Division 5 Link with the geographical area

The geographical area where this cheese is produced spans parts of the provinces of Bari and Taranto on the Murge plateau, where there are many dairy farms (the ‘cow farms’ of Frederician origin). In this area, where farms and dairies are located quite close together (many even on the same premises), it has long been the local custom to produce ‘Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle’ from cow’s milk: there are references dating from 1885 to the ‘exquisite mozzarella from Apulia’ in a publication entitled L’ Italia agricola, giornale dedicato al miglioramento morale ed economico delle popolazioni rurali (‘Agricultural Italy, a journal devoted to the moral and economic betterment of rural populations’] (Redaelli, Milan). As well as for certain peculiarities of its geography, soil and climate, the area is distinctive for its ancient deep-rooted cheese-making tradition which has withstood the test of time and been passed down from one generation to the next. Both of these aspects have a profound impact on the characteristics of the milk and cheese and they are the main factors which link ‘Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle’ to the territory.

The chemico-physical and nutritional characteristics of the milk, in particular, are linked to the territory via the diet fed to the animals and the broader environmental context in which they are reared. It is well known that the composition of milk is generally closely linked to the zootechnical context in which the animals live and that the type of volatile compounds is very important for the composition. The aromatic characteristics of the milk depend on these substances, which are partly formed by the animal’s metabolism and partly by the environment. The volatile compounds from the environment can enter the milk either via digestion (rumination) or through the lungs (inhalation). In the geographical area where ‘Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle’ PDO is produced, the geographical, soil and climate conditions have led to the selection of certain naturally occurring and cultivated plant varieties which are resistant to the hot, dry conditions typical of a pseudo-steppe environment. The naturally occurring vegetation is mostly xerophilous and it includes aromatic grasses such as Thymus striatus, Ferula communis and Foeniculum vulgare. These plants – and xerophilous vegetation in general – are particularly rich in polyphenols, terpenes, carbonyl compounds and other volatile substances that can have a direct or indirect influence on the milk’s flavour. This influence is direct when they are transferred unchanged and indirect when they act as precursors for other volatile metabolites with an impact on the fragrance. The constant presence of the animals in this environment is conducive to volatile principles with aromatic properties being passed into the milk, especially at certain times of the year. On the whole, it is the compulsory grazing and the diet rich in fodder produced in the area that guarantee the distinctive nutritional and functional characteristics of the milk, such as its lipid profile and its volatile compound content. Local environmental conditions and livestock-rearing techniques play an important role in shaping the milk microbiota. All of these factors combined have a major impact on the organoleptic characteristics of ‘Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle’.

As regards the influence of the processing technique, this is the traditional, historical method which only allows for fresh milk to be used and local whey added (the starter culture). The whey starter that is added to the milk represents yet another link to the local territory, as it has been made in the same way for a very long time: using the previous day’s whey which has been left to turn sour, allowing it to become enriched with the milk enzymes characteristic of the dairy. These aspects guarantee a strong link to the territory, as they determine that most of the microbiological component will also be native. The microbial component plays an important role in the sensorial properties because it is responsible for the formation of the product’s ‘secondary aromas’. The native microbiological profile of the whey starter culture is guaranteed partly by the characteristics of the milk from which it is derived, but more importantly, by the preparation method and the environment in which it is left to develop. The ‘mix of native micro-organisms’ contained in the starter culture reflects all phases in the production process and is transferred on a daily basis to the milk and therefore to the finished product, thus constantly perpetuating the link to the territory. The methods used by the cheese-maker to manage the whey in the vat, mature the curds and process the mixture afterwards combine to form another distinctive link to the territory. In fact, the combination of all of the processing parameters has an impact on the microbial ecosystem, which is already quite distinctive, thus shaping how the fermentation progresses. The cheese-maker’s expertise is essential in that regard as it allows the set of microbes to develop in a unique and irreplicable manner, thus giving the ‘Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle’ its typical sensorial characteristics. As far as the taste is concerned, this fermentation creates slightly sour notes with a pleasant yeasty after-taste that is stronger in freshly made cheese. The aroma derived from the cheese-making process combines with those which are derived from the milk, i.e. from the fermentation process (‘secondary aroma’) which creates fresh notes of milk, butter and acid whey and from the raw material (‘primary aroma’) with its characteristically delicate plant and animal notes. To sum up, the primary aromas reflect the conditions in which the cows were raised, with an important role played by the diet of local forage (fresh or hay) and the secondary aromas are linked to the native microbiota.

As well as the specific characteristics shaped by the techniques used in rearing the animals and making the cheese, environmental, historical and cultural influences also play a part. The landscape (Natura 2000), local geology (Apulia’s Murge plateau region, with cretaceous limestone, rocky outcrops and reduced clays) and climate are all significant. In historical and cultural terms, there is a deep-rooted link between the product and the type of farming in the area: small and medium-sized livestock farms which are mostly family-run and structured according to local customs, where cattle spend long periods of time grazing. Finally, there is a great deal of evidence proving that mozzarella has featured in the history of Gioia del Colle, including a documentary produced by the Istituto Luce in Gioia del Colle on 28 August 1950. Other records show that in the early decades of the twentieth century ‘a farmer named Clemente Milano rearing Alpine Brown cattle in the Gioia del Colle area was the first to use the milk from his stock to make the special fresh dairy product known as mozzarella’ (from Gioia del Colle, oggi (‘Gioia del Colle, Today’], edited by Giovanni Bozzo for Japigia Editrice, Bari 1970). A 1922 article by Giovanni Carano Donvito mentions that ‘….‘Mozzarella di Gioia (del Colle)’ was highly appreciated, sought-after and handsomely paid for on the market in Rome and Naples as well as in Bari, Taranto, Lecce, Foggia and other smaller cities’ (La riforma sociale (‘Social reform’], F.S. Nitti, L. Roux, L. Einaudi – Roux e Viarengo, Turin). Finally, there is evidence that a great many local events aimed at raising the profile of ‘Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle’ have been taking place since the 1960s.