Protected food classifications in Europe

The EU Protected Food Name scheme was introduced in 1993 to protect traditional and regional foods and drinks whose origin and authenticity can be guaranteed. These ingredients and products are protected legally from imitation throughout the European Union and with some countries outside the EU through reciprocal agreements. Wines have their own scheme and are classified separately, although they still carry the same PDO/PGI ratings.

Some question the limitations these rules place on food markets and the immoveable restrictions on production that legal recognition attracts. However, there are significant benefits from raised consumer awareness of speciality foods, as well as the support these rules give to rural areas and farmer incomes.

Some European countries – notably France, Italy, Spain and Portugal – already had systems for protecting wines and foods in place. These systems now run concurrently with the EU systems and the decision over which classification to use on labels is left to the producer. There are differing degrees of uptake of the EU labels across the various countries – this is explained further in our guide to each country’s system.

With very few exceptions, all of the foods that were protected under the individual systems have also been grandfathered into the new EU system, regardless of whether they fit the specifics of the new, tougher regime.

This is the strongest protection that can be afforded to a food. It is used to classify food with characteristics that are completely unique to a place or region.

To qualify for this status, the food must meet two specific criteria:

For the past 700, perhaps even 1000, years, Comté has been made in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows, which are the only breeds permitted to produce milk for Comté, feed on the unique flora of wild flowers and herbs found in the high pastures of the Jura Massif mountain range.

There are limits on the use of growth hormones, silage feed and antibiotics, and only a certain number of cows can graze per hectare. The unpasteurised milk must be made into cheese within twenty-four hours of milking, in dairies (fruitères) no more than twenty-five kilometres from a farmer’s herd. Cheeses are then aged in cellars (Jura maisons d’affinage), where they are carefully managed for a minimum of four months (sometimes years). Before being awarded the Comté PDO classification, cheeses are tested for appearance and taste.

The result is a strong, slightly sweet cheese; there are eighty-three separate flavours that can be detected in the paste. The flavour of the cheese changes subtly over the year as the diet of the cows changes with the seasons.