Special “Goranski Medun” honey from Croatia gets EU protection status

Goranski Medun – (Photo: Croatian Ministry of Agriculture)

“Goranski Medun” has received the European protected label of authenticity, the European Commission announced today in the Official Journal of the European Union, Croatia’s Ministry of Agriculture said.  

“Goranski medun” is honey produced by bees of the indigenous Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) from honeydew in the area of Gorski Kotar and the Ogulin-Plaščan valley. 

Honeydew is a sweet sap that, under favourable conditions, most often occurs on coniferous (fir, spruce) and coniferous trees (oak, beech, maple) and is produced by insects, most often aphids and scale insects. Bees add their own specific substances to the collected honeydew, deposit it, extract water and store it in the cells of the comb until the honeydew matures.

The colour of honey ranges from dark beige to dark amber to reddish-brown with possible pearly shades in the structure, as well as greenish reflections on the surface in liquid honey samples. 

Depending on the season, “Goranski Medun” can also take on darker shades: brown to dark brown, almost black, often with greenish oil-like toppings. The smell is medium to strong, balsamic, vanilla, with notes reminiscent of caramel, resin, dry leaves and burnt wood. It is characterised by a relatively weaker sweetness and associated aroma of medium intensity, which is associated with malt.

“Goranski Medun” has now been added to the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications, making it the 39th product from Croatia to do so. 

The process of protecting the name “Goranski Medun” was initiated by the Association of Medun Producers, and the EU protected mark of origin or protected geographical origin sign on the packaging guarantees the consumer the purchase of an authentic product.

Croatia’s 39 registered food products in the EU are: “Goranski medun”,  Krčki pršut, Ekstra djevičansko maslinovo ulje Cres, Neretvanska mandarina, Ogulinsko kiselo zelje / Ogulinski kiseli kupus, Baranjski kulen, Lički krumpir, Istarski pršut / Istrski pršut, Drniški pršut, Dalmatinski pršut, Poljički soparnik / Poljički zeljanik / Poljički uljenjak, Zagorski puran, Krčko maslinovo ulje, Korčulansko maslinovo ulje, Paška janjetina, Šoltansko maslinovo ulje, Varaždinsko zelje, Slavonski kulen / Slavonski kulin, Međimursko meso ‘z tiblice, Slavonski med, Lička janjetina, Istra, Paška sol, Zagorski mlinci, Paški sir, Bjelovarski kvargl, Brački varenik, Varaždinski klipič, Malostonska kamenica, Rudarska greblica, Dalmatinska pečenica, Dalmatinska panceta, Lički škripavac, Bračko maslinovo ulje, Zagorski bagremov med, Zagorski štrukli / Zagorski štruklji, Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina, Samoborska češnjovka / Samoborska češnofka anbd Lumblija.