Publication of an application for registration of a name 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

(2020/C 208/08)

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) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’

EU No: PGI-LK-02298 – 5.3.2017

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’

2.   Member State or third country

Sri Lanka

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class I.8 other products listed in Annex I to the Treaty (spices, etc.) and Class 2.10 Essential oils.

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

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is a name given to a vegetative product mainly consumed as a spice. ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ products are produced from the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume tree which is indigenous to Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ has a mildly sweet flavour and citrus aroma with a note of honey. It has pale brown to slightly reddish colour, while ground cinnamon is golden yellowish to brown.

The bark and the leaves of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume tree are the raw materials for making of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’. The bark is particularly thin, delicate and soft which makes the quills easily breakable and with a soft texture. The bark has a light brown colour is sweet and has a hint of citrus. The tree has a coumarin content of less than 0,004 % and the cinnamaldehyde content is between 8 % and 70 % of the volatile oils.

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is presented in a number of forms:

i)   Quills

Scraped peel of the inner bark of mature cinnamon stems first dried in the sun (not direct sun) curled and joined together by overlaps and the hallow of which has been filled with small pieces of peeled cinnamon to form lengths of around 1050 mm ± around 50 mm. The moisture content is not more than 15 %. The volatile oil content is a minimum of 1 % on a dry basis. The colour is from CC4 to CC9. The cinnamaldehyde content of the volatile oil is from 50 % to 70 %. The shelf life is from 2 to 3 years.

ii)   Cut quills

Cut quills are made using cinnamon quills and cutting them to a required length (20 mm ≤ 525 mm). The cut cinnamon quills are graded on the diameter, colour and extent of foxing. The moisture content is not more than 15 %. The volatile oil content is equal to or less than 1 % on a dry basis. The cinnamaldehyde content of the volatile oil is from 50 % to 70 %. The colour is from CC4 to CC9. The shelf life is from 2 to 3 years.

iii)   Powder

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ powder has brown (CC10) to golden yellowish (CC5) colour; it is obtained by peelings from the inner bark. The volatile oil content is a minimum of 0,5 % on a dry basis. The cinnamaldehyde content of the volatile oil is from 50 % to 70 %. The shelf life is from 2 to 3 years.

iv)   Leaf Oil

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ oil is extracted from steam distillation of Cinnamon leaf and twigs that remain after harvesting. The oil colour may vary from very pale yellow (CC1) to amber (CC7). The cinnamaldehyde content is from 8 % to 40 % by mass. The refractive index varies from 1,527 to 1,540 and relative density from 1,034 to 1,54 at 28 °C. The shelf life is 2 years.

v)   Bark Oil

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ bark oil is extracted by distilling cinnamon bark. The cinnamaldehyde content of this product varies between 30 % to 70 % and its colour from pale yellow (CC2) to amber (CC7). The cinnamaldehyde content is 30 % to 50 % by mass. The refractive index varies from 1,555 to 1,580 and relative density of 1,01 to 1,03 at 28 °C. The shelf life is 2 years.

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

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

All steps of production of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ take place in the defined Geographical Area. These include:

—	Propagation,

—	Cultivation

—	plantation management

—	Harvesting

—	Processing

—

Grading

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

Quills, Cut Quills and Powder

—	Following the cutting and grinding process, the product is packed in jute/ paper/ cotton/ polythene bags, food grade aluminium foil packs or other food grade packs. The packages must be sealed to avoid moisture absorption.

—	Storage requires room temperature, dry and ventilated conditions to prevent any chemical and microbiological contamination.

—	Moisture: <15 %, with no direct sun exposure.

Bark oil and Leaf oil

In order to avoid space for the presence of air, the bark and leaf oils are supplied in air-tight glass or epoxy coated metal containers. The container material must not alter the product and has to protect it from direct sun light. Other containers can be agreed between the purchaser and the supplier so long as the oil is protected from direct sun light.

