Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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 186/03)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment 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.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’

EU No: PDO-PT-0218-AM01 – 19.9.2016

PDO (X) PGI ()

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Applicant group

QUEITEQ – Cooperativa dos Produtores de Leite de Ovinos da Terra Quente, C.R.L. [Cooperative of sheep’s milk producers in the Terra Quente region]

Legitimate interest

The producer group formed by the ‘Queijo Terrincho’ operators (producers and processors) has a legitimate interest in submitting this amendment application. QUEITEQ – Cooperativa dos Produtores de Leite de Ovinos da Terra Quente, C.R.L. is the producer group that was responsible for the initial application for registration.

Group name	QUEITEQ – Cooperativa dos Produtores de Leite de Ovinos da Terra Quente, C.R.L.
Group type	More than one person
Participants	Producer(s), Processor(s)
Address	Quinta Branca – Larinho 5160 – Torre de Moncorvo
Country	Portugal
Telephone	+351 279258090
Email(s)	queitec@sapo.pt

2.   Member State or Third Country

Portugal

3.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment

☐ Name of product

☒ Description of product

☒ Geographical area

☐ Proof of origin

☒ Method of production

☒ Link

☒ Labelling

☒ Other: addition of a product logo

4.   Type of amendment(s)

☐	Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI, not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

☒	Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published, not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5.   Amendment(s)

All of the amendments concern the product specification, as no Single Document was ever published.

Description of product

Amendment 1

—	The ranges previously given in the original specification for the diameter (13–20 cm) and weight (0,8–1,2 kg) of the cheese have been redefined as 12–20 cm and 0,7–1,1 kg respectively.

—	A new ‘merendeira’ (lunchbox) size of cheese, not previously mentioned in the original specification, has been introduced, with a diameter of between 8 cm and 12 cm, a height of between 3 cm and 6 cm and a weight of between 0,35 kg and 0,55 kg.

—	The permitted percentage ranges for fat in dry matter and moisture in non-fat solids of the paste, previously given in the original specification as 45–60 % and 55–65 % respectively, have been redefined as follows: 25–50 % fat in dry matter and 35–60 % moisture in non-fat solids.

—

Although not previously stated in the original specification, a minimum permitted temperature has been specified for long-term storage of ‘Queijo Terrincho’ and ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho [mature], namely – 11 °C, which is above the temperature at which the cheese freezes (– 12 °C), thus preserving the characteristic aroma, flavour and texture of the paste.

These amendments have been made because of changes in consumer habits, i.e. a shift towards the consumption of smaller cheeses that are lower in fat and have better keeping qualities and a longer shelf-life, in order to match supply to the current demand for smaller portions that are ready for use in specific culinary applications (sliced and pre-packaged). They have also been made because the results of tests carried out over the last few years demonstrate the need to make corrections to the original values (permitted moisture and fat content) to reflect the real situation.

Amendment 2

—

Two new forms of storage and presentation, not previously mentioned in the original specification, are specified for ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho, which is ripened or matured for at least 90 days and may also be presented for sale coated in red pepper paste or cut into pieces and immersed in containers of virgin olive oil.

The use of these techniques is justified because they increase the keeping qualities and shelf-life of the cheese, since there is demand from consumers for cheeses covered in red pepper paste or cut into pieces and immersed in containers of virgin olive oil, techniques which they have quickly come to associate with cheeses that are matured for longer, such as ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho. Furthermore, these forms of presentation, namely coating the cheese in red pepper paste or cutting it into pieces and immersing it in containers of virgin olive oil, are techniques which have long been used locally.

These amendments are intended to meet new market demands without altering the inherent characteristics which give the product its specific character.

These amendments also concern the section headed ‘Method of production’, which now describes the manufacturing conditions of ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho, and the section headed ‘Labelling’, as regards the ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho designation.

Geographical area

Amendment 3

The geographical area is unchanged.

