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 3 months from the date of this publication.

Application for a union amendment to the product specification of a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication originating in a Member State

(Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012)

‘Ser koryciński swojski’

EU No: PGI-PL-0835-AM02 – 28.4.2023

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name of product

‘Ser koryciński swojski’

2.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

ZARZECCY Sp. z o.o., FOODTECH Zbigniew Rybak and SEROWAR PODLASKI Aneta Łukaszuk-Łapińska – the certified producers of ‘Ser koryciński swojski’

3.   Member state to which the geographical area belongs

Poland

4.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

☐	Name of product

☒

Link

☐	Marketing restrictions

5.   Type of amendment(s)

This is an amendment within the meaning of Article 53(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 which risks voiding the link referred to in Article 5(2)(b) for protected geographical indications.

Point 5 of the single document states that the specificity of ‘ser koryciński swojski’ stems from the fact that, among other things, it is made from whole unpasteurised milk which gives it its characteristic fresh milk aroma.

6.   Amendment(s)

Link

Description

The amendment concerns the use of pasteurisation to prepare milk for the production of ‘ser koryciński swojski’. The possibility has been introduced for ‘ser koryciński swojski’ to also be produced from pasteurised milk. The use of low pasteurisation and a lactic acid starter culture is a change which will not affect the specificity of the product (including loss of the characteristic fresh milk aroma) or its link with the area. The cheese will continue to be produced in the same region, i.e. Korycin, meaning that there will be no significant change to the production method, other than the possibility of using low pasteurisation and adding a lactic acid starter culture.

The use of low pasteurisation and the addition of a lactic acid starter culture guarantees that the microflora found in raw milk are reproduced with an identical composition, while the risk of contamination of the raw material by pathogenic bacteria is eliminated, thereby resulting in a product with sensory characteristics in accordance with the product specification.

Summary of the reasons for which the amendment is required

Originally, ‘ser koryciński swojski’ was made from unpasteurised milk, as the pasteurisation process was unknown. Technological progress has made it possible to use pasteurised milk without losing the characteristics of the product (cheese) which are essentially attributable to its geographical origin within the meaning of Article 5(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. Consumers benefit from the proposed amendment as it increases product safety. Moreover, production of the cheese from inoculated pasteurised milk – rather than only raw milk – does not change the sensory or physico-chemical characteristics of ‘ser koryciński swojski’.

Findings from scientific research show that milk pasteurisation results in no adverse changes to the sensory characteristics or physico-chemical characteristics of the cheese, whether fresh, matured or ripened.

Food business operators producing dairy products must apply procedures ensuring that milk immediately prior to heat treatment has a bacterial count at 30 °C below 300 000/ml. This means there is very little scope for microbial growth between the milking and milk-processing stages. Moreover, during that time, the cold chain must be preserved, ensuring that milk is chilled in line with the applicable legislation. In accordance with Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, food business operators are responsible for satisfying the relevant hygiene requirements at all stages of production, processing and distribution under their control.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Ser koryciński swojski’

EU No: PGI-PL-0835-AM02 – 28.4.2023

PGI (X) PDO ( )

1.   Name(s) [of pdo or pgi]

‘Ser koryciński swojski’

2.   Member state

Poland

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

‘Ser koryciński swojski’ is a ripened cheese made from raw or pasteurised whole cow’s milk, to which rennet and table salt are added; where pasteurised whole cow’s milk is used, a lactic acid culture is also added. Spices and herbs may be added, as well as seeds, fruit, nuts, vegetables and mushrooms.

‘Ser koryciński swojski’ has a flattened spherical (geoidal) shape with an elliptical cross-section; it is up to 30 cm in diameter (depending on the size of the strainer used in its production and the quantity of cheese placed in it) and weighs 2,5-5 kg (depending on the strainer used and the length of the ripening period).

‘Ser koryciński swojski’ has plentiful small eyes of different sizes and shapes. The surface of the cheese is fluted.

There are three maturation periods for cheese sold under the name ‘ser koryciński swojski’:

‘ser koryciński swojski’ – świeży (fresh) is ripened for 2-4 days;

‘ser koryciński swojski’ – leżakowany (matured) is ripened and matured for 5-14 days;

‘ser koryciński swojski’ – dojrzały (ripe) is ripened and matured for more than 14 days.

The length of the maturation period does not alter the specific characteristics of ‘ser koryciński swojski’ referred to under point 5 of the single document.

