12th April 2013
Spring 2008: Get protected
Chefs are being urged to highlight the protected status of certain items on their menus in part of an initiative to raise awareness of the rich heritage and tradition inherent in some food and drink products
Provenance and traceability are undoubtedly two of the biggest buzzwords in the food industry at the moment, but unlike many transient food trends consumer interest in where their food has come from and how it has been produced is here to stay. The EU protected food name (EUPFN) scheme taps into this growing desire to know more about a food's origins by identifying regional and traditional foods whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed.
“The scheme was first introduced in 1992-93 by the EU Commission which wanted to protect food under a geographical or traditional recipe basis,” explains Irene Bocchetta of Food from Britain, the UK body responsible for handling EUPFN applications made by UK producers. “It's not really all that different from the French appellation contrôllée that is used for wine. The scheme's spirit is to protect heritage and tradition and promote local and rural economies across all member states.
“To begin with the commission asked for member states to give them their best and brightest products. While Italy for example had items like Parma ham and salami, Britain didn't have a cured meat culture. At that time we had our cheese, so that's what we started with, but that's changing now and a greater variety of products have gained EUPFN status.”
Across Europe there are more than 700 protected products, with 36 of those from Britain. “There are around 35-40 British products in the application process at the moment, so in terms of the next five years we could easily be looking at 50 plus products,” adds Bocchetta.
To gain EUPFN status, producers submit an application, which can take two years to be verified and processed, and an independent inspection is carried out annually to ensure the standards and criteria continue to be met.
“There are three designations which can be applied for. For a protected designation of origin (PDO) status everything to do with that product has to take place within a designated area. The product itself, all the raw material used in its production, the entire process, has to occur within that area. In terms of criteria for a PDO, what's important is that there has to be a strong link to the land, which can only be established through time – it's something like a minimum of 25 years,” explains Bocchetta.
“The scheme is about celebrating heritage and tradition. For a PDO, the people living in that community will have at least one generation that know of that product – where it's made, how it's made. It really does link food with people.
“That's the same for protected geographical indication (PGI). Again it's about having strong links to the land, but the difference is you can have elements of that production outside your region – it just depends on what's important or specifically historical or traditional about that product.
“Take for example an Arbroath Smokie. The fish can come from outside the area of Arbroath; what's important is that the tradition of smoking that fish comes from Arbroath. That is the element that is key to that product; that's what we're protecting – the skills needed to keep that tradition alive. It goes back to the spirit of the scheme – protecting local people and their livelihoods.”
Bocchetta cites Welsh lamb as another example of a PGI product. “The most important aspect of this product is where it comes from – the fact it is born, reared and fed on the fine grasses of welsh hills. So it can be slaughtered elsewhere, as the slaughter of it won't change the fact it is Welsh lamb.”
The third EUPFN status is traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG), which is not based on geography at all but focuses on a recipe or method of production.
“There's lots of scope for baked goods to apply for TSG's in this country. Things like Eccles cake – it's a generic product – lots of people can make an Eccles cake but it is known as a traditionally British product.”
At the moment the only TSG product from the UK is farm fresh turkey, which must be produced to a set criteria that covers how it is raised and fed and in particular that it is hand plucked and hung for a minimum of 10-20 days.
To build awareness of the scheme and to help chefs communicate the heritage and tradition of EUPFN products to their customers, Food from Britain has produced a range of adhesive labels that can be used on their menus.
“The EUPFN scheme acts as a guarantee of quality and provenance of produce such as Champagne and Roquefort in France and Stilton and Cornish clotted cream in Britain, and restaurateurs and chefs should be championing our EUPFN products and highlight them on their menus,” says Bocchetta. “The stickers are designed to educate diners. Window stickers provide customers with an explanation of the EUPFN symbols, and the smaller stickers can be placed alongside individual dishes on menus that feature one or more EUPFN products in the dish highlighting to diners the heritage and traditional qualities of the food they are eating.”
She believes not only are the labels a great way to capitalise on consumers' increasing appreciation of the importance of regional and speciality foods, but that they can offer “a real point of difference” for a chef.
“The more information the customer can have about their food the more it expands the sense of care a chef has in the choice of ingredients he works with. It's all about caring about and celebrating these products. The thing is the majority of chefs will be using these products already and may not know that they have EUPFN status.”
The marks also signify a traceable method of production, adds Bocchetta, something that people are more interested in than ever before. “People want to know where their food is from and with a PDO you are building them a picture. There's a phrase - ‘eat the view' - which means you are eating what you see: all the land and the history of a product.”
