In the Official Journal of the European Union, the Implementing Regulation (EU) 1221/2023 of the Commission dated June 19, 2023, was published for the registration of a name in the Register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), "Pita de Pecica - PGI."

Thus, Pita de Pecica - PGI joins the other 11 Romanian products recognized and registered at the European level:

Magiun de prune de Topoloveni (Protected Geographical Indication), Salam de Sibiu (Protected Geographical Indication), Novac afumat din Țara Bârsei (Protected Geographical Indication), Scrumbie afumată de Dunăre (Protected Geographical Indication), Telemea de Sibiu (Protected Geographical Indication), Cârnați de Pleșcoi (Protected Geographical Indication), Cașcaval de Săveni (Protected Geographical Indication), Salata cu icre de știucă de Tulcea (Protected Geographical Indication), Telemea de Ibănești (Protected Designation of Origin), Traditional Salad with Carp Roe (Traditional Specialty Guaranteed), and Dobrogean Pie (Protected Geographical Indication).

Currently, Romania has two products under verification at the European Commission level for acquiring Protected Geographical Indication - Salina de Turda and Traditional Guaranteed Specialty - Marinated Sardines.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The product name "Pita de Pecica - PGI" has obtained protection under the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) quality system, based on Regulation (EU) No. 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) highlights the connection between a specific geographical region and the product name, where a certain quality, reputation, or other characteristic can be essentially attributed to its geographical origin. To benefit from this quality label, at least one of the stages of production, processing, or preparation must take place in the region.

The product "Pita de Pecica - PGI" is a baked and frozen bakery product made from leavened dough and baked in ovens. "Pita de Pecica" is prepared using wheat flour, fresh yeast, water, and iodized salt. The product has an irregular, slightly elongated shape with a prominent incision, weighing 4 kg, 2 kg, 1 kg, or 0.5 kg.

All stages of manufacturing the "Pita de Pecica - PGI" product take place within the delimited geographical area, namely the administrative territorial unit of Pecica, Arad County. The production process of the "Pita de Pecica" product includes the following specific stages:

quantitative and qualitative reception of raw materials, preparation and dosing of raw materials, obtaining the leaven, dough kneading, dough fermentation, dough division, pre-doughing, shaping, proofing, baking, cooling, and quick freezing (only for the frozen baked product).

"Pita de Pecica - PGI" is a product classified under category 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits, and other bakery products listed in Annex XI to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 668/2014.

Pita de Pecica has a slightly elongated shape with a prominent incision, rough and semi-glossy crust, slightly crispy with a brown color. The crumb is structurally connected to the crust, with a well-aerated consistency throughout the section, without flour aggregations, elastic, with uniform whitish-yellow pores, and the taste is sweet-salty (sweetness from gluten carbohydrates and saltiness from the salt content).

The registration application for obtaining PGI protection for the name Pita de Pecica - PGI was submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) by the applicant group, ARĂDEANCA Traditional Products Association, from Arad County, consisting of the following economic operators/processors: S.C. PALMAR VALI S.R.L., S.C. DORIS PROD COM S.R.L., and DOBRUTĂRIA TIAMAX S.R.L. from the locality of Pecica, Arad County.

The applicant group has an important role conferred by Article 45 of Regulation No. 1151/2012, which requires them to contribute to ensuring the quality, reputation, and authenticity of the "Pita de Pecica - PGI" product on the market by monitoring the commercial use of the name and informing the competent authorities to ensure legal protection. Additionally, the applicant group must carry out activities to inform and promote the product to consumers.

The documentation is publicly available on the website www.madr.ro at the following link: https://www.madr.ro/docs/ind-alimentara/2022/Caiet-de-sarcini-Pita-de-Pecica-actualizat-nov.2022.pdf.