Description of ‘ser koryciński swojski’ according to the length of the ripening period:

Group of characteristics or ingredients	Characteristic or ingredient	Fresh ‘ser koryciński swojski’	Matured ‘ser koryciński swojski’	Ripe ‘ser koryciński swojski’
Colouring	External colour	cream	straw-yellowish	yellowish or yellow
	Internal colour	cream	creamy-straw	straw-yellowish
Consistency	External consistency	same consistency externally as internally	slightly firm on the outside and soft inside	delicate yellow rind with a whitish bloom on the outside
	Internal texture	wet, very elastic, with evenly distributed small holes (about 1 mm)	moist, elastic, with evenly sized and evenly distributed holes (about 2 mm)	slightly moist, elastic, with evenly sized and evenly distributed holes
Organoleptic characteristics	Taste	predominantly mild and creamy, typically rubbery and squeaky when bitten	slightly salty, with a discernible nutty overtone	pronouncedly dry, rather salty in the outer layer and slightly less so towards the centre, slightly nutty taste
	Aroma	dominant aroma of fresh butter	slight aroma of dried cheese	aroma of dried cheese
Physico-chemical characteristics	Water	≤ 53 %	≤ 48 %	≤ 43 %
	Fat	≤ 20 %	≤ 22 %	≤ 30 %

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

The milk used to produce ‘ser koryciński swojski’ comes from cows which are pasture-grazed for at least 150 days a year. The animals are fed using traditional methods; meadow hay, cereal feeds (barley, rye, wheat and cereal blends) or hay silage form the basis of their feed in winter.

—	The basic raw materials are cow’s milk, rennet and table salt (about 3 g for every 10 l of milk), plus salt for rubbing onto the cheese after moulding; where pasteurised milk is used, a lactic acid culture is also added.

—	Optional raw materials – pepper, chilli, basil, dill, parsley, lovage, mint, black caraway, wild garlic, paprika, marjoram, caraway, oregano, savoury, garlic, chives, olives, mushrooms, seeds, vegetables, nuts, fruit,

The milk used in production is raw or pasteurised whole milk. No physical or chemical processing is permitted, except for pasteurisation and the filtering-out of macroscopic impurities.

The use of different spices merely serves to impart flavours and does not alter the characteristics of ‘ser koryciński swojski’.

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

—	Heating or pasteurisation of the milk and addition of the rennet and salt; where pasteurised milk is used, also the addition of a lactic acid starter culture,

—	renneting,

—	separation of the whey,

—	draining of the whey,

—

moulding,

—	rubbing with salt,

—

ripening.

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

—

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

All producers of ‘ser koryciński swojski’ are required to use the common ‘ser koryciński swojski’ logo on their labels. The ‘ser koryciński swojski’ logo will be distributed via the Zrzeszenie Producentów Sera Korycińskiego (Association of Korycin Cheese Producers).

The rules on the distribution of the logo do not discriminate in any way against producers who are not members of the association.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Ser koryciński swojski’ is produced in three municipalities in Podlaskie province, Sokółka District: Korycin, Suchowola and Janów.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The link between ‘ser koryciński swojski’ and the area is based on the specific characteristics defined in point 5.2, and on its reputation.

‘Ser koryciński swojski’ has a specific shape associated with the strainers in which it is made. These vessels also give the cheese its characteristic fluted surface. It is made from unpasteurised or pasteurised whole milk, which gives it its characteristic fresh milk aroma. Where pasteurised milk is used, the characteristic aroma of fresh milk is preserved by low pasteurisation and inoculating the raw material with a lactic acid starter culture produced from raw milk. The cheese is moist and elastic, with plentiful evenly sized and evenly distributed small eyes.

The specific characteristics of ‘ser koryciński swojski’ have evolved over the many years during which it has been produced, with the production method and the associated practical skills being passed from one generation to the next, as dairy technology and production manuals do not describe how to make this product, which is closely linked to the geographical area defined in point 4. The product enjoys a good reputation, as evidenced by the number of articles in the press and references on the internet and the number of awards it has received. ‘Ser koryciński swojski’ sells in reputable shops for up to 50 % more than the prices charged for other rennet cheeses. ‘Ser koryciński swojski’ is sold over the internet for exactly the same price as ‘oscypek’, which is a protected designation of origin.

The geographical area in which ‘ser koryciński swojski’ is produced is situated in the Białystok High Plain mesoregion, which is part of the North Podlachian Lowland macroregion, a moraine lakeland area characterised by marshy depressions amidst extensive plateaux. The area’s varied landscape was formed by repeated glacial action. The North Podlachian Lowland comprises several smaller components, namely: valleys, basins, plains and high plains, including the Białystok High Plain. High plains are of morainic origin and display very great morphological variety. The most commonly encountered landforms here are eroded moraine hills and kames which reach a height of 200 m above sea level in places.

