Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2010/C 138/11

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘HOFER RINDFLEISCHWURST’

EC No: DE-PGI-0005-0722-10.10.2008

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’

2.   Member State or third country:

Germany

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Product type:

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

The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is a spreadable uncooked sausage. The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is elongated in shape and is packed into a synthetic gut (cellophane), the calibre of which measures from 40 mm to 55 mm. Depending on the size of calibre, individual ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ measure up to 50 cm in length and weigh from 150 to 800 grams. The colour of ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is an intense but pleasant meat-coloured shade of red.

The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is distinguished by its unique finely spiced flavour typical of this kind of sausage, seasoned with a hint of pepper. Cold smoking on beech wood also lends the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ a pleasant smoky aroma.

The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is a finely-minced spreadable uncooked sausage, distinguished by its freshness. It retains its special flavour and unique aroma for only two to three days and for this reason is not intended for long-term storage.

When vacuum-packed, the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ can be stored for slightly longer periods, up to at least 10 days, provided however that the vacuum-packed sausage is stored in a refrigerator.

Further quality criteria that must be demonstrated by the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ are a stable reddening, marked spreadability and uniform consistency.

Since lean beef is used as a base material for the production of ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’, the result is a high level of meat protein free of connective tissue protein. This level must not fall below 10 % in ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’. Analyses carried out by the independent company and quality test board for specialist butcher's shops in the Bavarian butcher's trade (NBPQ) show the following values as technical characteristics of ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’: the water content is between 50 % and 55 %, the fat content is between 25 % and 30 % and the proportion of pork and back fat is a maximum of 30 %.

The main additives used are nitrite curing salt, with ascorbic acid used as a further reddening agent. The proportion of these additives is 2,5 % for nitrite curing salt and 0,5 % for ascorbic acid (reddening agent). The main raw spices used are salt and finely-ground pepper mixed in. In order to refine and lend an individual flavour to the sausage it is possible to use additional small amounts of mixed herbs and spices.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

The quality of the raw materials meat and fat is of crucial importance to the proper production of ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’. Preference is given to meat from mature and older slaughter animals. The advantages are an intense meat colour and matured meat. Beef and pigmeat are used. Meat from young bovines is therefore not employed in the production of ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’. The main base material contained in ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is R I grade beef low in fatty tissue and free of sinews (two-thirds) and S VIII grade pork back fat (one third). Although it is possible to add a small amount of S I grade pigmeat together with pork back fat, this is not often the practice.

The beef used comes predominantly from cows, rarely from bulls. The cut to use is beef round, which has a fat content of approx. 5 %. If pork is used, it is taken from the leg, which has a fat content of approx. 4 %. The back fat used has a fat content of 70 %.

The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is distinguished by its particular quality and freshness. Only freshly slaughtered meat is used in the production of ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’. No matured, hung or frozen meat is used in the production process.

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—

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

‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is produced in the geographical area.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

—

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

—

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The urban district of Hof and the rural district of Hof (see attached map).

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is part of a tradition going back over 50 years in the defined geographical area.

In 1950, the master butcher Hans Millitzer began producing the ‘Rindfleischwurst’ in Hof from lean beef. This tradition was continued by his former apprentice Gottfried Rädlein, who produced the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ from 1962 to 1993 in his own firm in Hof and made it famous well beyond the city limits.

Demand for the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ was so great that Gottfried Rädlein processed up to 15 hindquarters of beef per week into the ‘Rindfleischwurst’ and sometimes even worked on Sundays and public holidays to produce the ‘Rindfleischwurst’ according to his special recipe. As a fine spreadable raw sausage, the ‘Rindfleischwurst’ was an especially fresh product and as such retained its special flavour and its unique aroma for only two or three days. ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is particularly low in fat and easily digestible, its consumption was even recommended by doctors at that time.

In the years that followed, other butchers in the region latched onto production of the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’, all eager to produce and offer for sale the traditional ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’. In January 1993, Gottfried Rädlein passed his specialist butcher's shop on to the renowned butcher's Albert Schiller in Hof, which today continues to specialise in producing the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ in the same way as Gottfried Rädlein. Thanks to the efforts of the then head of the Hof Butchers’ Guild, in 1993 the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ was included in the German Federal guidelines on meat and meat products under guideline No 2.2120.1.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

As described, ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is a high-quality product with a distinctive flavour; it enjoys a prestigious reputation and is very well-known as a regional speciality, particularly in the City of Hof and the rural district of Hof. It is extremely popular and in great demand not only among local people but is also especially prized by guests and visitors from out of town. The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ has already been honoured and awarded prizes at various sausage competitions. Its inclusion in the Guidelines of the German Foodstuffs Manual is also proof of its importance and renown.

‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ has already won awards at different sausage competitions. Butchers from the designated geographical area take part in the Bavarian Butchers Association's annual quality test presenting ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’. In previous years, it has always been awarded a gold or silver medal. It has achieved similar results at national level in the German Food Society (DLG)'s quality tests. A public sausage test was held at the last Upper Franconia exhibition in April 2009 in Hof and the local media reported in detail on the ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ as a prominent regional product.

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):

The ‘Hofer Rindfleischwurst’ is a product typical of the Hof region. It originates from this area and has been produced by local enterprises traditionally for over 50 years according to a special recipe and technique. The renown and prestige of this product are therefore fundamentally rooted in its origins in the defined geographical area.

Reference to publication of the specification:

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

Markenblatt vol. 16 of 18.4.2008, part 7a-aa, p. 31 817

(http://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/geo/detail.pdfdownload/106)

(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.