Caratteristiche del Pecorino Romano DOP
Norme disciplinari
- References
Regulation of the certification of the conformity of the product, issued and approved by the Consortium for the Protection of PDO Pecorino Romano Cheese.
Ministerial decree dated 6 June, 1995 published in the Official Gazette, issue 148, on 27 June, 1995.
Documentation sent from the Ministry of Agricultural Policies to the European Commission for the recognition of PDO quality according to article 17 of the EEC code number 1107/96.
- Definitions
Production allotment
The entire number of wheels produced by a dairy whose raw materials and work processes are carefully controlled and whose uniformity is ensured, with a maximum entity coinciding with the daily production capacity.
Sample of the allotment
A selection of wheels to be evaluated for conformity, by intrusive and non-intrusive testing methods, extracted from a lot on the basis of the inspector’s experience for a good representation, not necessarily with statistical significance.
2.3 Heating
The raw milk is heated for at least 15 seconds to a temperature between 57 and 68°C so that, after this treatment, it will have a positive reaction to the phosphatase test.
2.4 Pre-pressing of the curd under whey
The curd is pressed manually during the deposit stage in a heated vat or mechanically in a drainage tank. It is then divided into portions to facilitate the drainage of the whey and the formation of the “bed” for fermentation.
2.5 Pressing
In this stage, pressure is exerted on the curd or on the cheese in the moulds to facilitate, when necessary, the drainage of the whey, the structuring of the cheese itself, and the shaping into the desired wheels.
Pressing may be carried out manually and/or by means of weights or mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic presses.
2.6 Warm, damp environment
The room or equipment where the cheese is kept is to be at a temperature of about 30-45° C and with a relative humidity of about 85-100%. This favours the acidification of the curd. This process may be carried 0ut in special rooms or equipment (commonly called “hot rooms” and “warming boxes”) or in the same environment used for former stages.
2.7 Natural cultures of autochthonous milk enzymes
Inoculations of whey, lactose, or serum prepared according to specifications in the MIPA circular, 4 August, 1998 issue (prot. 62493) under the heading “Strutture di controllo delle denominazioni d’origine e delle indicazioni geografiche” (“Control organisms for denominations of origin and geographical indications”)
Bearing in mind what is specified in the above-mentioned document at the point regarding cultures of milk bacteria to be used in the preparation of milk destined to the manufacture of a PDO cheese and the principles that imply the respect of fair principles, and local and constant use and protection of the autochthony of the bacterial strains present in the inoculation the typologies of natural cultures judged to be idoneous, with possible restrictions of their use.
2.7.1 Traditional inoculation of whey, lactose, or serum, prepared at the manufacture site.
2.7.2 Liquid inoculations prepared in qualified structures external to the dairy with daily delivery. Said inoculations must obtain certification from the competent authorities ensuring the respect of the bacterial complexity and autochthony of the culture in its totality. The criterion of overall autochthony is protected only when a bacterial matrix is used for the preparation of the whole culture: that is to say, containing in toto the lactic bacteria present in the sweet serum residue from the manufacture process, or in the natural traditional inoculation (of whey, lactose, or serum) in cheese production.
2.7.3 Cultures of autochthonous strains selected as “corrective” or “reinforcement” of the traditional dairy inoculation. These cultures must obtain certification from competent authorities guaranteeing the autochthonous origin of the bacterial composition and every aspect of the manufacture process. The use of these integrative “reinforcement” cultures is not to be continuous but limited to cases of absolute necessity, should they arise.
- Definition of the product
PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
Pecorino Romano is a hard cheese, which has been cooked and produced from whole fresh sheep milk, coming exclusively from farms in the production area. The milk may have been inoculated with natural cultures of autochthonous milk bacteria from the area of production, and coagulated with creamy lamb rennet obtained exclusively from animals raised in the same area of production. The crust is thin, straw-coloured or ivory-coloured, occasionally covered with substances used specifically for protecting food. They may be neutral, black or have a natural colour.
The cheese itself is compact or with small eyes. Its colour may vary from white to straw-coloured, depending on the technical conditions of production.
The taste of the softer kind is aromatic, slightly sharp and salty; the harder kind, used for grating, is stronger, intense, with the characteristic fragrance of grating cheeses.
Commercial presentation for PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
The wheels of Pecorino Romano are branded at the production site. The marking is repeated over every part of the crust and produced from a resin used for food purposes which stamps the denominaton of the cheese, the logo, the initials of the province from which it came, the code of the dairy which produced it, the month and year of production, in addition to its Denomination of Origin.
The logo is diamond-shaped with rounded corners, containing the stylised head of a sheep and bearing the brand name “Pecorino Romano” beneath it.
- Conformity requirements for PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
Requirements for the conformity of PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
4.1.1. Location of the dairy in the territory administrated by the regions of Latium and Sardinia and the province of Grosseto, in the Tuscany region.
4.1.2. Exclusive use of whole sheep milk from farms located in the regions of Latium and Sardinia and the province of Grosseto, in the Tuscany region.
