This communication is published in accordance with Article 6b(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION ORIGINATING IN A MEMBER STATE

‘Miel d’Alsace’

EU No: PGI-FR-0150-AM01 – 4 September 2024

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name of product

‘Miel d’Alsace’

2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

France

3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

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4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)

Explanation as to why the amendment(s) falls/fall under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012: The application for amendment to the ‘Miel d’Alsace’ PGI does not involve any of the three situations constituting a Union amendment, specifically:

a)	it does not include a change in the name of the protected designation of origin;

b)	it would not potentially void the link with the geographical environment;

c)	it does not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.

The French authorities therefore consider that the application is for a standard amendment.

1.   Description of the product

The purpose is to establish analytical criteria to guarantee the special characteristics of the different honeys, to avoid defects (moisture), and to guarantee that the flowers originate in the geographical area.

The water content is 18 %, stricter than the standard 20 % laid down for all honeys in the existing rules, to prevent the honeys from fermenting.

The HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural) content is 15 mg/kg for all honeys until the end of the calendar year. When the calendar year ends, the maximum HMF content is 30 mg/kg for the product packaged in pots or stored in barrels.

This is stricter than the existing rules, which set a limit of 40 mg/kg. Analysing HMF content makes it possible to identify ageing in honey due to prolonged storage or excessive heating.

Acidity levels have been adjusted for acacia, chestnut and fir honey. The acidity level makes it possible to distinguish between honeydew-based honeys and blossom honeys.

For lime honey, the values on the Pfund Scale have increased from 45 to 55. This acknowledges the phenomenon of transpiration in trees in very hot conditions, which results in the presence of honeydew, giving the honey a darker colour. This does not impair the quality of the honey but affects its colour.

A list of marker pollens in the geographical area has been added. ‘Miel d’Alsace’ must contain at least one of these pollens as predominant (> 45 %) or secondary pollen (between 15 % and 45 %).

Some acacia honeys may not contain predominant or secondary pollens. In this case, at least one of the marker pollens, which must include Robinia pseudoacacia, must be present as an isolated pollen.

In order to open up to new markets, without jeopardising the quality of the honey, bulk packaging in sealed containers intended for wholesalers or packagers has been made possible.

The amendment affects the single document.

2.   Method of production

Under the heading ‘Extraction of the honey’

In order not to impair the quality of the honey, a maximum temperature of 40 °C has been specified.

The options of decanting and/or filtering have been included to obtain honey free of impurities. Ultrafiltration is prohibited.

Under the heading ‘Filtering / Decanting’

The honey is decanted into tanks, barrels or buckets, allowing particles and air bubbles to rise to the surface. It can be filtered through mesh prior to decanting.

Ultrafiltration is prohibited.

Under the heading ‘Storage’

If the honey is stored for over 3 years in clean conditions, in an air-conditioned room or a cool place, at a temperature below 20 °C and away from light, the maximum HMF content is 30 mg/kg.

If the conditions differ, the maximum length of storage is 36 months from the date of extraction. The maximum HMF content of honeys in storage is 30 mg/kg.

Under the heading ‘Reliquification’

Reliquification by raising the temperature of the honey is permitted prior to packaging. During this stage, the temperature of the honey must not exceed 50 °C. There is a list of authorised materials.

Heating by naked flame or direct application of steam is prohibited, as is pasteurisation.

The amendment affects the single document.

3.   Link with the geographical area

The section entitled ‘Link with the geographical area’ of the current product specification has been revised. It has been reorganised into three parts to distinguish the specific characteristics of the geographical area and of the product, and the causal link. The wording is more concise and numerous historical references have been deleted.

The amendment affects the single document.

4.   Geographical area

The list of municipalities is identical to that of the existing specification.

The existing specification lists the production areas for chestnut, fir and lime honey. The wording is not precise and does not include official land-registry references. Beekeepers use their expertise when placing the beehives in the best spots to ensure the specific characteristics of each honey.

The intention is to remove any reference to these areas. This does not affect the original geographical area.

The amendment does not affect the single document.

5.   Evidence that the product originates in the geographical area

The following items have been added:

—	the ‘operators operating in the geographical area’ category;

—	the identification declaration to authorise operators before the start of the activity concerned.

A bottom-up and top-down traceability table.

The amendment affects the single document.

6.   Labelling

The current paragraph has been deleted and replaced by a sentence setting out the mandatory regulatory elements.

The amendment affects the single document.

