterscotch, molasses, aromatic herbs
Montpellier maple honeydew honey	Brown to dark brown, with shades of red	Moderately intensive, molasses, dried tomato, dried herbs, yeast extract	Moderately persistent, mild to moderately sweet with moderate saltiness and low acidity	Moderately intensive, molasses and dried fruit, yeast extract, dried tomato, fig jam, dates
Honeydew honey from deciduous trees	Dark amber to dark brown	Moderately to very intensive, molasses, caramel, dried herbs, processed fruit, bitter almonds	Moderately persistent, moderately sweet with low to moderate acidity, sometimes astringent	Moderately intensive, molasses and dried fruit, processed fruit, caramel, balsamic, dried herbs

3.2.4.   Physico-chemical parameters

Type of honey	Electrical conductivity	Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content	Water content	Diastase activity
Sage honey	0,20 –0,45 mS/cm	Max. 15 mg/kg for all honeys at the time of placing the product on the market	Max. 18,5 % for savory and heather honey; max. 18,0 % for all other honeys	Min. DN of 8 for all honey varieties except for mandarin honey, where DN may be between 4 and 8 according to the Schade scale, on condition that the hydroxymethylfurfural content does not exceed 10 mg/kg.
Jerusalem thorn honey	0,50 –0,80  mS/cm
Savory honey	0,20 –0,55  mS/cm
Heather honey	0,45 –1,05  mS/cm
Mandarin honey	0,15 –0,35  mS/cm
Blossom honey	Max. 0,80  mS/cm
Montpellier maple honeydew honey	Min. 1,30  mS/cm
Honeydew honey from deciduous trees	Min. 0,80  mS/cm

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

It is forbidden to feed bee colonies while the bees are foraging, i.e. when ‘Dalmatinski med’ is being produced. Feeding is permitted with a view to ensuring a sufficient food supply for winter and non-foraging periods; however, feeding must be completed at least 14 days before the start of the foraging season. Only sugar syrup and/or sugar-and-honey cakes are permitted as feed. The feed may be produced from table sugar originating outside the defined geographical area, but must not account for more than 50 % of dry matter at annual level. The timeframe for feeding bee colonies has been set to ensure that the feed does not impact the quality of ‘Dalmatinski med’ or its link with the geographical area.

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

All steps in the production of ‘Dalmatinski med’ (foraging, extraction, filtering and storing) must take place in the geographical area defined in point 4.

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

In order to ensure quality and traceability, the honey must be packaged in the defined geographical area. Transportation could lead to unsuitable (high) temperatures altering the physico-chemical parameters and organoleptic characteristics of the honey or cause the honey to absorb extraneous odours or moisture from the air. Packaging the honey in the defined area also serves to prevent adulteration with honeys from other areas. The honey is packaged in containers of various sizes. Airtight caps, preferably metallic, must be used in order to prevent the honey from losing its odour and aroma and absorbing extraneous odours and moisture from the air.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

When placed on the market, every container must feature the ‘Dalmatinski med’ logo. In addition to the logo, the container must bear information on the type of honey, producer and production year, and a stamp with an identification number must be affixed to it. The logo is composed of a yellow braid that forms a circle, with the words ‘Dalmatinski med’ placed centrally above and below the circle. Within the circle is a stylised yellow bee, with blue sea waves underneath. To the left and right of the bee are additional blue stylised braids (Figure 1).

Figure 1

‘Dalmatinski med’ logo

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area for the production of ‘Dalmatinski med’ comprises Zadar, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Dalmatia’s floral composition, landscape and climatic factors, along with the long-standing tradition of beekeeping, are what gives ‘Dalmatinski med’ its unique character.

Specificity of the geographical area

The defined geographical area is characterised by a multitude of islands and a coastal belt with contiguous mountain ranges. The Dalmatian climate typically has hot and dry summers, and mild and rainy winters. Dalmatia has the clearest skies in the whole of Croatia and is characterised by natural vegetation and extensive agriculture. Its specific floral composition is a result of the interaction between the Mediterranean, transitional Mediterranean and alpine climates. The interplay between the sea and the mountains is most apparent in the combination of alpine and Mediterranean flora growing only a short distance apart as well as a number of endemic species, all of which bear testament to the botanical uniqueness of the area. It is estimated that the islands and the narrow coastal belt play host to some 1 450 species, while up to 1 600 species can be found in areas where Mediterranean vegetation types predominate. These, along with the species growing on the sea-facing slopes of the mountain ranges, make up the 2 500 or so species and subspecies thriving within the wider littoral region and accounting for 44 % of Croatia’s total floral resources. A total of 192 endemic taxa have been identified in the littoral region, accounting for over half (53,5 %) of all endemic species in Croatia. This botanical uniqueness is reflected both in the specific profile of the pollen spectrum and the organoleptic characteristics of ‘Dalmatinski med’.

Specificity of the product

The link between the climatic and soil conditions and the floral composition, in synergy with the local beekeeping practices, plays a vital role in determining the characteristics of the honey. Melissopalynological analysis of honey samples has shown that sage pollen content ranges from 11 % to 67 % with an average value of 24 %. Samples of savory honey show that savory pollen content ranges from 22 % to 80 % with an average value of 51 %. Like sage, savory is not particularly abundant; therefore, the values indicated reflect the unique nature of this honey.

