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The PDO System For certifying the authenticity of European foods

BasicsPDO is short for Protected Designation of Origin, a European Community system designed to provide legally binding name protection for an elite group of high-quality foods. All cheeses, cured meats and other products awarded PDO certification are made according to traditional methods in a specific geographic region in Europe. The PDO system aids consumers, retailers, chefs and others in distinguishing between authentic European products and their many imitators.

The French AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) and the Italian DOC (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata), national systems for protecting the names of regional wines, were the inspiration for the PDO certification system for food products. The acronym for PDO in Italian is DOP and, in French, AOP.

Earning PDO cErtificatiOnA group of producers must first apply to a national authority, documenting that their product meets the rigorous criteria for PDO status. Once that step is completed successfully, they submit an application to the European Commission for the right to identify their food as a PDO product. To qualify, a food must meet strict, legally binding production guidelines and quality standards that are enforced in the producing country by independent national authorities, as well as by producers’ own associations.

cOrE PrinciPlEsThe requirements for PDO certification are based on the concept of terroir (French) and tipicità (Italian), which holds that the flavor, texture and other unique qualities of a traditionally made food are formed through a complex interaction of soil, plant life and centuries-old production methods that cannot be replicated

elsewhere. The farmers, artisans and technicians who make PDO products are not only highly skilled, but share a passion for upholding traditional methods passed from one generation to another for centuries.

PDO PrODucts in amErica

As a member of the World Trade Organization, the U.S. has an obligation to protect intellectual property rights. In the view of the European Union, these rights extend to PDO name-protected products, but the issue is still under debate in the U.S. Until this matter is resolved, European makers of PDO foods continue to take legal action against look-alike and sound-alike imitators in the U.S. and other countries. They are also counting on consumers to make informed decisions when choosing between authentic products and others.

Purchasing PDO PrODucts

After encountering wonderful regional European cheeses, cured meats and other foods in their travels or in restaurants, Americans want to enjoy them at home — and the PDO system helps guide them to authentic products that have met strict quality-assurance standards. As an aid to consumers, some producers are using the PDO seal on their packaging or in promotional materials. •

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Prosciutto di Parma®Natural goodness. World traveler. Slow-cured sweetness. Legendary traceability. