Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

Product Description Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

Mortadella Bologna PGI is a deli product belonging to the category of cooked sausages, prepared with a mixture of pork meats.

Production Method Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

The first phase of the process involves selecting pork meats from the striated muscles and high-quality fat; the latter, mainly derived from throat fat, is referred to as "lardelli". The meat components, after trimming, are properly minced in grinding facilities. For preparing the "lardelli," the fat is cubed, heated, washed in water, and drained. After vacuum mixing, the product is stuffed and tied in natural or synthetic casings. The most delicate phase is the cooking, which takes place in dry air ovens, reaching a minimum internal temperature of 70°C. Immediately afterward, rapid cooling follows until the temperature inside the product drops below 10°C.

Appearance and Flavor Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

Mortadella Bologna PGI has a cylindrical or oval shape. It has a pink color and a slightly spicy and intense aroma, making it unique among deli products. When sliced, the surface is velvety, and the slice should feature white-pearlescent squares of fatty tissue, with a delicate taste and no traces of smoking.

Gastronomy Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

Mortadella Bologna PGI should be stored in cool places with the appropriate humidity level to maintain its quality. Once opened, it's best to cover the cut portion with transparent food wrap to preserve the product's best characteristics. When sliced, it should be consumed within a few days. It can be sliced thinly or cubed. It pairs well with warm traditional bread, as a seasoning for pasta and savory pies, or as an ingredient in salads.

Marketing Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

The product is marketed under the name Mortadella Bologna PGI. It is available for sale either loose or packaged, vacuum-sealed, in a modified atmosphere, whole, in slices, or sliced.

Distinctive Feature Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

The full and balanced flavor of Mortadella Bologna PGI comes from using premium cuts of pork, including the fat portion. Only the finest throat fat, the most prized among adipose tissues, is chosen, lending the product greater sweetness.

Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

The origins of Mortadella Bologna PGI likely date back to Etruscan times, a hypothesis supported by the presence of other types of mortadella, though different from Mortadella Bologna, in regions that were once inhabited by the Etruscans. The name could stem from the Latin terms "murtatum," meaning minced meat in a mortar, or "myrtatum," referring to sausage made with myrtle berries. A Roman imperial-era stele preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Bologna depicts seven little pigs on one side and a mortar with pestle on the other, hinting at a Latin origin of the name. The link to the city of Bologna dates back to the 15th century when the Visconti of Milan willingly offered a fat ox to the city every year in exchange for fragrant mortadellas. Bologna, on the other hand, vouched for the quality of this product. In 1661, Cardinal Farnese issued a decree that codified mortadella production, providing one of the earliest examples of regulations similar to today's DOP and PGI standards. The manufacture and application of the required quality seals were entrusted to the Corporazione dei Salaroli, one of Bologna's oldest guilds, which even in 1376 used a mortar and pestle as their emblem. Production Area Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

Production Regulation Mortadella Bologna P.G.I.

Article 1.
Designation
The protected geographical indication "Mortadella Bologna" is reserved for the deli product that meets the conditions and requirements set out in this production regulation.

Article 2. 
Production Area
The processing area for "Mortadella Bologna" includes the territories of the following regions or provinces: Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto, province of Trento, Toscana, Marche, and Lazio.

Article 3. 
Raw Materials
"Mortadella Bologna" consists of a mixture of pork meats obtained from striated muscles of the carcass, finely ground with a mincer, cubed lardelli of pork throat fat, salt, whole and/or pieces of pepper, stuffed in natural or synthetic casings, and subjected to prolonged cooking in dry air ovens. Additionally, demucosated pig stomachs, hard pig fat, water following good industrial practice, aromas (except for smoking aromas and flavorings obtained through chemical synthesis that are not chemically identical to naturally occurring substances in plant or animal products), spices and aromatic plants, pistachio, sugar (maximum 0.5%), sodium nitrite and/or potassium nitrite (maximum 140 parts per million), ascorbic acid and its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate can be used. Mechanically separated meats cannot be used.

Article 4. 
Processing Method
The meat components, thermally conditioned, are trimmed and homogenized. The resulting mixture is fed into a grinding machine that reduces the particle size of the various components by passing through a series of plates with decreasing hole diameters, each preceded by a knife. The type and sequence of cutting organs depend on the mixture's composition, feeding temperature, and the characteristics of the grinding equipment. Nevertheless, the exit plate must have holes no larger than 0.9 mm in diameter. The refined mass obtained should not undergo further grinding processes, and its temperature must not exceed +1°C. For preparing "lardelli," pork throat fat is cubed, heated, washed in water, and drained. Mixing all components should be done in vacuum or atmospheric pressure machines. After mixing and subsequent stuffing, the product is cooked in dry air ovens. The treatment level is tied to the product's diameter, and in any case, the internal product temperature should not be lower than 70°C. After cooking, the product should be rapidly cooled. The core temperature should quickly drop below 10°C.

Article 5. 
Characteristics
At the time of consumption, "Mortadella Bologna" should possess the following sensory, chemical, and physico-chemical characteristics: Sensory characteristics: external appearance: oval or cylindrical shape; consistency: the product should be compact with a non-elastic texture; appearance when sliced: the cutting surface should be velvety and a uniform bright pink color. In the slice, white-pearlescent squares of fatty tissue, not less than 15% of the total mass, should be present, possibly along with muscle fractions. The squares should be well-distributed and adhere to the mixture. There should be no pockets of fat and gelatin, and the fat layer should be contained; color: uniform bright pink; aroma: typical aromatic fragrance; taste: distinctive and delicate without traces of smoking. Chemical and physico-chemical characteristics: total proteins: min. 13.5%; collagen/protein ratio: max. 0.20; water/protein ratio: max. 4.10; fat/protein ratio: max. 2.00; pH: min. 6.

Article 6. 
Controls
Subject to the competencies assigned by law to the official veterinary doctor of the facility, who also verifies aspects related to product labeling, controls are carried out in accordance with the provisions issued by the competent national authority based on the attributions established by Article 53 of Law No. 128/1998, which includes the authorization of appropriate authorized structures.

Article 7.
Designation and Presentation
The designation of the protected geographical indication "Mortadella Bologna" is untranslatable and must be placed on the label in clear, indelible characters, clearly distinguishable from any other text, and immediately followed by the mention "Protected Geographical Indication" and/or the abbreviation "PGI," which must be translated into the language in which the product is marketed. Adding any qualifications not expressly provided is prohibited. However, the use of indications referring to private names, corporate names, or trademarks is allowed, provided they do not have a laudatory meaning or are not likely to deceive the buyer. "Mortadella Bologna" can be sold either loose or packaged, vacuum-sealed or in a modified atmosphere, whole, in slices, or sliced. Packaging, slicing, and portioning operations must be carried out under the supervision of the control structure indicated in Article 6, exclusively within the production area indicated in Article 2.