23.1.2014

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 20/9

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Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2014/C 20/08)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs  (2)

‘HAVARTI’

EC No: DK-PGI-0005-0831-05.10.2010

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name

‘Havarti’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Denmark

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

Ripened firm cheese made from pasteurised milk of bovine origin. Milk and milk products of a different animal origin are not permitted.

Water content: depends on the fat in dry matter content, see table below

Fat in dry matter	Max. water content
30 % to < 40 %	54 %
45 % to < 55 %	50 %
55 % to < 60 %	46 %
60 % or more	42 %

The other specific properties are:

Exterior

May be produced with or without a smear-ripened rind. The surface may be coated.

Interior

Colour: Whitish (or ivory-coloured) to yellowish

Consistency: Soft, yet still cuttable and firm to the bite (al dente)

Structure: Plentiful irregular, rice-grain-sized eyes (mostly 1-2 mm in width and up to 10 mm in length) evenly distributed through the cheese. In cheese with a 60 % fat in dry matter content the eyes are generally smaller.

Smell and taste: Mild, acidic, aromatic and with a certain fullness. The smell and taste become more pronounced with age. ‘Havarti’ 60+ cheese has a soft and creamy consistency and cream-like taste.

Flavourings

Seasonings such as chives and dill may be added, provided that their characteristic taste can be identified in the cheese.

Shape

Round or rectangular.

Maturing

The characteristic taste and texture of ‘Havarti’ are obtained as a result of the following ripening processes:

With rind: smear-ripening for 1-2 weeks at 14-18 °C, followed by ripening for 1-3 weeks at 8-12 °C;

Rindless: ripening for 3 weeks at 12-20 °C.

‘Havarti’ may be dispatched from the production plant for further processing, including ripening, or for storage at another plant before it has reached the above mentioned ages, but it may not leave the second plant before it has attained the minimum age.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only)

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3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only)

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

‘Havarti’ must be produced and ripened in maturing stores in Denmark. The production method comprises in particular the following stages: moulding of the curds, melting of the curds and maturing of the cheese for an initial 2-3 weeks; this differs from the process that is usual in the case of similar products. A more detailed description of these three stages is presented below.

Moulding of the curds

When the curds have reached the correct firmness, they are separated from the whey. It is crucial that the separated curds be kept free of lumps before moulding. This is ensured by adapting the speed/intensity of whey separation precisely to the moulding method and capacity. The curds must also have attained a consistency enabling them to withstand such treatment. However, they must not become so firm as to impede or impair subsequent melting and so prevent the cheese from acquiring the characteristics of ‘Havarti’ in terms of taste and consistency.

Melting of the curds

The moulded curds are pressed only very lightly, or not at all, in order to ensure that the structure described in Section 3.2, ‘Interior’ is formed and maintained. The cheese is thus ‘pressed’ mainly under its own weight. In order to achieve the desired structure and form a coherent block of cheese, the temperature at the beginning of this stage must be kept as high as 41 °C. It is at this stage that the cheese’s final water content is determined, and this is extremely important in terms of achieving the desired consistency and taste.

Maturing of the cheese for an initial 2-3 weeks

Whether the cheese is to be surface-ripened or to be rindless, it is stored for a period of time during which the temperature falls to 12-20 °C. Cheese is normally ripened at lower temperatures than those specified here.

Control of the stages specified above and the interplay between them are essential so that the cheese acquires the described characteristics.

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

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3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling

The fat in dry matter content is expressed in four steps, i.e. 30+, 45+, 55+ and 60+. ‘Havarti’ containing at least 60 % fat in dry matter may be called flødehavarti (cream Havarti). A 45 % fat in dry matter content is used as a reference for comparative nutrition claims regarding fat content.

Any flavouring added to the cheese to impart an essential character must be mentioned in the name or be indicated in association therewith.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

Denmark

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

Denmark has long and proud dairying traditions. The Danish dairy sector possesses a unique body of expertise and a high level of know-how, which can be documented as far back as 1921 and is believed to have been built up over more than 100 years.