7.   Other

Editorial amendments have also been made in the following sections:

—	In the ‘Competent authority of the Member State’ section, the contact details for the National Institute of Origin and Quality (Institut national de la qualité et de l’origine – INAO) have been added as the competent authority of the Member State.

—	Under the heading ‘Applicant group’, the contact details and legal form have been stated.

—

The ‘Inspection body’ section now includes the contact details of the competent inspection authorities at national level: the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) and the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF). The name and contact details of the certification body can be found on the INAO website and in the European Commission’s database.

—	The ‘National requirements’ section has been presented in the form of a table with the main points to be checked and their means of evaluation.

The amendment does not affect the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Miel d’Alsace’

EU No: PGI-FR-0150-AM01 – 4 September 2024

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of the PDO or PGI]

‘Miel d’Alsace’

2.   Member State or third country

France

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Combined Nomenclature Code

—	04 – DAIRY PRODUCE; BIRDS’ EGGS; NATURAL HONEY; EDIBLE PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN, NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDED 0409 – Natural honey

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

‘Miel d’Alsace’ is:

—	blossom honey, multifloral, made from species of flowers

—	acacia honey

—	lime honey, made from lime tree nectar and/or honeydew

—	chestnut honey, made from chestnut tree nectar and/or honeydew

—	fir honey, made from fir tree honeydew

—

forest honey, multifloral, made from flowers with no particular species predominating, and from honeydew   Acacia Blossom Chestnut Forest Lime Fir Water content (%) ≤ 18 ≤ 18 ≤ 18 ≤ 18 ≤ 18 ≤ 18 HMF content during the year of production (mg/kg) ≤ 15 ≤ 15 ≤ 15 ≤ 15 ≤ 15 ≤ 15 Maximum HMF for honeys in storage (mg/kg) ≤ 30 ≤ 30 ≤ 30 ≤ 30 ≤ 30 ≤ 30 Acidity (pH) 3,5 to 4,5  (*1) 4 to 6 4 to 6 3,5 to 5 4 to 6 Pfund Scale (in mm) 30  (*1) 50 45 55 70

The threshold value is set at 15 mg/kg for honeys during the year of production, i.e. between the date of harvest and 31 December of the year of harvest.

As of 1 January following the date of harvest, the threshold value set for honeys held in storage by operators is 30 mg/kg (packaged in pots or awaiting packaging).

Organoleptic characteristics

Description of the honeys

	Appearance	Aroma	Taste	Texture
Fir	Deep brown colour, may have flecks of green, rather dark	Slight smell of resin, cough medicine Medium intensity	Balsamic notes with base notes of wood and resin Medium intensity and length	Runny, sticky
Chestnut	Brown colour ranging from light to dark	Warm woody aroma Strong intensity	Woody, toasty notes Marked bitter finish in the mouth Strong intensity, long aftertaste	Runny or set
Acacia	Very light	Floral and delicate acacia aroma Mild intensity	Floral notes of acacia with smooth, slightly vanilla base notes Mild intensity, strong sweetness	Runny
Lime	Ranging from light to dark yellow	Fresh mentholated notes Strong intensity	Fresh and mentholated notes with woody base notes Marked bitter finish in the mouth Strong intensity, long aftertaste	Runny or set
Forest	Solid colour, ranging from light to dark amber	Malted notes with woody base notes Medium intensity	Baked fruit notes with slightly woody base notes Medium intensity and length	Runny or set
Blossom	Colour ranging from light to dark	Multiple aromas due to a mixture of nectars	Complex, harmonious flavour, strong sweetness	Runny or set

Melissopalynological characteristics

The following seven pollens are markers for the geographical area of the PGI: chestnut, lime, Robinia pseudoacacia, blackberry, hawthorn, maple and rape. ‘Miel d’Alsace’ must contain at least one of these pollens as predominant or secondary pollen.

Some acacia honeys may not contain predominant or secondary pollens. In this case, at least one of the marker pollens, which must include Robinia pseudoacacia, must be present as an isolated pollen.

The table below sets out the pollens most frequently found in ‘Miel d’Alsace’. These pollens are found in ‘Miel d’Alsace’ in different combinations and proportions.