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

The product is labelled as ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ when packaged for distribution to the consumer. Each ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ package must show the registration number of the producer.

Specific mandatory rules for labelling of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ quills powder (as products intended for human consumption), are the following:

—	Name, trade name or brand name and address of the manufacturer or packer;

—	Batch or code number;

—

Net mass;

—	Grade of the product (if applicable);

—	Place of origin – Sri Lanka;

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area extends to the whole island of Sri Lanka, an area of 65 651 km2, which has a uniform climatic and agronomic conditions defined by a distinctive pattern of two annual monsoons, with resultant rainfall patters, consistent patterns of sunshine, and consistent soil and other agronomic characteristics. These conditions are limited to the altitudes between 10 m and 700 m above sea level. Cinnamon not produced in the defined altitudes and according to the specifications cannot be distributed as ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The request to register ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is based on the qualities, characteristics and reputation of the products.

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

Environmental factors

The geographical area has specific topographical and climatic conditions suitable for the cultivation of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’. 'Ceylon cinnamon' is cultivated under varying conditions ranging from semi-arid to wet zone conditions and soils from silver sand to loamy and lateritic to gravelly soils of Sri Lanka.

The temperatures generally range between 25 °C and 32 °C. Rainfall in the region is between 1 250 to 3 500 mm per annum. Sri Lanka enjoys two inter monsoon seasons giving Sri Lanka four seasons annually and a tropical climate with very distinctive dry and wet seasons. ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is grown throughout the whole island of Sri Lanka in altitudes varying from 10 m to 700 m above sea level.

Human factors

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ has been cultivated and processed from time immemorial so that the whole cultivation process is based on years of tradition and practice. Skills and techniques are handed down within family members working as teams.

The cultivation of the ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ consists of different steps that contribute to the best possible quality and yield:

—

The people that prepare the quills are called ‘skilled peelers’ or ‘cinnamon technicians’. It is the peeler who decides the perfect time for harvesting. When the plant’s development and the humid climate satisfy the conditions to produce the highest quality of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ products, peelers initiate the harvest by detaching the inner bark which detaches easily from the wood core. This ensures the high level of oil in the bark is preserved.

—	Harvesters have developed a know how to identify the most suitable trees to cut and use a special set of tools. These tools, and in particular the keththa and the sooruna koketha allow them to cut the cinnamon stems to achieve the thicknesses and lengths defined for ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ quills.

—	Peelers scrape the outer bark with a steel scraper using a gentle and skilled technique to avoid damaging the inner bark. Thereafter, the bark is thoroughly rubbed with a brass rod to loosen it from the woody stem.

—	The Peelers take the curved inner barks and fill them with other bark pieces to make quills that must be 42 inches long measured against a stick known as a Pethi Kotuwa.

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After initial drying for about 24 hours, the quills are pressed and rolled by hand to ensure a uniform diameter. The quills are then graded and left to dry a second time for between 6 and 10 days to achieve a moisture content of less than 15 %. The quills are dried by air on stretched ropes or special racks located near the ceiling to benefit from the good circulation of air.

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‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ quills and cut quills are graded on the basis of the traditional Sri Lankan grading system which classifies them as Alba, about 0,24 inches in diameter and brittle, Continental, about 0,63 inches in diameter, less brittle, but with six subgrades, Mexican, less than 0,75 inches in diameter, which is the main ingredient in many Mexican dishes with a flavour that is sweet and warm with soft citrus notes, and Hamburg, less than 1,3 inches in diameter and considered thicker and darker that the other grades.

These techniques allow the flow of the oil and the moisture from the core of the tree to the inner bark and into ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’. This enhances the quality of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ especially its strong organoleptic character.

Reputation

There are records of trade of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ as far back as ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Arabian, Venice, Greek and Roman times.

Arabs controlled the cinnamon trade and kept the source of the product secret to ensure their monopoly. It was not until the 13th century till the first report, an Arabic chronicle named ‘Monument of Places and History of God’s Bondmen’, identified the place of production of the valuable spice. At this time, cinnamon was considered more valuable than gold.

