The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development of the Slovak Republic has issued a statement saying it will not support any change of legislation that would extend the use of the word “bryndza” to products that contain less than 50 percent sheep cheese.
Spokeswoman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Katarina Durica, informed The Daily that the Ministry would support ‘Slovenska bryndza’ with Protected Geographical Indication, which EU legislation demands must contain over 50% sheep milk solid. The statement released by the Ministry also stated: “It is not, and cannot be, the intention of the Ministry to support imitations of traditional Slovak bryndza”.
The European Commission registered Slovenská bryndza on its food list of Protected Geographical Indications on 16 July 2008. Bryndza, which is a very distinctly flavoured sheep cheese, has been produced in Slovakia since the 15th century and is said to be very good for the health, mostly thanks to the content of various beneficial bacterias. It is shipped throughout the world, but is an acquired taste that many foreigners find hard to get used to at first.