Honey	Dominant pollens (> 45 %)	Secondary pollens (between 15 % and 45 %)	Isolated pollens (> 15 %)
Acacia		Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), cruciferous vegetables, maples, fruit trees	Lily, broad bean, poppy, hawthorn, buckthorn, vine, Robinia pseudoacacia, cruciferous vegetables, maples, fruit trees, willow, elderflower, phacelia, mayweed, common dogwood, plantain, white clover, oak, centaury
Chestnut	Chestnut (Castanea sativa)		Lily, common dogwood, clovers, blackberry, privet, vine, stonecrops, cruciferous vegetables, fruit trees, dandelions, viper’s bugloss, lime, centaury, trefoil, plantain, St John’s wort, sainfoin, poppy, tree of heaven, maple, buckthorn, meadowsweet, horse chestnut
Lime	Lime tree (Tilia sp), chestnut (Castanea sativa), Lily	Lime, chestnut, lily, blackberry, phacelia	Lily, blackberry, phacelia, melilot, clovers, fruit trees, lime, chestnut, cruciferous vegetables, acacia, hawthorn, St John’s wort, poppy, vine, viper’s bugloss, maple, plantain
Fir	Chestnut (Castanea sativa)	Balsam, chestnut, plantain, meadowsweet	Balsam, chestnut, plantain, meadowsweet, blackberry, cruciferous vegetables, vine, maple, willow, lime, wormwood
Blossom (multifloral)	Rape (Brassica napus), chestnut (Castanea sativa) Maples (Acer sp)	Robinia pseudoacacia, cruciferous vegetables, blackberries, fruit trees, hawthorn, phacelia, buckthorn, goosefoot, rape, chestnut, maples, willow	Lily, poppy, hawthorn, buckthorn, vine, Robinia pseudoacacia, cruciferous vegetables, maples, fruit trees, willow, elderflower, phacelia, mayweed, common dogwood, plantain, white clover, centaury, lime, viper’s bugloss
Forest (multifloral)	Lime tree (Tilia sp), chestnut (Castanea sativa) Fruit trees	Lilies, fruit trees, maple, lime, horse chestnut, white clover, cruciferous vegetables, phacelia, vine, blackberries, alder buckthorn	Lilies, fruit trees, maple, lime, horse chestnut, white clover, cruciferous vegetables, phacelia, vine, blackberry, alder buckthorn, meadowsweet, hawthorn, balsam, Robinier pseudoacacia, dock, tree of heaven, buckthorn

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

—

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

‘Miel d’Alsace’ is produced exclusively from honey collected from apiaries established in the defined geographical area. The stages of extraction, storage and packaging can occur outside of the geographical area.

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

—

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

Where a honey is labelled by a packager or reseller, the producer’s identity must appear on the label with:

—	surname and forename (spelled out or as initials)

—	and/or NAPI (unique beekeeper’s ID number)

—	and/or packager code (if applicable)

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of ‘Miel d’Alsace’ covers the entirety of the municipalities in the departments of Bas-Rhin (67) and Haut-Rhin (68).

5.   Link with the geographical area

The specific characteristics of the ‘Miel d’Alsace’ PGI are based on the natural factors of the area and the historical know-how of the beekeepers.

Natural factors

Alsace has a semi-continental climate characterised by cold, dry winters and hot and stormy summers due to the presence of the Vosges mountains in the west. Annual rainfall is low. The region enjoys the protection of the mountains and the resulting foehn effect.

The climate, topography and nature of the soil shape the landscapes of Alsace. They differ significantly from one area to another, with a great variety of natural environments and the presence of diverse ecosystems:

—	a mountainous area largely covered by coniferous forests;

—	on the mountainsides, an area of hills and plateaux covered with vines, permanent grassland and forests of beech and chestnut;

—	a lowland area of diversified crops, natural grasslands and wooded hills.

Human factors

The beekeepers have sound knowledge of the specific natural environment, enabling them to place the beehives at various locations to take into account the development of the vegetation throughout the beekeeping season.

Accordingly, they choose suitable locations depending on the type of honey they wish to produce. During the season, as weather conditions change, they can move their bee colonies within the geographical area, or choose a fixed location to allow the accumulation of several nectar flows.

For the best conditions for the type of honey required, beekeepers choose areas where the right species of flowers are prevalent.

The beekeepers’ know-how is equally important when working with the honey. The stages of extracting and storing the honey are important for preserving its moisture content and organoleptic characteristics.

Specificity of the product

‘Miel d’Alsace’ covers a wide range of honeys. Each one has its own identity with flavour characteristics from the diverse flora present in the area.

Blossom honey: the colour ranges from light to dark; its aromas are manifold thanks to the blend of nectars (multifloral origin).

Acacia honey: the colour is very light and the aroma is reminiscent of the false acacia (Robinia) flower. It has an odour, with faint aromas of vanilla and a very sweet taste.

