13.3.2020 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 83/77 Publication of an application for approval of amendments, which are 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 83/15) 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 NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 ‘BRIE DE MELUN’ EU No: PDO-FR-00111-AM01 – 26 September 2018 PDO (X) PGI ( ) 1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Name: Union interprofessionnelle de défense, de gestion et de contrôle du Brie de Meaux et du Brie de Melun [Inter-professional union for the defence, management and control of Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun] Address: 13 rue des Fossés – 77000 Melun, France Tel. +33 164371392 / Fax +33 164870427 Email: [email protected] Composition: The group is made up of milk producers, farmers, processors and refiners of ‘Brie de Melun’. It therefore has a legitimate right to propose the amendments. 2. Member State or third country France 3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s) Name of product Description of product Geographical area Proof of Origin Method of production Link Labelling Other: contact details of the inspection body, national requirements 4. Type of amendment(s) Amendments to the 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 Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. C 83/78 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 13.3.2020 5. Amendment(s) 5.1. ‘Description of product’ The sentences: ‘ “Brie de Melun” is a soft cheese made from raw cow’s milk. It is produced from lactic curd and slowly drained.’ have been replaced by: ‘ “Brie de Melun” is a soft cheese made exclusively from raw cow’s milk. It is a predominantly lactic cheese.’ The physical appearance of the cheese has been described more accurately, with the addition that ‘Brie de Melun’ belongs to the category of cheeses with ‘a “bloomy” rind’. The words ‘made exclusively’ have also been used in the ‘Method of production’ section of the specification in order to highlight the fact that raw milk is the only milk used – a particularity of ‘Brie de Melun’. The reference to the type of curd has been corrected. The curd is not ‘lactic’ as such but ‘predominantly lactic’, having a direct impact on the texture of the body and the aromas of the cheese. This sentence has also been added in the Single Document replacing the sentence ‘Soft cheese made from raw cow’s milk, rind covered with a fine crust [...]’ from the summary. The sentence: ‘It is in the shape of a flat cylinder measuring approximately 27 cm in diameter and 3 cm in height.’ has been replaced by: ‘The cheese comes in the form of a flat cylinder with pointed or rounded edges. It is cast in moulds with an internal diameter of between 27 cm and 28 cm. ’ The description of the product has been supplemented by adding that the edges may be ‘pointed or rounded’. The dimensions of the cheeses sometimes proved to be inaccurate due to deformation of the cheeses when maturing. It has therefore been added that the size corresponds to the internal diameter of the moulds. The thickness of the cheeses (3 cm) has been deleted as their height depends on the ratio of the diameter of the cheese to its weight. This clarification was therefore not needed. This sentence has also been added to the Single Document to replace the words ‘flat cylinder’ in the summary. Reference to the felt-like coating being ‘white’ (in accordance with the summary) has been added, thereby describing more accurately the physical appearance of the rind or ‘bloom’. The coating is linked to the development of Penicillium candidum. As the rind can also have red or brown patches due to the development of other cultures, the words ‘or brown’ have been added to the Single Document to supplement the word ‘red’ used in the summary. The sentence: ‘It contains at least 45 % fat and 40 % dry matter.’ has been replaced by: ‘[...] contains at least 45 grams of fat per 100 grams of total cheese dry matter and at least 40 grams of dry matter per 100 grams of cheese. ’ The fat content is expressed in grams per 100 grams of total cheese dry matter instead of as a percentage. Similarly, the dry matter content is expressed in grams of dry matter per 100 g of cheese instead of as a percentage. This sentence has also been added to the Single Document. The concept of ‘uniform cream shade’ has been deleted as the colour of the body varies from the centre to the rind, so it is not uniform. Moreover, the colour is not constant and may vary according to the season and the cows’ feed. The following paragraph has been added: ‘After ripening for five weeks, “Brie de Melun” will be white in colour. The body is crumbly and slightly runny beneath the rind. It has an initially milky, then yeasty flavour and a slightly acidic taste. 13.3.2020 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 83/79 Between five and eight weeks, it matures gently from the rind to the centre, developing a supple consistency. Its aroma develops gradually. After eight to ten weeks, the “Brie de Melun” is fully mature, with a uniform body and a consistency which varies from supple to slightly runny. It has a hint of bitterness, a milky taste and a lasting flavour. It has an animal and plant-based aroma of balanced proportions. ’ The appearance of the body is described in line with the ripening stage of the cheese. The consistency changes from ‘crumbly’ (cheese at five weeks) to ‘supple to slightly runny’ (cheese at eight to ten weeks). With regard to the organoleptic criteria, at the end of the minimum maturing period (five weeks), the ‘Brie de Melun’ has a milky, then yeasty flavour and a slightly acidic taste. Between five and eight weeks its aroma develops. By eight to ten weeks it has a hint of bitterness, a milky taste and a lasting flavour. It has an animal and plant-based aroma of balanced proportions. This paragraph has also been added to the Single Document. The sentence: ‘Maturing lasts at least four weeks from the date of production.’ has been replaced by: ‘Maturing lasts for at least five weeks from the date of renneting.’ The ripening time has also been included in the ‘Method of production’ section of the specification. This has been increased from four to five weeks in order to emphasise the typical characteristics of the product and take into account actual practice among operators. In certain cases, four weeks is not enough to obtain the characteristics of ‘Brie de Melun’. The sentence: ‘After ripening for four weeks, cheeses will weigh between 1,5 kilograms and 1,8 kilograms. ’ has been replaced by: ‘Cheeses will weigh between 1,5 kilograms and 2,2 kilograms. ’ This range takes into account the marketing of ‘Brie de Melun’ at different ripening stages. The more mature the cheese, the more it loses water, so its weight decreases. Below 1,5 kg, it is too dry and no longer displays the characteristics of the PDO. This sentence has also been added to the Single Document to replace the words ‘1,5 kg average weight’ in the summary. The following sentence has been added: ‘The “Brie de Melun” may be divided into halves or triangular portions (cut from the centre to the rind) at the end of the minimum five-week maturing period’. ‘Brie de Melun’ is rarely sold whole to the final consumer because it is a large cheese. Segmentation rules have been added to ensure that traditional cutting practices are respected, namely that each piece has an edge of the rind (heel), thereby recalling the rounded shape and format of the cheese. It has also been added that cheeses may only be segmented at the end of the five-week minimum maturing period. This sentence has also been added to the Single Document. 5.2. ‘Geographical area’ A list of communes in the geographical area has been added in order to facilitate checks. This list covers all the communes in the geographical area where all stages in milk production, cheese-making and maturing may be carried out, on the basis of the 2017 French Official Geographic Code. 5.3. ‘Proof of origin’ The declaration requirements applying to producers have been added. These amendments are linked to changes in national rules and legislation. They include: — identification of the producers for authorisation recognising their ability to meet the requirements of the specification; — a paragraph on keeping records and documents on traceability; C 83/80 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 13.3.2020 — the necessary declarations for understanding and monitoring production; — a paragraph on the checks carried out on the characteristics of products intended to be marketed as a designation of origin.