The original text: ‘Article 1

The area in which ‘Queijo Terrincho’ is made and matured is restricted to the municipalities of Mogadouro, Alfândega da Fé, Moncorvo, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Mirandela, Vila Flor, Carrazeda de Ansiães and Macedo de Cavaleiros (with the exception of the parishes of Edroso, Espadanedo, Ferreira, Murçós and Soutelo de Mourisco) in the district of Bragança; the parishes of Rio Torto, São Pedro de Veiga de Lila, Veiga de Lila, Valpaços, Vales and Possacos in the municipality of Valpaços in the district of Vila Real; the municipality of São João da Pesqueira (with the exception of the parishes of Riodades and Paredes da Beira) in the district of Viseu, the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, the parishes of Longroiva, Fonte Longa, Poço do Canto and Meda in the municipality of Meda and the parishes of Escalhão, Vilar de Amargo, Algodres and Mata de Lobos in the municipality of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo in the district of Guarda, which are located in Terra Quente and the upper Douro Valley.’

has been replaced by the following:

The references to the districts that form part of the Terra Quente and upper Douro Valley sub-regions have been deleted from the Product specification to make the text clearer, given that the municipalities listed clearly define the administrative boundaries required to comply with Article 5(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

Method of production

Amendment 4

Details not provided in the original specification have been given regarding the operations involved in the manufacturing stage, namely processing of the milk (heating and coagulation), draining of the whey (pressing), curing and maturing (turning and washing).

The amendments have been made because of the need to provide details of the operations involved in the manufacturing stage, in particular those operations that determine that the product obtained conforms to the product description, specifically as regards the stages of coagulation and working of the curd.

—	Although not previously stated in the original specification, it has now been stipulated that the milk must be processed immediately after milking. If this is not possible, the temperature at which it must be kept has been specified as no more than 6 °C.

—

Although the original specification specified that the milk must be heated to a fixed temperature of 35 °C, a range has now been given for the optimum temperature that the milk must reach before the rennet is added (coagulation temperature: 30–35 °C), so as to bring this process more into line with actual conditions.

In addition to the use of weights and hand presses, as provided for in the original specification, the use of pneumatic presses has also been allowed, with a pressing time of between three and five hours in accordance with the methodology already used. This amendment is merely the result of a technological development that can be used during the manufacturing process and has no effect on the final characteristics of the product.

—

As in the original specification, the ripening or maturing process takes place in natural ripening facilities or in a controlled environment. The range within which relative humidity measurements may fluctuate during this process has been set at 80–90 % rather than the 80–85 % provided for in the original specification.

—	Similarly, although not set out in the original specification, upper and lower limits for temperature (8–14 °C) and humidity (75–85 %) during the maturing process for ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho have also been defined in order to complete the description of the method of production.

Amendment 5

—

Previously, in the original specification, it was stated that ‘The flocks of sheep of the Churra da Terra Quente breed, which are farmed in the area and whose particular characteristics are well suited to it, constitute the primary livestock farming activity and are basically sustained by the pastures and water meadows. The pastures consist of upland terrain, fallow land and a huge expanse of uncultivated land, on which the grass cover is coarse and sparse. However, not enough grass is produced and water meadows and secondary forage need to be used – rye, barley, turnips, lentils and the foliage of trees such as ash, elm, oak, almond and olive trees and even vines.’

As not enough grass is produced, as stated in the original specification, the possibility has also been introduced of using feed such as straw and hay produced on the farm or by other sheep farmers, autumn/winter-sown forage crops (oats, vetch, rye and yellow lupin) and spring-sown forage crops (maize and sorghum), from within the defined geographical area.

The text has been replaced and reworded as follows: ‘However, not enough grass is produced and water meadows and secondary forage need to be used – rye, barley, turnips, lentils and the foliage of trees such as ash, elm, oak, almond and olive trees and even vines from the geographical area.’

—

All the feed given to the sheep comes from the geographical area, although the possibility has been introduced of making use of feed from other regions in times of scarcity, but this must never exceed 50 % of the dry matter each year. This feed is the same and has the same composition as the feed from the geographical area.

Amendment 6

Article 4 of the original version of the specification has been deleted:

These descriptions have been replaced by the reasons for the existence of specific rules on packaging, with the addition of the following paragraph to further justify the need for pre-packaging of the product to be carried out by the producer:

Amendment 7

—	The following text not included in the original specification has been added to explain the production of the different forms of ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho:

‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho is a cheese matured for at least 90 days and prepared by coating the cheese with a paste of red pepper extract and grape marc spirit or virgin olive oil. It may also be immersed in virgin olive oil.

‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho coated with red pepper is produced by coating cheese that has matured for at least 90 days with a mixture of red pepper and grape marc spirit or a mixture of red pepper and virgin olive oil. The red pepper is made into a paste by mixing it with grape marc spirit or virgin olive oil when coating the cheese. The mixture should be used for a single application, so as to ensure that it has the right texture and flavour. Approximately 250 ml of grape marc spirit or 250 ml of virgin olive oil are used for 1 kg of red pepper.

The above techniques have long been used in the area to increase the keeping qualities and shelf-life of the cheese.

Amendment 8

Labelling

Article 5 of the original version of the specification has been deleted:

‘Article 5

Labelling and Marketing

The labels of the cheeses must contain the following:

1.	Sales denomination – ‘Queijo Terrincho’

2.	Fat 45 % to 60 %

3.	Net quantity (expressed in g or kg)

4.	Best before end [month and year]

5.	Cheese made from pure raw sheep’s milk

6.	Name and address of the manufacturer

The label must be affixed to one of the sides of the cheese.

The cheese may be sold to the consumer in portions, provided that they are pre-packaged.’

The above generic references included in Article 5 of the initial version of specification as originally registered have been deleted and replaced by the requirement for the labelling to include, depending on the type of product, the product logo and the words ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – Denominação de Origem Protegida’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – Protected Designation of Origin] or ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – DOP’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – PDO] or ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’VELHO – Denominação de Origem Protegida’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’VELHO – Protected Designation of Origin] or ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’VELHO – DOP’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’VELHO – PDO] in line with the product description.

The amendments have been made because of the need to bring the labelling requirements into line with the product description and to delete generic references.

Amendment 9

Article 6 of the original version of the specification has been deleted:

‘Article 6

1.	Only sheep of the Churra da Terra Quente breed are suitable for producing the milk used to make ‘Queijo Terrincho’, when farmed in the production area defined in Article 1 of these rules.

2.	All flocks must be recognised as officially brucellosis-free and must not show any signs of diseases that can be transmitted through the milk.

3.	Flocks must be monitored in order to ensure that any treatment given to the animals complies with the recommended withdrawal periods.

4.	Hygiene rules must be complied with in milking parlours and during transportation of the milk to the manufacturing site.

5.	The cheese dairies must meet the technical and functional and health and hygiene conditions laid down by law.

6.	In all facilities where the cheese is made, records must be kept with regard to the milk received, production, maturing and marketing.’

The information given in paragraph 1 with regard to the breed of sheep has been included in point 3.2 of the Single Document, which describes the product and the corresponding point 2 of the product specification.

Paragraphs 2 to 6 have been deleted because they concern rules that apply across the board to this area of activity and have already been laid down in general legislation.

Amendment 10

References to the obligations of producer groups and operators, and to infringements and penalties, which appeared in the original document under Articles 7, 8, 9 and 10, have also been deleted, as they are not an integral part of the product specification and concern rules that apply across the board to the production of cheese and have already been laid down in general legislation.

Amendment 11

Link

With regard to the link between the defined geographical area and the characteristics of the product, Article 1 of the original version of the specification:

has been replaced by the following:

The text of Article 1 of the original specification has been reworded to give a more precise description of the natural factors, namely the soil and climatic conditions, human factors and local know-how, which are the characteristics of the geographical area from which the product derives its specificity. It explains how the characteristics of the geographical area affect the identified specific characteristics of the product, stating that the quality of ‘Queijo Terrincho’ is due exclusively to the natural and human factors linked to the defined geographical area.

The text has been reworded to comply with the provisions on drafting the Single Document, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, in particular with regard to point 5 (Link with the geographical area), as it is essential that the Single Document provides a thorough and coherent explanation of how the causal link is established, and this was not the case with the original text.

Other

Use of the product logo has been made obligatory.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Queijo Terrincho’

EU No: PDO-PT-0218-AM01 – 19.9.2016

PGI () PDO (X)

1.   Name(s)

‘Queijo Terrincho’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Portugal

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Queijo Terrincho’ denotes the matured cheese produced by slowly draining curds obtained by coagulating pure raw sheep’s milk from Churra da Terra Quente ewes with rennet of animal origin. ‘Queijo Terrincho’ has a minimum maturation period of 30 days. If the cheese has matured or ripened for a minimum of 90 days, the designation of origin ‘Queijo Terrincho’ is qualified as Velho (mature).