4.1.3. Production period from October to July.
4.1.4. Use of lamb curd in a custard-like substance, derived exclusively from animals raised in the afore-mentioned area of production.
4.1.5. Production of cheese by means of the characteristic technology (see §4.2)
4.1.6. Shaping of the curd by pressing it into appropriate moulds.
4.2 Characteristic technology for the production of PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
The documents referred to in point 1, in addition to the obligations listed above, describe the following standards related to the characteristic technology for the production of PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese:
Fresh sheep milk, upon its arrival in the establishments for transformation, is processed directly or stocked at 4°C for no longer than 24 hours and usually undergoes a thermic treatment at 65-68°C. After being cooled to 45°C, it is inoculated with a natural culture of autochthonous milk bacteria (e.g. whey or serum inoculation) occasionally integrated, in cases of absolute necessity, with strains coming from the zone of origin.
After inoculation, the milk is coagulated at a temperature between 38 and 40°C with lamb rennet in the form of a cream, in a quantity which varies from 35 to 40 grams per 100 grams of milk, in order to complete the coagulation to a firmed state in about 30 minutes.
Once the desired degree of coagulation has been reached, the next step is to break up the coagulated mass into small pieces no larger than a grain of wheat.
The curd is then heated to a temperature between 45 and 48°C: this operation lasts about 10 minutes.
At the end of this cooking stage, in order to facilitate the mechanical expulsion of the serum, the curd is pre-pressed for about 25 to 30 minutes.
The cream cheese thus obtained is later divided into blocks and put into cylindrical or plastic moulds made of steel with holes for drainage. It may be pressed and/or placed in a hot-humid environment for the time necessary for acidification and the elimination of the whey.
Each wheel is then branded on every part of the rind with a plastic stamp which specifies the denomination and logo, the code of the province where the cheese was produced, the dairy code, and the month and year of production, in addition to the PDR data identifying the Denomination of Origin of the cheese.
The cheese thus marked is sent to be salted, completely or partially dry.
In the case of dry salted cheese, salting is carried out in environments at a temperature of 10-12°C with a relative humidity of 85-90% with 6 to 7 applications of salt, 3 or 4 of which during the first 3 weeks. The entire process lasts from 70 to 120 days, depending on the dimensions of the wheel, technical conditions of production, the number of wheels and the technological measures employed in the earlier stages of production.
Cheese that is damp and dry salted is kept for a period of 6 to 10 days in brine with salt concentration of about 23 to 24° Bè and at a temperature of 11 to 13°C. It is later transferred to rooms for dry salting where it will undergo from 3 to 4 applications of salt over a period of 50 to 70 days.
Curing is completed in rooms at an average temperature of 12°C with a relative humidity of 70 to 80%.
4.3. Obligations for curing PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
4.3.1. Location of the curing rooms in the territories under the administrations of the regions of Latium and Sardinia and the province of Grosseto, in the Tuscany region.
4.3.2. Minimum curing period of 5 months for Pecorino Romano table cheese and 8 months for grating cheese.
4.4. Final characteristics of PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
4.4.1. Shape: cylindrical with flat ends
4.4.2. Size: diameter of the wheel between 25 and 35 cm., height between 25 and 40 cm.
4.4.3. Weight: from 20 to 35 kg.
4.4.4. Rind: thin; ivory or light straw-coloured, sometimes covered with protective substances that may be neutrally coloured or black.
4.4.5. Appearance: Texture: compact or with small eyes. The colour may vary from white to more or less intense straw, depending on technical conditions in production.
4.4.6. Taste: the table cheese is aromatic, slightly sharp and salty. The grating cheese is stronger, typical of grating cheeses.
4.4.7. Fat in the dry cheese: minimum 36 %.
4.5. Rules for branding PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese
The product for commercialisation is endowed with the specific Denomination of Origin brand in the form of a diamond with rounded corners. Inside, there is a stylised sheep head with the name, “Pecorino Romano” under it.
This brand is stamped over the entire surface of the wheel. It additionally bears a rectangle where the province of origin is specified, together with the dairy code number, month and year of production with the details of the recognition of the Denomination of Origin.
4.6. Rules for branding PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese at packaging
The product to be packaged in wedges or blocks must bear on the packaging the details of the Consortium authorisation and other indications necessary for the identification of the Denomination of Origin, according to conventionally established requirements.
The product to be packaged in grated form must bear on the packaging the details of the Consortium authorisation and other indications necessary for the identification of the Denomination of Origin, according to conventionally established requirements.
PDO “Pecorino Romano” Cheese to be sold grated must have the following characteristics:
- Aged at least 8 months
- No more than 30% humidity
- The proportion between free fatty acids (AGL) and total fatty acids (AGT) over 2 %.
- The product may not be subjected to treatments and/or the addition of substances that would modify the preservation and the organoleptic characteristics.
- Additives: according to law
- Organoleptic characteristics: according to the definitions established in the manufacturing regulation
Regulation valid since 24 April, 2002.
|
Il Pecorino Romano 
