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

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’

EU No: PDO-IT-0580-AM01 – 30 October 2024

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name of product

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’

2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

Italy

3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

MASAF [Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry]

4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)

Explanation of why the amendments fall under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

The amendments fall under the definition of a standard amendment as they do not amend the name of the protected designation or the use of that name, do not risk negating the link, and do not entail any further restrictions on marketing the product.

1.

This amendment concerns Article 5 of the product specification and point 3.3 of the single document, introducing one breed of cattle and two breeds of sheep Current version: The cattle breeds to be used for milk production are Frisona Italiana (Italian Friesian), Bruna Italiana (Italian Brown), Pezzata Rossa (Red Pied) and related cross-breeds; the sheep breeds are Sarda, Comisana, Massese, Vissana, Cornella White, Fabrianese, delle Langhe, Pinzirita and related cross-breeds. New version: The cattle breeds to be used for milk production are Frisona Italiana (Italian Friesian), Bruna Italiana (Italian Brown), Pezzata Rossa (Red Pied), Jersey and related cross-breeds; the sheep breeds are Sarda, Comisana, Massese, Vissana, Cornella White, Fabrianese, delle Langhe, Lacaune, Assaf, Pinzirita and related cross-breeds. Reason: The addition of the Jersey breed of cattle and the Lacaune and Assaf breeds of sheep is justified by their suitability for semi-fixed housing. For around a decade the farms have been subject to frequent and harmful attacks by wolves that roam the production area, even in the daytime, forcing farmers to reduce grazing periods and give preference to breeds that are better adapted to being kept in housing if necessary. This amendment affects the single document.

2.

Amendment concerning Article 5 of the product specification and point 3.3 of the single document on the characteristics of the milk The following has been deleted: The characteristics of the milk are: COWS’ MILK Fat % by volume = > 3,4 Protein % by volume = > 3,0 Bacterial count UF/ml = < 100 000 Somatic cells/ml = < 350 000 Anaerobic sporigens/litre = none Inhibitors = none Cryoscopic point °C = < 0,520 SHEEP’S MILK Fat % by volume = > 6,0 Protein % by volume = > 5,4 Bacterial count UF/ml = < 1 400 000 Somatic cells/ml = < 1 400 000 Inhibitors = none Reason: This is a simplification of the specification, enabling producers to simplify third-party checks and increase their own checks. Moreover, these parameters have proven to have no influence on the quality characteristics of the product. In any case, the milk must comply with the mandatory standards. This amendment affects the single document.

3.

This amendment concerns Article 5 of the product specification regarding the method of production. Current version: Mature cheeses for ageing in the pit must be clean and free of mould, enclosed in uncoloured canvas bags tied with natural twine and where appropriate sealed with suitable bands or straps. New version: Mature cheeses for ageing in the pit must be clean and free of mould, enclosed in uncoloured canvas bags tied with string and/or suitable bands and/or straps. Reason: The proposed amendment takes into account experience gained over the years, which has shown the need to be able to use alternative materials that are easier to handle. This amendment does not affect the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’

EU No: PDO-IT-0580-AM01 – 30 October 2024

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) (of PDO or PGI)

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy

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 0406 – Cheese and curd

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

When released for consumption, ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese has the following characteristics:

The colour of the outside of the finished product varies from ivory white to amber yellow.

At the end of the ageing process the weight of individual ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheeses varies from 500 (five hundred) grams to 1 900 (one thousand nine hundred) grams. The cheeses have an irregular shape with bumps and depressions; the surface is primarily moist and greasy, and in some cases may be covered by butterfat and mould which can be easily scraped off. Small cracks and in some cases yellow-ochre marks of varying intensity on the surface are also typical of the product. There is no or minimal rind. Inside, the cheese has a semi-hard consistency and crumbles easily, with an amber-white or light straw-yellow colour. The aroma is characteristic and long-lasting, sometimes intense, with rich aromas reminiscent of woodland undergrowth with hints of mould and truffle.

