The Asiago PDO Cheese protection Consortium changes its product specification and aims decisively at sustainable development. The goal is to strengthen the link with the territory of origin. Increasingly natural production choices like this respect animal welfare, in line with new market demands and food consumption.
Anticipating the actions of the Green Deal promoted by the European Union, the Asiago PDO Consortium starts an innovative growth path based on respect of natural cycles and traditional production practices.
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ASIAGO PDO BETS ON ITS TERRITORY
Starting on 8 October, the new product specification will launch a major project to enhance the biodiversity heritage of this cheese’s area of origin, which includes the provinces of Vicenza and Trento, and part of those of Padua and Treviso. All starts from cows’ feed: fodder from the geographical area of the Protected denomination of origin’s area, rich in native vegetable elements that give the milk and cheese unique organoleptic characteristics and flavours. All this excluding the use of cotton, a non-local vegetable species.
THE NEW SPECIFICATION
Referring to the most ancient tradition of cheese production on the Asiago Plateau, the new specification provides for the possibility of using vegetable rennet,so as to guarantee this speciality also to consumers who are looking for an alternative to bovine rennet. At the same time, the use of lysozyme will be totally excluded, both in Fresh and Seasoned Asiago PDO.
Among the innovations introduced by the new product specification, particular attention has been paid to the enhancement of the different maturing periods. This is how the new wording “Asiago Fresco Riserva PDO” (Asiago Fresh Reserve) is born (40 days and more of maturing), apart from the already well-known “Asiago Fresco PDO” (from a minimum of 20 days of maturing). The minimum maturing period of “Asiago Stagionato PDO” (Seasoned Asiago), is extended from 60 to not less than 90 days from the date of production. The different maturing periods will be more precisely identified: Mezzano (from 4 to 10 months), Vecchio (from 10 to 15 months) and Stravecchio (over 15 months).
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