The Regulatory Council of the PDO ‘Gamoneu’ will carry out periodic inspections of the livestock and cheese factories, according to the procedures dictated and established in the Quality Manual and Procedures to verify that the product is originally from the area and complies with the requirements established in the Specifications of Conditions:
Geographic area
The geographical protected area includes the municipalities of Cangas de Onís and Onís, of the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias. The most important part of this territory is that it is nestled in the northwestern part of the Picos de Europa National Park.
All the processes necessary to obtain PDO “Gamoneu” cheese are carried out in the delimited geographical area.
Source material
For the elaboration of PDO “Gamoneu” cheese, only raw cow, sheep or goat milk will be used, or mixtures of two or of the three types of milk indicated, obtained from flocks that are fed taking advantage of the natural resources of the area, according to the traditional peculiarities linked to geographical and sociological typical factors of the area.
Milk used for the elaboration of the “Gamoneu” or “Gamonedo” cheese, will be milk of the species and races that are listed below:
- Bovine: Frisona, Asturiana de los Valles, Pardo Alpina and their crosses with each other.
- Sheep: Lacha, Carranzana, Milschalfe and their crosses with each other.
- Goat: Alpino-Pirenaica, Goat of the Picos de Europa, Murciano-granadina, Saanen and their crosses with each other.
For the traditional mention “Gamoneu” of the Port, a mixture of at least two of the three species must be used, cow, sheep and goats. In any case, quantities of sheep and/or goat milk must be higher than 10%, for each of the species.
Physical charecteristics
- Shape: cylindrical, with substantially flat faces
- Height: from 6 to 15 cm.
- Diameter: from 10 to 30 cm.
- Weight: between 0.5 and 7 Kgs.
- Bark: thin, acquired during the smoking phase, with reddish, green and bluish tones. Outcrops of penicillium.
Chemical characteristics
- Fat: Minimum 45% on dry extract
- Proteins: Minimum 25% on dry extract
- Dry extract: Minimum of 55%
- pH: between 4.5 and 6.5
Maturation conditions
Cheese pieces will undergo a process of refining in limestone caves and cellars whose characteristics are adequate to give the cheese its properties, with average temperatures and humidity of 10 ° C and 90%, respectively. Maturation will last at least two months, counted from the date of the preparation of the curd. During this period, the necessary turning and cleaning practices will be applied so that the cheese acquires its peculiar characteristics and to favor the development of the characteristic fungi and yeasts, which must have their origin in the ripening rooms, and in no case can it be added to milk. Penicillium must penetrate inside the cheese and develop in the perimeter area near the crust, giving rise to bluish-green
