We all know that Prosciutto di Parma – the salty, sweet and buttery Italian dry-cured pork that dates back to ancient Rome – is remarkably distinct from any other type of ham. But have you ever thought about why? Part of the reason is, of course, the sacred tradition, passed down between family members for generations in Parma, that goes into preparing the end product. But to fully understand just how special Prosciutto di Parma is, you also have to look at a map since there is a link with one specific area.
Parmigiano Reggiano, the famed complex and nutty Italian cheese, is made in the same geographical area as the aforementioned ham. Somewhere along the way, local farmers started to add the protein-rich liquid whey left over from producing the cheese to their pigs’ diets—the same pigs being raised to make Prosciutto di Parma resulting in a special, sweet taste and smell, making Parma ham different from other Spanish or Portuguese GI-labelled hams (such as Jamón de Guijuelo or Presunto de Barrancos). This is a product you can only find in a specific area in Italy, made by people with years of hands-on experience and know-how.
When it comes to European food and drinks, there are countless connections and tales like this, demonstrating how unique every product is. There’s a story behind each one—a history, a cultural significance and unique characteristics to share—that makes it special. That’s why when shopping, you may have noticed products like goose or olive oil from different areas of Europe bearing a geographical indication (GI) seal. The European Union – to which 27 countries belong – is one of the top food suppliers to Canada, and these labels help shoppers identify genuine GI-certified products.
When it comes to European food and drinks, there are countless connections and tales like this, demonstrating how unique every product is. There’s a story behind each one – a history, a cultural significance and unique characteristics to share – that makes it special. That’s why when shopping, you may have noticed products like goose or olive oil from different areas of Europe bearing a geographical indication (GI) seal. The European Union – to which 27 countries belong – is one of the top food suppliers to Canada, and these labels help shoppers identify genuine GI-certified products.
The red logo indicates that products registered in this category have clear and undisputed links to the place where they are produced. The blue logo indicates the relationship between a particular region and the name of the product. Certification requires at least one part of the production, processing or preparation of the product to take place in the region to which the indication applies. When shoppers see one of those seals, they can trust that the production of the food product they’re purchasing has been held to the highest standards by the European Union.
GI labels help consumers understand that the specific food product has unique features as well as traditional know-how involved in their manufacture. The concept of “terroir,” which refers to the way in which soil, climate and other factors might influence the characteristics of wine, can also be applied to food products. The setting and environmental conditions in which the GI product is produced can have a profound impact on its quality.
Because the reputation of many of these products is so high, it’s not uncommon for producers outside these geographical areas to try to imitate them. For example, sheep-milk cheese is produced in many countries, but authentic Feta, which is identified by the EU GI logo, should not be copied outside its area. Real Feta must be produced in the relevant geographical area in Greece and manufactured in strict compliance with certified specifications from the European Union. The result is a rich, creamy cheese with a distinctive flavour made possible by milk that comes from sheep and goats that graze on the unique flora of Greece.
There are over 3,000 GIs across the European Union, and, as explained by an EU expert, GI certification isn’t just about the geography of certain products—it’s also about the history behind them. “With this system, we are able to preserve traditional production methods and know-how,” the expert says. Just like the farmers and producers in Parma who’ve shared steps in their production process of Prosciutto di Parma with producers of Parmigiano Reggiano for hundreds of years, the makers of other GI products also have special expertise. Wine and food products like Malvazija (organic Croatian wine), České pivo (Czech beer) and Vorarlberger Alpkäse (Austrian Alp Cheese) are just a few examples. Biała Kołudzka (organic Polish oat-fed goose), another GI product, is a hallmark of traditional Polish farming based on natural methods and attention to animal welfare. Raised naturally on organic grass and grains, these geese are valued for the intense and full-bodied flavour of their meat.
Not only does the GI system help these culinary traditions thrive, it also gives a boost to rural communities across the EU, according to the EU expert. Farmers and producers are able to make their products the way they value most and sell them at fair prices while being protected from fakes and creating better conditions. GIs can also generate rural GI tourism, with people from around the world flocking to European communities to experience the GIs as well as the tradition and history linked to the products. After all, who wouldn’t want to try French GI products, like Comté cheese or Champagne, straight from the source?
When you purchase a GI-certified product, you can also rest assured that it was made with the highest quality in mind. The EU expert explains that all producers must go through a rigorous process to earn a label, and they undergo regular inspections to ensure that they continue to meet quality-control conditions and product specifications. It’s not enough for producers to claim they’re making authentic Croatian Malvazija; they have to prove that they are adhering to an array of technical conditions at all stages of the production process, including the specific geographical area according to the GI consortium.
So the next time you’re out shopping and looking for European food products, remember to seek out that GI certification. The EU expert puts it best: “It means the top level of quality.” And nothing can beat that.
Here are a few important GI categories to know
Dairy and Cheese
Cheese production in the EU means tradition, quality and variety as well as expertise. We’ve already talked about Parmigiano Reggiano – one of the most recognizable GI-certified cheeses – but did you know that there are over 300 European GI cheeses?
