LABELS

LABELS

In the European context a system of quality labels is present, in order to protect and promote products with special quality or characteristics. The consumer is informed about specific parameters of the product such as the provenience of ingredients, and the product is thus protected from competitors that claim to have a similar good that nonetheless does not have the same quality standards. Italian cheese can be labelled with three different marks, according to the European framework: PGI (Protected Geographical Indication); PDO (Protected Designation of Origin); TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed).

PGI, the Italian “IGP”, “indicazione geografica protetta”, is the second label issued and registered by the European Union. Again, it associates the name of a region, specified area or country to a foodstuff. It is however less strict than the previous one, as it requires that the product can be tracked back to the geographical origin in only one of the three phases of the production process , either it being prepared, processed or produced there.

PDO label, the Italian “DOP”, “denominazione di origine protetta”, is issued and registered by the European Union, upon proposal of the Minister of Agricultural Policies. It associates the name of a region, a specified area or, in particular cases, of a country to an agricultural product or foodstuff which is typical of that region. It then requires the product to be manufactured (prepared, processed and produced) exclusively within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties which cannot be replicated. The ingredients and the human capital must therefore come from the certified region, and in the same area the whole production process must take place. Independent competent authorities are appointed to control and certify that all these standards are respected.

Finally, TSG, or in Italian “STG”, “specialità tradizionale garantita”, does not require any ingredient to come from a specific area, nor it specifies that the process must take place there. It simply recognizes that the raw material, production and composition of a foodstuff is “specific” and “traditional” of a given geographical area. The European regulation that settles the certification (1151/12) clarifies that “specific characteristic” means “the characteristic production attributes which distinguish a product clearly from other similar products of the same category”, whereas “traditional” means “proven usage on the domestic market for a period that allows transmission between generations; this period is to be at least 30 years”. TSG has therefore the distinctive function of certifying that “a particular agricultural product objectively possesses specific characteristics which differentiate it from all others in its category”.

Concluding this excursus about European quality labels, we will now explore the most famous kinds of cheese marked by them. To avoid eating an Italian Sounding product, with none of the real qualities that that product should innately own, be sure to double-check if that foodstuff is certified, beacause life is too short for fake cheese, wine and people!

PDO

Asiago, Caciocavallo Silano, Canestrato Pugliese, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Grana Pada no, Mozzarella di Bufala campana, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino (Toscano, Sardo, Romano and many more), Squacquerone di Romagna, Taleggio, Toma Piemontese

PGI

Burrata di Andria, Canestrato di Moliterno.

TSG

Mozzarella.

The list for the PDO cheese is much longer as there are currently 51 kinds of PDO cheeses.