The flavour varies depending on the composition of the aged cheese, in accordance with the following characteristics:

—	the sheep’s milk cheese has an aromatic flavour and a fragrant, intense and pleasant taste, slightly pungent and more or less pronounced;

—	the cows’ milk cheese is subtle and delicate, moderately salty and slightly acidic, with a hint of bitterness;

—	the mixed-milk cheese has a pleasant and balanced taste between salty and sweet, with hints of bitterness;

—	In ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese there is little distinction between the rind and the cheese itself, and all of it can therefore be eaten without removing the outer part of the rind. If the rind has obvious marks or butterfat on it, they may be removed by lightly scraping the surface.

—	The fat content of the dry matter exceeds 32 %.

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

Livestock may be housed or kept at pasture. The basic feed for housed animals consists of fodder comprising grasses and leguminous plants collected from monophyte, oligophyte and polyphyte meadows in the areas indicated in point 4; these areas determine the quality of the milk production in accordance with their climate and soil characteristics. Animals at pasture graze the same fodder crops as used for hay-making, and spontaneous polyphyte meadows, which are rich in flora with grass, shrub and tree species. Hay or green fodder and grazing may be supplemented by straight feedingstuffs (a single type of grain) or compound feedingstuffs (several types of grain), with the possible addition of mineral/vitamin products. The feedingstuffs used to supplement the diet must not exceed 30 % of the total daily ration. The use of silage is not permitted.

The raw material for the production of ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese consists of sheep’s or cows’ milk from farms located in the defined geographical area. The cattle breeds to be used for milk production are Frisona Italiana (Italian Friesian), Bruna Alpina (Alpine Brown), Pezzata Rossa (Red Pied), Jersey and related cross-breeds; the sheep breeds are Sarda, Comisana, Massese, Vissana, Cornella White, Fabrianese, delle Langhe, Pinzirita, Lacaune, Assaf and related cross-breeds.

The milk used comes from two daily milkings. The cheese must be produced using only the following types of milk:

whole sheep’s milk: SHEEP’S MILK

whole cows’ milk: COWS’ MILK

mixture of whole cows’ milk (maximum 80 %) and whole sheep’s milk (minimum 20 %): MIXED

Raw or pasteurised whole milk is used. The use of additives is prohibited.

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

The steps involved in milk production, cheese-making and the underground ageing of ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese must take place in the geographical area indicated in point 4.

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

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese is packaged for distribution to preserve the characteristics of the product in accordance with the following packaging procedures:

—	sold in the ageing bags;

—	sold vacuum-packed as whole cheeses or in portions;

—	sold as whole cheeses or in portions in film-wrapped trays;

—	sold as whole cheeses or in portions wrapped in food-grade paper.

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese packaged in these ways may be packed up in cloth bags or wrapping, or wooden or cardboard boxes.

Portioning and packaging must take place in the area indicated in point 4, since after the cheeses have been in the ageing pit there is no longer a clear distinction between the rind and the cheese itself, as a result of the anaerobic fermentation which occurs during this stage of the processing, and the cheeses are wet and greasy and vulnerable to becoming dry or hard. The product must therefore be packaged before commercial distribution in order to avoid the formation of cracks and fissures and to preserve the characteristics of the product.

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

The following information must appear on the label in clear and legible print, in addition to the name, logo, the Community graphic symbol and the relevant terms (in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1898/2006 and subsequent amendments), and the information corresponding to the legal requirements:

—	the type of milk used (sheep’s milk, cows’ milk, mixed);

—	the words ‘ da latte crudo ’ [raw milk] for cheeses produced with unpasteurised milk;

—	the name, company name or trademark, the location of the cheese-maker or cheese pit, and the location of the packager if different from the previous categories;

—	the identity number of the cheese pit, indicating spring ageing with ‘PRM’ and summer ageing with ‘EST’.

It is forbidden to add any description that is not expressly provided for. However, references to brand names may be used, on condition that they have no laudatory purport and are not such as to mislead the purchaser.

The logo of ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese consists of a stylised drawing of a pit, the outline of which takes the form of an isosceles trapezium and represents sandstone, while the inner shape represents the cheeses emerging from the open base of the trapezium. In the centre of the pit is the heraldic symbol of the Malatesta domain, an elephant. The design is in red on a straw-yellow background. Under the semi-circle forming the main base of the trapezium, the first line contains the words ‘FORMAGGIO DI FOSSA’ and the second ‘DI SOGLIANO PDO’.