The main characteristics are set out below:

Characteristics of ‘Queijo Terrincho’ and ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho

Cheese	‘Queijo Terrincho’	‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho
Shape	Short, regular cylinder (disc), slightly concave in the centre, with no defined edge	Short, regular cylinder (disc), slightly convex in the centre, with an uneven edge
Height	3,0–6,0 cm	2,0–6,0 cm
Weight	0,7–1,1 kg	0,5–1,0 kg
Diameter	12–20 cm	10,0–18,0 cm
Weight (lunchbox size)	0,35–0,55 kg	0,25–0,45 kg
Diameter (lunchbox size)	8,0–12,0 cm	5,0–10,0 cm
Rind	Supple, whole, well formed, smooth, light straw-yellow colour all over	Hard, whole, well formed, red in colour, sometimes rough-textured
Paste
Texture	Close and even, slightly buttery and sometimes loses it shape when cut (semi-soft)	Close and even, well formed, not buttery and keeps its shape when cut (hard)
Appearance	Slightly creamy, with a few holes	Not very creamy, with a few holes
Colour	Uniformly white	Yellowish
Smell and taste	Intense smell, mild and clean, not very sharp	Strong, with a balanced mixture of different smells
Fat (in dry matter) %	25–50	35–60
Moisture (in non-fat solids) %	35–60	20–55

‘Queijo Terrincho’ and ‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho are marketed whole, sliced or in pre-packaged portions.

‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho may also be presented for sale coated in red pepper paste or cut into pieces and immersed in containers of virgin olive oil.

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

The sheep feed primarily on pastures located on upland terrain, fallow land and a huge expanse of uncultivated land, on which the grass cover is coarse and sparse, and on water meadows or natural pastures within the defined geographical area.

As there is not enough grass, secondary forage needs to be provided, such as rye, barley, oats, turnips, lentils and the foliage of trees such as ash, elm, oak, almond and olive trees and even vines from the geographical area.

Use is also made of other feed, such as straw and hay, autumn/winter-sown forage crops (oats, vetch, rye and yellow lupin) and spring-sown forage crops (maize and sorghum), produced on the farm or by other sheep farmers, from within the defined geographical area.

All the feed given to the sheep comes from the geographical area. Only in times of scarcity is it possible to make use of feed from other regions, but this must never exceed 50 % of the dry matter each year. This feed is the same and has the same composition as the feed from the defined geographical area, so the characteristics of the product are not affected.

Food-grade salt, in a proportion of between 15 % and 20 % by weight of the cheese, and animal rennet are used.

The pure raw milk obtained from Churra da Terra Quente ewes must have the following physico-chemical characteristics:

Acidity (ml NaOH N\1)	25–30
pH	6,5–6,6
Density (at 20 °C)	1 036–1 038
Fat content (g/100 g)	8,5
Protein content (g/100 g)	6,4–6,6
Total nitrogen (%)	1,0–1,1
Non-casein nitrogen (%)	0,2–0,3

The red pepper, olive oil and grape marc spirit used to prepare the red pepper paste come from the defined geographical area.

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

Production of the milk and manufacturing, including maturing and ripening, must take place in the defined geographical area.

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

Long-term storage of the product is permitted at a temperature no lower than – 11 °C.

Slicing and packaging must take place within the defined geographical area in order to preserve the integrity of the product and guarantee the characteristics which give it its specific character, which can easily be altered by successive handling operations and/or handling operations spread out over time.

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

In addition to the product logo shown below, the product label must bear the following words: ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – Denominação de Origem Protegida’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – Protected Designation of Origin] or ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – DOP’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – PDO] or ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – Denominação de Origem Protegida VELHO’ (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – Protected Designation of Origin VELHO] or ‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – DOP VELH O" (‘QUEIJO TERRINCHO’ – PDO VELHO].

