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

Since ‘Queijo Serra da Estrela’ is a live product which continues to develop even after it is preserved, cut and packaged, these operations may only take place in the region of origin in view of the need to:

• guarantee the product’s authenticity and the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics which define the special quality of these cheeses – attributes which only the producers, who live in the region and regularly consume these products, are capable of recognising;

• assess the quality of each cheese individually before subjecting it to any of the above-mentioned operations;

• ensure that the cheese, even when cut, remains characteristically creamy. To achieve that, it is imperative to select cheeses which are sufficiently mature when the relevant operation is carried out;

• ensure that, for ‘queijo velho’, the slices have the required consistency, with crumbling. To achieve that, it is imperative to select cheeses with the appropriate bouquet and consistency during the ripening phase, which is an opportune time to cut the cheese;

• guarantee the traditional reputation of the product is maintained and is not imitated and that the consumer is not misled;

• guarantee that the health and hygiene conditions of the product are constantly maintained throughout the various operations;

• make it possible to monitor the operations properly and in line with regulatory requirements;

• guarantee that each unit or portion of cheese is traceable to its production facilities and its agricultural holding, thereby ensuring the geographical origin of the product.