‘There can be no doubt that “Ceylon Cinnamon” is the finest in the world, celebrated from the middle of the fourteenth century according to authentic records, and one of the few products of importance indigenous to the island. It was known, through Arab caravans, to the Romans, who paid in Rome the equivalent of £8 sterling per pound for the fragrant spice. Ceylon (called by De Barras the “mother of cinnamon”) has, therefore, well earned the name “cinnamon isle”’. (Ferguson, 1887)

The 1911 edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica observed that the cinnamon produced from this species in other places did not approach ‘that grown in Ceylon’, noting by contrast that ‘“Ceylon Cinnamon” of fine quality is a very thin smooth bark, with a light-yellowish brown colour, a highly fragrant odour, and a peculiarly sweet, warn and pleasing aromatic taste’.

In 2019 the New Food Magazine published an article by Priyashantha on ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ highlighting the good quality and properties with a ‘particular emphasis on how it compares with cassia cinnamon’.

A documentary about essential oils in Sri Lanka, ‘Essential Oil Industry in Sri Lanka’, examines the history and fame of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ and describes the virtues of the oil. It was conceptualized by Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and produced in 2014. It is available for viewing in three parts on well-known video file sharing websites.

Today, high end restaurants located, for example, in Malaysia’s twin Petronas towers or in Hong Kong offer ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ in their high tea or breakfast churros with ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’. Hotels in Washington D.C. provide the option of decaffeinated ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ Spice tea in their In-Room Dinning Menu. The 2020 ‘Penzeys Spices’ website has many recipes using ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ sticks and powder.

5.2.   Specificity of the product

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is produced from the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume tree which is a cultivated species of cinnamon tree indigenous to Sri Lanka.

All formats of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ are characterized by their aromatic intensity, delicate, mildly sweet flavour and citrus aroma with a subtle note of honey and their oil content (quills, bark and powder).

The bark of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume tree is particularly thin, delicate and soft which makes the quills easily breakable and with a soft texture. It has a light brown colour, is sweet and have a hint of citrus. This can be compared with cassia cinnamon which has a darker brown colour, its thick and hard and has a flat taste.

All forms of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ have medium to low levels of cinnamaldehyde and negligible amounts of coumarin in comparison with that of cassia cinnamon which has very high levels of both substances.

5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristics of the product

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ has qualities and characteristics due to environmental and human factors traditional to Sri Lanka, in addition to enjoying its centuries’ old reputation, which is due to the unbroken tradition in production methods.

The exceptionally strong aromatic intensity and mildly sweet aroma of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is linked to the specific topographical and climatic conditions (combination of level of rainfall, altitude and temperature) of the geographical area and the local production methods.

The particular chemical and organoleptic characteristics of ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ are related to the harvesting seasons depending on the southwest monsoon from May to September and the northeast monsoon from December to February as well as to the traditional knowledge of cinnamon harvesting, peeling, drying, and quill making.

Quills are graded according to the diameter and the extent of foxing. The grades are known as Alba, Continental, Mexican and Hamburg. There are sub grades within each of these categories. The grading is not based on colour. Due to the traditional know how of producers on the grading process, the quills have a particular physical presentation as they are graded according to the diameter and the extent of foxing.

‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is distinguished from cassia cinnamon by stronger aromatic features and sweetness, as a consequence of the climatic, agronomic and botanical conditions in Sri Lanka. The bark is soft, more paper like, and thin. ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ is processed and shaped in better produced quill forms that bring out its organoleptic qualities more fully. These distinctions ensure that ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ has a finer texture, and a greater capacity to sustain those qualities after packaging, with a shelf life from 2 to 3 years, due to its higher moisture content.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The full text of the product specification is available on the internet via the following link of the SLEDB: http://pureceyloncinnamon.srilankabusiness.com/index.html

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.