Denmark has trained professional dairymen in the further processing of milk at specialised colleges, namely Ladelund Mejeriskole and Dalum Mejeriskole, since the late 19th century. ‘Havarti’ has been the basis for training in the production of pumped-curd cheese.

Academic training in dairy science and technology has been available since 1921 in Denmark, which is now one of the few countries in the world still to offer such training.

5.2.   Specificity of the product

‘Havarti’ is what is known as a pumped-curd cheese, referring to the way in which the curd is moulded and then melted. It can be recognised by the plentiful irregular, rice-grain-sized eyes evenly distributed through the cheese. ‘Havarti’ has a characteristic mild and acidic taste, which is also aromatic, with a discreet full-bodied quality. It is soft but still cuttable, complemented by an al dente texture. This pumped-curd cheese was first produced in Denmark in 1921, when G. Morgenthaler from Switzerland taught two dairymen at two dairies, Ruds Vedby and Hallebygaard on Zealand, how to produce a totally new pumped-curd cheese. This was a great success, and production of the new cheeses spread from these two dairies to many other dairies throughout Denmark.

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 protection of ‘Havarti’ as a geographical indication is based on its specific reputation and production method.

Reputation

‘Havarti’ is a very old Danish word dating back to Viking times. It is derived from the word avarti, denoting a lush, flowery riverbank. The name ‘Havarti’ maintains a link with Hanne Nielsen, in recognition of the work she did in the field of cheese-making on the Havartigården farm at Holte, near Copenhagen, in the second half of the 19th century. From 1866 to 1890, she made cheese-making at Havartigården famous throughout Denmark, and she became a supplier to the Royal Danish Court.

Both inside and outside the Community, ‘Havarti’ has a reputation for being a speciality of Danish origin. According to a recent consumer survey by Zapera, the vast majority of Danish consumers are familiar with ‘Havarti’ and associate it with Denmark. As its production and consumption are concentrated in Denmark, ‘Havarti’ is best known amongst consumers in Denmark. Almost 90 % of Danes surveyed are familiar with ‘Havarti’, and almost 80 % of them associate ‘Havarti’ with Denmark. Just over one third of consumers from other Member States are familiar with ‘Havarti’.

The Danish dairy sector has taken part with ‘Havarti’ in shows and competitions at both national and international level, winning many awards. For over 60 years it has been a regular feature at shows in Denmark, such as the National Dairy Show (Landsmejeriudstillingen) and district shows; it has also been shown at Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association events, where it has won several prizes. Many international reference works on cheese also refer to its Danish origin.

‘Havarti’ has secured an important position in terms of Danish cheese production, its share rising from 1-2 % at the end of the Second World War to 16 % in the 1970s, 50 years later. At 32 700 tonnes, ‘Havarti’ now (in 2008) accounts for 10,2 % of Denmark’s total cheese production.

Production method

Instruction in the making of ‘Havarti’ can be documented back to 1921 and has been — and continues to be — a normal part of a dairyman’s training in Denmark, and references to making ‘Havarti’ are therefore to be found in a large number of training manuals. There are in particular three stages in the production process that determine the nature of the cheese. It is the control of these stages, and the interaction between them, that is key to the cheese acquiring the described characteristics. The know-how that has been built up over all these years at Danish dairies has created a unique body of experience. It is therefore important that the production of ‘Havarti’ take place at Danish dairies, where dairymen, dairy technicians, dairy technologists and dairy engineers have over many years received thorough training and instruction in the technologies used specifically for this type of cheese. This description of the cheese was included in the Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of 13 March 1952 and may still be found in Order No 2 of 4 January 2013 on milk products etc.

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

http://www.foedevarestyrelsen.dk/SiteCollectionDocuments/25_PDF_word_filer%20til%20download/06kontor/Varespecifikation%20for%20Havarti_revideret_juli%202011_.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3)  See footnote 2.

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