Jerusalem thorn honey typically has a pollen content of over 60 %. As a result, the previous pollen content threshold of 45 % required to label the honey as unifloral has been increased to 50 % to further highlight the specificity of Dalmatian Jerusalem thorn honey compared to the same honey variety produced elsewhere. Another specific characteristic of the honey is its electrical conductivity, which was higher than 0.8 mS/cm in nearly half of the samples. Moreover, no honeydew elements were found in the samples analysed, which goes to show that although this is a nectar honey, the higher-than-average values are due to its specific chemical composition.

Citrus honeys, most commonly orange and lemon honeys, are known in the global market for their organoleptic properties. For this reason, the monoculture satsuma mandarin plantations in the Neretva Delta constitute a specific floral resource that enables the production of mandarin honey, thereby highlighting its distinctiveness in comparison with other types of citrus honey. With an average heather pollen content of 63 %, heather honey is typically highly unifloral. As a result, the previous minimum pollen grain content of 45 % required to label the honey as unifloral has been increased to 50 % to further highlight its specificity compared to heather honeys produced elsewhere. This distinctiveness is also reflected in the pollen spectrum, with a higher proportion of the pollen of the common ivy (Hedera helix) and Satureja cuneifolia, setting it apart from [the honey produced in] other areas. In terms of botanical origin, blossom honey accounts for the largest share of honey production in the defined geographical area. The pollen spectrum of the honey samples revealed that the most commonly occurring pollen in the honey is that of Trifolium pratense, Apiaceae, Paliurus spina christi, Melilotus spp. and Rhamnus spp., which not only sets this honey apart from the blossom honey produced in other regions but also underlines its uniqueness.

Honeydew honey from deciduous trees can also be produced in Dalmatia. What is special about it is that the honeydew occurring on the Montpellier maple, which grows abundantly in the Biokovo hinterland, is not secreted by aphids or scale insects, as is usual, but rather by a species of cricket (Acericerus heydenii Kirschbaum, 1868). With an electrical conductivity of 1,50–2,01 mS/cm, and a median value of 1,77 mS/cm, this honeydew honey differs from other types of honeydew honey obtained from deciduous trees. The specific feature of this honeydew honey is that it retains its viscous state for a long time. Honeydew honey from the evergreen oak, downy oak and English oak can also be produced in the area.

Causal link between the specificity of the geographical area and the specificity of the product

The specific climatic, edaphic and orographic factors strongly influence the production of nectar in the main plant species as well as the incidence of honeydew-producing insects, which in turn determines the botanical origin and the physico-chemical and organoleptic properties of the honey. The one honey that reflects this link is sage honey. Sage mainly grows in karst areas, on particularly stony subsoil in locations exposed to the Bora wind. The causal link is evidenced by the honey’s distinctive organoleptic profile and a specific pollen spectrum that is unique to Dalmatia, which differs from other areas where sage honey can be produced.

Mediterranean and alpine plants growing only a short distance apart comprise a specific floral composition that gives ‘Dalmatinski med’ its distinctive character. This is most evident in blossom honey, which exhibits more prominent organoleptic characteristics that are due to the nectar composition and in particular the essential components of plants growing in the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean climates.

Another specificity of the geographical area are the monoculture satsuma mandarin plantations in the Neretva Delta that provide abundant quantities of nectar and directly determine the botanical origin and organoleptic profile of mandarin honey. The presence of elements of volatile compounds not found in other citrus honeys bears testament to this specificity.

The defined geographical area is also unique for its climatic conditions, which favour the presence of Acericerus heydenii, and vast groves of the Montpellier maple, both of which are a prerequisite for the production of a specific type of honeydew honey with physico-chemical parameters (relatively high electrical conductivity and low water content) and an organoleptic profile that set it apart from honeydew honey obtained from deciduous trees outside Dalmatia.

‘Dalmatinski med’ has been known and appreciated since antiquity. Pliny emphasised its quality, particularly that of the honey olinitio from the island of Šolta (then Olynta), which the Romans valued more than Mount Hymmetus honey. Beekeeping boasts a long tradition. In 1875 a beekeeping cooperative was founded on Šolta, followed by another one on the island of Pag in 1905 and one more on Pelješac in 1910. At present, the Association of beekeepers of Dalmatia comprises 31 beekeeping cooperatives with a total of 1 887 beekeepers. The method of production of ‘Dalmatinski med’ is closely linked to the skills of local beekeepers, which are the result of experience and a tradition handed down through the generations. Modern technologies are also being harnessed, all the while respecting good beekeeping practices. During the foraging period, bees are not fed extra, nor are any disease control agents used. The temperature in the production chain never exceeds 40 oC, which ensures the quality of the honey evidenced through low HMF content. The high level of beekeeping skills is reflected in the ability to find the best spots for beehives and select the right time for extracting the honey in order to keep its water content low. These skills, combined with the characteristics of the geographical area, are conducive to the production of unifloral honeys.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/hrana/zoi-zozp-zts/10_7_23% 20Specifikacija_Dalmatinski_med.pdf

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(1)   OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/1151/oj