Lime honey: the colour ranges from light to dark yellow, depending on the origin of the lime tree nectar and/or honeydew. Its odour and aromas are mentholated, with woody base notes.

Chestnut honey: this brown-coloured honey ranges from quite light to very dark, depending on the origin of the chestnut tree nectar and/or honeydew. The odour is warm and woody. Its aromas have woody, toasty notes and a marked bitter finish in the mouth.

Fir honey: the colour is deep brown. It has a slight smell of resin and cough medicine, together with balsamic notes with base notes of wood and resin.

Forest honey: the colour ranges from light to dark amber. It has an aroma of malted notes with woody base notes (depending on the origin of the nectar and/or honeydew). In the mouth, it presents notes of baked fruit with slightly woody base notes (multifloral origin varying according to year and production area).

Causal link between the geographical area and the characteristics of ‘Miel d’Alsace’

Written evidence shows that, from the 8th to the 12th centuries, the lands belonging to the abbeys were systematically worked for their resources. Monks and nuns very often used the wax from the beehives for candle-making, while honey was the only direct source of food with a sugar content.

The significant forestry resources of the area meant that beekeepers could establish their bee colonies in hives set into the trunks of trees. Indeed, in the 12th and 13th centuries, areas of woodland in close proximity to villages were frequently divided into lots by the authorities and allocated to beekeepers who, as of this period, were organised into associations.

In the 19th century, the landscapes of Alsace began to develop into their present form. Several centuries of clearing have significantly reduced the forest and increased the areas of cereal crops and grasslands. Beekeepers have therefore used new resources for making honey in order to offer a wider range of products.

Beekeeping in Alsace really took off in the second half of the 20th century, when the practice was professionalised. Beehives with movable frames were created and are still in use today. In 1868, the beekeeping society of Alsace and Lorraine (Moselle) was formed to promote quality beekeeping.

At the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 50 000 beehives in Alsace, and the market for this honey was booming. The beekeepers’ production was mainly distributed locally: through markets, including Christmas markets, and thanks to the very significant development of tourism in this area.

The beekeepers are organised in local trade associations. Every year, these associations organise a grand regional competition of honey from Alsace. A remarkable feat of organisation offsets the fragmentary nature of so many scattered operators. These are all organised into local trade associations, which come together in two departmental federations (Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin). These federations are themselves united within a confederation of beekeepers’ trade associations of Alsace.

‘Miel d’Alsace’ also enjoys a high reputation. Given the large local consumption area, distribution of this product remains predominantly regional. Consumers in Alsace look for proof that the product is ‘Miel d’Alsace’. Producers have therefore always met this demand by supplying either containers or labels on which it can be stated that the honeys are from Alsace. The oldest glass pots in evidence date from the 1930s and feature a relief embossing which identifies the honeys as being from Alsace. In the 1960s, honey producers belonging to trade associations used a collective system of labelling to identify honeys from Alsace.

In the geographical area, the diversity of the honey-producing flora means that the production period runs from spring to autumn. It is therefore possible to offer a wide range of typical varieties of ‘Miel d’Alsace’.

Each honey corresponds to a particular harvest period and ecosystem.

The blossom honeys are made from nectars harvested from fruit trees, meadow shrubs and nectar-producing crops.

The acacia honeys represent the second harvest of the year. They are made from the nectars of plants of the genus Robinia, commonly called ‘false acacia’. These grow in significant numbers in the lowlands, especially along railway lines and watercourses.

The lime honeys are made from populations of lime trees present in most of the lowland forests.

The chestnut honeys are made from populations of chestnut trees, located mainly at the edge of vineyards in woodlands on the foothills of the Vosges and even on the lower slopes of the mountains.

The fir honeys […] mountainous areas largely covered by coniferous forests. Areas with a prevalence of spruce and fir trees are particularly suitable.

The forest honeys come from mountainous areas where conifers exist alongside various suitable plants, possibly although not necessarily including willow-herb, germander and heather. These honeys are therefore made from both mountain flowers and honeydews.

The diversity of ‘Miel d’Alsace’ is linked both to the diversity of the flowers used in production, and to the know-how of beekeepers, with their detailed knowledge of the area’s natural environments. Beekeepers continually search for suitable sites of nectar flows in order to produce the different types of honey.

Beekeeping is both a human and natural aspect of this area, characterised by the importance of the vegetation, which is itself closely linked to the climate and topographical conditions.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-03a77b5a-e6b8-410f-ad41-8efc3ebd77b4

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(1)   OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.

(*1)  Parameters not relevant for this type of honey.