‘Wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' dried apple slices from Poland added to register of Protected Geographical Indications

The EU Commission has approved the addition of the Polish smoked and dried  apple slices product ‘Wędzone jabłko sechlońskie'  to the register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI).

‘Wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' derives from the name of a village, Sechna, located in the municipality of Laskowa, and the local word to describe men from the village of Sechna: ‘sechlok'. When they married women living in other villages, they brought their unusual method of producing ‘wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' with them and were most often called a ‘sechlok' by their new neighbours.

It is traditionally used throughout the geographical area of production, in Małopolskie Province, in the following municipalities: Laskowa, Iwkowa, Łososina Dolna and Żegocina.

In particular, this name is used to market apple slices that have been dried and smoked; they have a wrinkled brown skin on the outside, and springy, light-brown flesh. Slices of ‘wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' may vary in size depending on the variety of apple that is dried. The smoke gives the fruit a unique taste and aroma of smoking from the wood of deciduous trees and a light brown colour, which distinguishes ‘wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' from other products in the same category.

The smoking and drying of apples in traditional Sechna drying houses is done with hot smoke, which distinguishes ‘wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' from apples dried with hot air. The reputation of ‘wędzone jabłko sechlońskie' has been shaped by the retention of a traditional, local production method, based on the accumulation of experience and skills developed over decades by people in Małopolskie Province.

This new denomination will be added to the list of 3,600 agricultural products already protected. The list of all protected geographical indications can be found in the eAmbrosia database. More information is available online at Quality Schemes and on our GIView portal.