Bocchetta admits there have been reports of fraudulent claims about some products, for example lamb brought in from another country to spend just a short finishing period in the Welsh hills in order to be stamped as Welsh lamb. “But as the scheme gets stronger and more renowned these horror stories will be eradicated as there will be even greater scrutiny. The ironic thing is that such scheming implies that people see the value of it and are trying to benefit from having EUPFN status.”
“The scheme was first introduced in 1992-93 by the EU Commission which wanted to protect food under a geographical or traditional recipe basis,” explains Irene Bocchetta of Food from Britain, the UK body responsible for handling EUPFN applications made by UK producers. “It's not really all that different from the French appellation contrôllée that is used for wine. The scheme's spirit is to protect heritage and tradition and promote local and rural economies across all member states.
“To begin with the commission asked for member states to give them their best and brightest products. While Italy for example had items like Parma ham and salami, Britain didn't have a cured meat culture. At that time we had our cheese, so that's what we started with, but that's changing now and a greater variety of products have gained EUPFN status.”
Across Europe there are more than 700 protected products, with 36 of those from Britain. “There are around 35-40 British products in the application process at the moment, so in terms of the next five years we could easily be looking at 50 plus products,” adds Bocchetta.
To gain EUPFN status, producers submit an application, which can take two years to be verified and processed, and an independent inspection is carried out annually to ensure the standards and criteria continue to be met.
“There are three designations which can be applied for. For a protected designation of origin (PDO) status everything to do with that product has to take place within a designated area. The product itself, all the raw material used in its production, the entire process, has to occur within that area. In terms of criteria for a PDO, what's important is that there has to be a strong link to the land, which can only be established through time – it's something like a minimum of 25 years,” explains Bocchetta.
“The scheme is about celebrating heritage and tradition. For a PDO, the people living in that community will have at least one generation that know of that product – where it's made, how it's made. It really does link food with people.
“That's the same for protected geographical indication (PGI). Again it's about having strong links to the land, but the difference is you can have elements of that production outside your region – it just depends on what's important or specifically historical or traditional about that product.
“Take for example an Arbroath Smokie. The fish can come from outside the area of Arbroath; what's important is that the tradition of smoking that fish comes from Arbroath. That is the element that is key to that product; that's what we're protecting – the skills needed to keep that tradition alive. It goes back to the spirit of the scheme – protecting local people and their livelihoods.”
Bocchetta cites Welsh lamb as another example of a PGI product. “The most important aspect of this product is where it comes from – the fact it is born, reared and fed on the fine grasses of welsh hills. So it can be slaughtered elsewhere, as the slaughter of it won't change the fact it is Welsh lamb.”
The third EUPFN status is traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG), which is not based on geography at all but focuses on a recipe or method of production.
“There's lots of scope for baked goods to apply for TSG's in this country. Things like Eccles cake – it's a generic product – lots of people can make an Eccles cake but it is known as a traditionally British product.”
At the moment the only TSG product from the UK is farm fresh turkey, which must be produced to a set criteria that covers how it is raised and fed and in particular that it is hand plucked and hung for a minimum of 10-20 days.
To build awareness of the scheme and to help chefs communicate the heritage and tradition of EUPFN products to their customers, Food from Britain has produced a range of adhesive labels that can be used on their menus.
“The EUPFN scheme acts as a guarantee of quality and provenance of produce such as Champagne and Roquefort in France and Stilton and Cornish clotted cream in Britain, and restaurateurs and chefs should be championing our EUPFN products and highlight them on their menus,” says Bocchetta. “The stickers are designed to educate diners. Window stickers provide customers with an explanation of the EUPFN symbols, and the smaller stickers can be placed alongside individual dishes on menus that feature one or more EUPFN products in the dish highlighting to diners the heritage and traditional qualities of the food they are eating.”
She believes not only are the labels a great way to capitalise on consumers' increasing appreciation of the importance of regional and speciality foods, but that they can offer “a real point of difference” for a chef.
“The more information the customer can have about their food the more it expands the sense of care a chef has in the choice of ingredients he works with. It's all about caring about and celebrating these products. The thing is the majority of chefs will be using these products already and may not know that they have EUPFN status.”
The marks also signify a traceable method of production, adds Bocchetta, something that people are more interested in than ever before. “People want to know where their food is from and with a PDO you are building them a picture. There's a phrase - ‘eat the view' - which means you are eating what you see: all the land and the history of a product.”
Bocchetta admits there have been reports of fraudulent claims about some products, for example lamb brought in from another country to spend just a short finishing period in the Welsh hills in order to be stamped as Welsh lamb. “But as the scheme gets stronger and more renowned these horror stories will be eradicated as there will be even greater scrutiny. The ironic thing is that such scheming implies that people see the value of it and are trying to benefit from having EUPFN status.”