ISTRIAN SHEEP CHEESE PDO (Entered in the PDO Register by Commission Regulation (EU) No. 2025/2496 of 3 December 2025) - PDO-HR+SI-02859

Istrian sheep cheese is a hard, full-fat cheese obtained by coagulating raw or pasteurised sheep’s milk using rennet, with the separation of whey. The milk used for the production of Istrian sheep cheese is obtained from sheep of any breed, provided that they are raised exclusively within the area of the Istrian peninsula and the Northern Adriatic. Where the cheese is produced exclusively from the milk of the Istrian sheep breed, it may be labelled as “100% milk from Istrian sheep.”

The milk must be processed within 48 hours of milking and cooled to a temperature not exceeding 6 °C within a maximum of 2 hours. For the production of Istrian sheep cheese, raw or pasteurised milk may be used, along with lysozyme, starter cultures, rennet, and salt.

Sheep are reared under a semi-extensive system, which includes grazing on pastures characterised by sub-Mediterranean vegetation, with the possibility of supplementary feeding with dehydrated clover, hay, compound feed for dairy sheep, and cereals such as wheat bran, coarsely ground maize, barley, oats, and oilseed meals. The use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also permitted. The maximum allowed proportion of compound feed in the sheep’s ration is up to 20% of the total daily ration, expressed on a dry matter basis.

Feed for sheep may also be produced outside the defined production area, but only up to a maximum of 40% of the total daily ration expressed on a dry matter basis. The roughage component of the daily ration may not exceed 20% of the dry matter of the total daily ration. This restriction ensures, on the one hand, a sufficient presence of local flora in the daily ration, which imparts a characteristic aroma to the product, while on the other hand allowing farmers to source roughage from outside the production area during periods of adverse weather conditions when sufficient feed cannot be produced locally. The use of silage in feeding is prohibited. Istrian sheep cheese is placed on the market after a minimum maturation period of 60 days.

Istrian sheep cheese PDO is available from the following producers:

VESNA LOBORIKA Loborika 31, MARČANA
+385 52 550 468 info@vesna.hr www.vesna.hr  

GORDANA MACAN Stancija Čipuli 27, SVETVINČENAT
+385 98 943 0900 opgmacan@hotmail.com  

SIR ŠPIN Agrolaguna d.d. Mate Vlašića 34, POREČ-PARENZO
+385 91 442 0761 martina.klaric@agrolaguna.hr www.agrolaguna.hr/sir-spin

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