15.3.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 77/25

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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

2013/C 77/09

This publication confers the right to oppose to 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)

‘PASTA DI GRAGNANO’

EC No: IT-PGI-0005-0870-23.03.2011

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Pasta di Gragnano’

2.   Member State or Third Country:

Italy

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product:

Class 2.7 —

pasta

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

‘Pasta di Gragnano’ is a product obtained from a mixture of hard-wheat semolina with water from the local aquifer.

Various pasta shapes are marketed; they are all typical varieties and stem from the creativity of Gragnano pasta-makers.

The product must have the following properties when marketed:

Physical properties

—	external appearance: homogenous, without white or black stains; absence of air bubbles, fissures, cuts, mildew, maggots, parasites or foreign bodies,

—	cross-section: vitreous,

—	colour: straw-yellow,

—	coarseness: strained through bronze draw-plates.

The ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ PGI has the following properties when cooked

—	consistency: firm yet elastic,

—	homogeneity when cooked: cooks in a uniform manner,

—	resistance when cooked: good — remains firm for a long time,

—	glutinosity: absent or imperceptible.

Chemical properties

—	moisture content: no more than 12,5 % of the finished product,

—	minimum nutritional value for 100 g of the product when dry: energy value 1 486 KJ 350 Kcal proteins 13 g carbohydrates 73 g fat 1 g ash max. 0,86 %

Organoleptic properties

—	flavour: savoury with a distinctive taste of hard wheat,

—	aroma: of mature wheat.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

The hard-wheat semolina used to produce the ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ PGI must have the following properties:

—	moisture content: not exceeding 15 % of the finished product,

—	minimum nutritional value for 100 g of the product when dry: energy value 1 486 KJ 350 Kcal proteins 13 g carbohydrates 73 g fat 1 g ash max. 0,86 %

The hard-wheat semolina is mixed with water not exceeding 30 % of the total solution. After that, the mixture is blended amply during the kneading phase and becomes uniform and elastic.

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

—

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

The production process of ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ is made up of the following phases: mixing and kneading, extrusion or wire-drawing, drying, cooling and stabilisation, all of which takes place in the territory of the Municipality of Gragnano in the Province of Naples.

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

Packaging must take place in the production companies or on the production site within 24 hours after production both to avoid moisture loss, which affects the special organoleptic qualities of the product, and because moisture loss and handling during transportation determine whether the various forms of pasta will be broken or damaged.

The various forms of packaging used for ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ are as follows: cardboard boxes, transparent bags or packaging made from plant-based or other recyclable materials, in line with EU regulations. The sealed packages weigh either 125 g, 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg or 2 kg.

3.7.   Labels must bear the following wording:

The labels affixed to packaging must bear, in clear and legible print of the same size, the following indications:

(a)	‘Pasta di Gragnano’ and ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ or the ‘PGI’ acronym;

(b)	the name, company name and address of the packaging company or producer;

(c)	the logo of the ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ name:

the logo must be used in conjunction with the Protected Geographical Indication and with the EU symbol.

The name's logo can also be printed in black and white, in monochrome or in negative.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The production area of the ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ PGI covers the entire territory of the Municipality of Gragnano, located in the Province of Naples.

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The Municipality of Gragnano has been known for producing hard-wheat pasta since the 16th century. The historical importance of pasta production in Gragnano was so great that it influenced urban planning. In the mid 19th century, when a new town plan was being put into place, the width of the streets and the height of the buildings were designed so as to allow wind to circulate better and thus to facilitate the drying phase of the pasta.

Pasta production in the Municipality of Gragnano has always involved the use of bronze draw-plates. This specificity sparked off the production of various types of draw-plates, allowing different pasta shapes to be produced, which the imagination of the locals associated with events told in anecdotes or local stories.

In addition, water from the Lattari mountains near Gragnano has always been plentiful. This resources undoubtedly facilitated pasta production, both because it was an ingredient which needed to be added to the semolina in order to obtain the pasta mixture and because it was used to turn the grindstones of the mills used to grind the wheat and thus to produce the flour.