Known as the king of the cheeses, Roquefort is the second-most-popular cheese in France after Comté. This sheep-milk blue cheese dates back to the Middle Ages, when, according to legend, a shepherd left some milk in a cave, only to later discover that it had solidified into cheese. Thanks to the action of a micro-organism naturally present in the caves—the mould is called Penicillium roqueforti—the milk was naturally transformed into blue cheese. Today, Roquefort can only be an authentic, GI-certified Roquefort if it’s produced in the caves of Mount Combalou in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the Aveyron region. Only seven producers are authorized to make Roquefort, as defined by the GI specification.
Olive Oil
Olive Oil is an oil of vegetable origin, extracted from the pulp of the olive. It’s indeed a “juice” obtained from pressing the olives. To become a GI-certified olive oil, the product must be scrutinized under strict health and standards along the supply chain. This certification means they are undisputed leaders among olive oils being produced and marketed around the world.
Olive oil is closely associated with regions in the Mediterranean. In fact, the EU produces 70 percent of the entire world’s olive oil. An EU expert says there are more than 120 olive-oil-specific GIs across Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain and even in countries like Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta. Each olive oil has unique characteristics and flavour profiles. Examples of GI olive oils are Elaiolado Kalamata from Greece, Azeite do Alentejo Interior from Portugal and Priego de Córdoba from Spain. Even in similar regions, like the south of Spain for example (Spain produces 50 percent of the world’s olive oil on average), you’ll find different GIs based on the DNA of the olive trees.
What won’t change, however, is the quality and nutritional value of each olive oil. Olive oil is primarily made up of monounsaturated fat (approximately 73 percent), a heart-healthy fat that is a staple of the Mediterranean diet. This fat contains approximately 30 types of phenolic compounds, powerful antioxidants that help protect the body against free radicals. Studies consistently link a diet high in monounsaturated fat with favourable effects on markers of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.
Olive oil isn’t the GI-certified oil. Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil from Austria is also an extremely important GI product. Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil (Steirisches Kürbiskernöl) is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) because it is a product closely tied to the region of Styria in Austria, where the specific cultivation of pumpkin seeds and the traditional method of oil production have been practiced for centuries. The PGI status ensures that only pumpkin seed oil produced in this specific region, following particular standards and using local ingredients, can be labeled as “Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil.”
Wines, Beers and Spirits
Wine lovers won’t be surprised to learn that the European Union is a leader in the field. In the EU, you’ll find 45 percent of the world’s wine-growing areas, 65 percent of wine production and 70 percent of wine exports. This includes bottles from everywhere from France to Portugal to Croatia to Italy to Austria to Spain – where the Denomination of Origin (DO) Penedès is the only DO in Europe to be producing 100 percent organic wine.
Hungarian Tokaj, the EU expert explains, is the so-called “The King Of Wines And The Wine Of Kings.” (As French King Louis XIV himself said when describing Tokaji Aszú). Tokaj became the subject of the world’s first appellation control, established several decades before Port wine from Portugal and over 120 years before the classification of French Bordeaux wine. A royal decree in 1757 established a closed production district in Tokaj, located in Hungary’s northeast. There, the microclimate is conducive to the proliferation of noble rot and the terroir consists of clay and loose soil on top of volcanic subsoil.
There are also special spirits, like Irish Whiskey and vodka of Finland. And let’s not forget about beer—the EU is considered the birthplace of modern brewing and has approximately 8,500 breweries today. České pivo is just one noteworthy example; it’s a Czech beer that’s made with high-quality local ingredients and is believed to have originated at a monastery over 1,000 years ago.
Fruits and Vegetables
The European Union is composed of 27 EU Member States with different climates and environments, resulting in a high diversity of EU products. Fruits and vegetables grow from the Arctic coast to the Mediterranean; some of which are only distributed locally, like the Italian IGP apple Melannurca from the region of Campagnia. Apples and oranges (Cítricos Valencianos/Cítrics Valencians from Spain, for example) are two commonly exported fruits. In fact, Spain is the largest exporter of fresh citrus in the world. There are also over 2,600 varieties of tomatoes grown in different regions. Some have GI-protected names, like Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino. You can also find pears (Pêra Rocha do Oeste from Portugal), prunes (Magiun de prune Topoloveni from Romania) and many other types of food products, like Styrian horseradish from Austria and giant white Elephant beans (Fasolia Gigantes Elefantes Kastorias) from Greece.
Meat and Meat Products
Prosciutto di Parma is just one renowned GI-certified meat product with a rich history and tradition behind it. Spain also has GI-certified cured meat products, like Jamón de Guijuelo, which is a product made from Iberian pigs. Pigs of this particular black-legged breed must roam freely in wooded pastures (dehesas) in Spain and feed on acorns for a specified amount of time before being processed as Jamón de Guijuelo. Another unique GI meat product is Tyrolean Speck. Each piece is made—from salting and curing to smoking, drying and aging—by skilled “Speckmeisters” in the heart of the Tyrolean mountains.