This lowland has a climate that becomes markedly more continental towards the east (whereas maritime climatic influences prevail in western Poland). The area where ‘ser koryciński swojski’ is produced is situated in the southern part of north-eastern Poland, which is considered to be the coldest region in the country, apart from the mountains. The winters are long (averaging about 110 days), with the lowest temperatures in the country: average air temperatures in January are between - 5 and - 6 °C (the January average for Warsaw is about - 3,5 °C), and there is a fairly long-lasting snow cover. Summers last for about 90 days and are fairly warm, the average July temperature being about 18 °C. The transition periods are shorter than in the central part of the country. The average annual rainfall is about 650 mm. Most rainfall occurs in the April-September period. The timing of the rainfall is a favourable factor, as 70 % of all rainfall occurs during the growing season, which is beneficial for meadows and pastures. The frequency of the rainfall during the growing season is also favourable, as rainfall occurs on about 94 days. The growing season is short. Beginning a third of the way through April and finishing at the end of October, it lasts for about 200 days.

The region in which ‘ser koryciński swojski’ is produced does not have any heavy industry. The industrial plants operating here are involved in agri-foods – in particular milk – processing. Most of the land is used for farming or forested. Agricultural land, almost all of which is held by individual farms, accounts for a significant proportion of the area. Most of it is low-production-value and sparsely wooded farmland.

Podlaskie province, which includes the area defined in point 4, is geared to producing milk and milk products, as evidenced by the fact that it has the highest proportion of grassland in Poland, accounting for 35,4 % of the cultivated area. Pastures account for 13 % and meadows for 22,4 %. The province ranks second in the country in terms of head of cattle. It supplies the market with one in three litres of Polish-produced milk and one in five blocks of butter. Its milk producers produce an average of 33,3 tonnes of milk, compared with the national average of 16,2 tonnes. Its share of the national figure is increasing steadily.

It has traditionally been geared to producing milk and milk products because of the low level of industrialisation in the past and continuing low levels of investment, high unemployment and low wages. In the past, it was mainly raw milk that was sold, but many farms also made butter and ‘ser koryciński swojski’ for their own use or for sale. Cheese-making was in particular a way of making use of the milk produced on farms and diversifying diets. The specific skills of ‘ser koryciński swojski’ producers are demonstrated in particular by the use of whole cow’s milk to produce the cheese and by the turning of the product during ripening at various stages determined by the producers’ knowledge and experience.

Korycin cheese (ser koryciński) won first prize and the title ‘ Smak Roku ’ at the Polagra Farm trade fair in Poznań in 2004, a ‘ Perła ’ in the Our Culinary Heritage (Nasze Kulinarne Dziedzictwo) competition, and the title ‘ Podlaska Marka Roku ’ in the taste category. The Korycin Cheese Festival (Święto sera korycińskiego) has been held every autumn since 2004. In 2005, ‘ser koryciński swojski’ was included on the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development’s national list of traditional products.

‘Ser koryciński swojski’ is increasingly well-known and sought-after, especially in northern and central Poland. It is promoted every year in Warsaw during the Podlasie in the Capital (Podlasie w stolicy) festival. References to the recognition and popularity with which Korycin cheese has been met regularly appear in the regional and national press: Gazeta Wyborcza (Białystok), 4-5 June 2005 – ‘ Podlasie w stolicy ’; Kurier Poranny, 4 July 2005 – ‘ Tłoczno i smacznie ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 12 September 2005 – ‘ Zrób sobie swojski ser ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 29 September 2005 – ‘ Święto sera po raz drugi ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 4 October 2005 – ‘ Gospodynie z Gminy Korycin twierdzą, że nie ma to jak…Swojskiego sera smak ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 29 November 2005 – ‘ Projekt dla sera ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 24 September 2007 – ‘ Magia Smaku ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 25 September 2007 – ‘ Pierwsza przydomowa serowarnia ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 23 October 2007 – ‘ Sery to jest przyszłość ’; Kurier Poranny, 17 October 2007 – ‘ Niektórzy wracają ’; Kurier Poranny, 19 January 2008 – ‘ Dobra marka To jest to! ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 17 March 2008 – ‘ Pierwszy Festiwal Kuchni Podlaskiej ’; GWAGRO, 19 May 2008 – ‘ Danie warte “Perły” ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 11 June 2008 – ‘ Podlasie w stolicy ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 19 June 2008 – ‘ Serowarnia po polsku ’; Gazeta Wyborcza Duży Format, 16 February 2009 ‘ Bambus w szynce ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 17 March 2009 – ‘ To były smaki ’; Gazeta Wyborcza (Białystok), 15 May 2009 – ‘ Wspólna dla wszystkich jest kaczka - mowa o potrawach przygotowanych na Międzynarodowy Festiwal Kuchni ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 9 June 2009 – ‘ Dobre smaki można promować ’; Gazeta Współczesna, 16 June 2009 – ‘ Regionalne specjały – próbujmy i kupujmy ’. An internet search for ‘ser koryciński’ yields 10 pages of hits; ‘ser koryciński swojski’ is also described in Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.gov.pl/web/rolnictwo/wnioski-przekazane-komisji-europejskiej

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(1)   OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.