The ‘Gragnano Valley of Mills’ bears witness to the above. There, one can still admire the remains of artefacts which were once used in the production process of ‘Pasta di Gragnano’.

Today the Municipality of Gragnano is known as ‘pasta city’ thanks to its long history of pasta production.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

‘Pasta di Gragnano’ features a furrowed surface which allows the product to blend well with a variety of sauces and to be cooked ‘al dente’.

Furthermore, the originality of the various pasta shapes, resulting from the creativity of professional local pasta-makers, has made the product highly recognisable for consumers.

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 request for the ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ PGI to be recognised is justified by its reputation and notoriety. ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ is known for its traditional production method involving the use of bronze draw-plates.

These bronze draw-plates give the pasta a coarseness which helps it to capture sauces and seasonings. During the extrusion phase, the bronze of the draw-plates maintains the mixture in the contact points of the draw-plates thus creating tiny furrows which allow the pasta, once cooked, to easily capture and retain sauces. This also increases the surface area in contact with one's taste buds, which enhances the pasta in its raw state whilst preserving the typical taste and fragrance of wheat.

These properties, along with the large number of original pasta shapes created by pasta chefs, make ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ much appreciated by both kitchen chefs and consumers, as are evidence numerous articles published in cookery and gastronomy magazines. By way of example, see ‘La pasta dei grandi chef’, published in the ‘Cucina Gourmet’ magazine (pages 122-124, Ed. Edifim, 2010), an article on ‘La pasta di Gragnano’, published in the gastronomy guide ‘L'Italia del Gambero Rosso’ (page 90, Ed. Sole 24 Ore, 2007), the article ‘La Pasta Artigianale: aziende storiche’, published in the ‘Adesso pasta’ guide (pages 54-55, Altraeconomia, 2010). In addition to these publications, other articles have been published in daily newspapers, such as ‘Sfida fra chef con la pasta di Gragnano’ (La Repubblica, 21 June 2012), ‘Italie: à Gragnano la vie rêvée des pâtes’ (Le Monde, 17 December 2010), ‘A Gragnano tutti pazzi per la pasta’ (Corriere della sera, Doveviaggi.it, February 2012), ‘Spaghetti, penne e rigatoni: dalla “base” alle 5 stelle’ (Corriere della sera, 25 April 2012), ‘Pasta Diva’ (Corriere della sera — itinerari gastronomici, 6 October 2010).

The use of bronze draw-plates has been preserved over time in Gragnano despite the spread of Teflon draw-plates. While Teflon indeed facilitates the production process, it does not bear comparison with the features of Gragnano's traditional production methods which have made the reputation of ‘Pasta di Gragnano’.

The attention with which Gragnano pasta-makers ensure that the drying phase goes ahead correctly must also be underlined: this is a legacy of past times, when the pasta was placed on dryers in the open air in the streets of Gragnano. When the drying phase is managed properly, the pasta is better suited for cooking and retains its fragrance and flavour.

Gragnano has been hosting for years now a thematic event with demonstrations of the old manufacturing processes of ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ in the streets.

Historical texts and the bibliography on ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ certify that the production of ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ dates back to the 16th-17th centuries. During the ‘The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies’ in the mid 19th century, the reputation of Gragnano pasta and the hard work and know-how of the citizens involved in its manufacturing gained notoriety throughout the kingdom.

When Italy was about to be united, pasta-making was abundant in Gragnano with around 100 pasta factories employing a good 70 % of the active Gragnano population.

Since the turn of the 20th century the name ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ has entered into common language and into business in a very poignant way, to such an extent that retailers from Florence, Turin and Milan, as well as foreign retailers, have been requesting ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ in large quantities for years.

Reference to the publication of the specification:

The Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising the ‘Pasta di Gragnano’ PGI in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 198 of 25 August 2010. The full text of the product specification is available on the following internet site:

http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going direct to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità e sicurezza’ (in the top right-hand corner of the screen) and then on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.

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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 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.

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