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area in which the product is made and matured is restricted to the municipalities of Mogadouro, Alfândega da Fé, Torre de Moncorvo, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Mirandela, Vila Flor, Carrazeda de Ansiães and Macedo de Cavaleiros (with the exception of the parishes of Edroso, Espadanedo, Ferreira, Murçós and Soutelo de Mourisco), São João da Pesqueira (with the exception of the parishes of Riodades and Paredes da Beira) and Vila Nova de Foz Côa and to the parishes of Rio Torto, São Pedro de Veiga de Lila, Veiga de Lila, Valpaços, Vales and Possacos in the municipality of Valpaços, the parishes of Longroiva, Fonte Longa, Poço do Canto and Meda in the municipality of Meda and the parishes of Escalhão, Vilar de Amargo, Algodres and Mata de Lobos in the municipality of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The quality of ‘Queijo Terrincho’ is due exclusively to the natural and human factors linked to the defined geographical area.

There are reports that associate the spread of the production of sheep’s cheese with medieval Christian monasteries in this region and elsewhere. The best evidence for the origin of this cheese is perhaps the fact that, in the region of Terra Quente Transmontana, the area in which the Churra da Terra Quente breed of sheep originated, namely the Vilariça Valley, and more specifically Quinta da Terrincha, has given the breed its alternative name, the ‘Terrincha’, and has also given its name to the cheese, i.e. ‘Terrincho’. This shows that, in this sub-area, there is a convergence of natural and human factors that characterise the entire production area.

The Terra Quente Transmontana and the upper Douro Valley, the areas in which the defined geographical area is located, were initially home to a very hardy and well-adapted breed of sheep, the Badana breed. It was from this breed that the Churra da Terra Quente breed was developed at the end of the 19th century by cross-breeding with Mondegueiro rams. It reached its full expression from the mid-20th century onwards. The breed is therefore hardy, well-adapted to the region and quite fertile, often giving birth to twins. It is a moderate meat producer, but as it is primarily a milk-producing breed, it is closely linked to cheese-making in the region.

The region is one of hilly plateaus, with some steep slopes, and acidic and not very fertile soils, with a few pockets of good agricultural land. The rainfall, which is concentrated in the winter months, is used to the full during the long, dry summer. This all means that the availability of food resources is not constant, spring being a time of abundance and summer a time of scarcity.

These conditions strongly influence crop distribution in the region, favouring traditional, extensive production systems and causing the Churra da Terra Quente sheep reared in this way to produce milk whose characteristics are such that, when processed by local people using their ancestral skills and know-how, it produces a very distinctive cheese which has stood the test of time.

The mild aroma and flavour, which become stronger and more intense as ‘Queijo Terrincho’ ages, thus derive from the characteristics of the pure raw milk used and are closely linked to the breed of sheep and the vegetation typical of the upland terrain and water meadows, which forms a key part of the feed of the sheep reared in the defined geographical area.

The close and uniform texture, colour and slightly unctuous appearance of the paste are the result of an artisanal manufacturing process that is founded on the know-how of the local people, particularly with regard to how to work the curds and handle them in such a way as to drain off the whey and produce a compact mass.

The maturing and ripening process takes place in natural ripening facilities in a controlled environment, under the following conditions.

Maturing	‘Queijo Terrincho’	‘Queijo Terrincho’Velho
Temperature (°C)	5–12	8–14
Humidity (%)	80–90	75–85
Minimum amount of time (days)	30	90

Maintaining these conditions and taking the necessary care during this process – particularly with regard to the washing of the cheese, the frequency of which depends on the appearance of the rind, which must always be smooth and clean – are operations which rely on local know-how and are determining factors in ensuring that the cheese obtained has a paste with the desired texture, colour and appearance.

Local know-how is also evident in the use of the traditional preservation techniques associated with cheeses that are matured for a greater length of time, which allow the product to be kept for longer without any alteration in its distinctive characteristics. This is the case with regard to the practice of coating the rind with red pepper paste – a semi-solid mixture of red pepper and grape marc spirit or red pepper and virgin olive oil produced locally in traditional stills or in olive oil mills – and as regards preserving the cheese in containers of virgin olive oil.

As regards the link between human factors and the product, ‘Queijo Terrincho’ is considered traditional to this region of Trás-os-Montes and the production method and preservation techniques have been handed down from one generation to the next and are still used today.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt/images/prod_imagens/queijos/docs/CE_Qj_Terrincho.pdf

---

(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.