In a semi-circle over the upper edge of the stylised pit, the words ‘Sogliano al Rubicone, Talamello and Terre Malatestiane’ appear, to show the historical continuity and link with the area.

The area covered by the identification logo specified above must not be less than 25 % of the total surface area of the label.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO production area comprises the entire territory of the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Rimini, Ravenna, Pesaro-Urbino, Ancona, Macerata and Ascoli Piceno, and part of the territory of the province of Bologna consisting of the municipalities of Borgo Tossignano, Casalfiumanese, Castel San Pietro Terme, Castel del Rio, Dozza, Fontanelice, Imola, Loiano, Monghidoro, Monterenzio, and Pianoro.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area:

The production area for ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO cheese extends along the foothills and hills of the Apennine ridge between the Romagna and Marche regions. The geomorphologic characteristics are clay and sand soils, or combinations of these, resulting from the lower Pliocene and current Quaternary periods. The pit sites are excavated in a formation made up of a series of micaceous feldspathic sandstones, generally not very cemented, yellow-brown or yellowish in colour, in layers of thickness ranging from approximately 30/40 cm to 1 m, with alternating thin levels of grey and grey-blue marnish clays.

Specificity of the product:

‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ is different from other products in the same category because of its characteristic and long-lasting aroma, which is sometimes intense, with rich aromas reminiscent of woodland undergrowth with hints of mould and truffle. These characteristics are closely linked to the production method, of which ageing in pits is a specific feature. Before the cheeses are placed in the pits, the pits are suitably prepared using the following method: when not in use the pits are kept closed by means of wooden covers with the addition of sand or rocks; to prepare them for use, the pits are opened, aired and then sanitised by fire and smoke by burning small quantities of wheat-straw inside. When the fire is out, the pits are cleaned to remove all traces of ash. A raised platform made of untreated wooden planks is placed at the bottom of each pit. This allows the fatty liquid produced during the fermentation of the cheese as it ages to drain away. The walls of the pit are lined with a layer of at least 10 cm of wheat-straw supported by vertical reed fencing. The pit is filled to the top by stacking the bags of cheese. After a settling period of no more than 10 days, the pit may be replenished with the addition of a similar product in the space that has been created. When the pit is full, the top is covered by uncoloured cloths suitable for use with foodstuffs, and/or straw, to prevent transpiration. The pit is then closed by means of a wooden cover, which is sealed using plaster or lime sandstone mortar. Further covering using rocks, sandstone powder, sand and/or planks is permitted. Ageing starts from this point. The pits must not be opened during the entire ageing process. The time the cheeses stay in the pit ranges from a minimum of 80 days to a maximum of 100 days.

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):

The application for the registration of the ‘Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano’ PDO is justified by the unique features of its production process, which are indissolubly linked to its specific geographic environment and climate, and the truly local tradition which has remained constant and unbroken over the centuries, maintained by the cheese pit operators who have handed down knowledge and expertise from generation to generation. The tradition of ageing the cheese in pits began in the Middle Ages and quickly became an integral part of country life in the area between the Rubicon and Marecchia valleys and as far as the river Esino, spanning the Romagna and Marche regions. The use of pits was naturally linked to the need to preserve the product, as well as to the desire to protect it from raids by tribes and armies which endeavoured to occupy the territory over the centuries. The pits were dug out of the living sandstone rock and left rough. This activity became so common that specific regulations were introduced to govern it. The first documents concerning the pits and the techniques for using them date back to the 14th century and come from the archives of the Malatesta family, the owners of the land. From 1350 the Malatesta domain established the Compagnia dell’Abbondanza in the city walls, estates and ‘tumbae’, farmhouses scattered throughout the area. The pits were used to store, conceal and preserve grain and various types of food, and to age cheese, as a precaution against sieges, epidemics or famines, and to circumvent the severe terms of the farming contracts. Throughout the centuries the custom continued, unchanging and unbroken, in accordance with the rules laid down by the Malatesta family.

Reference to publication of the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252F0%252F3%252FD.ad1b3415859559b1d09e/P/BLOB%3AID%3D3340/E/pdf?mode=download

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(1)   OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.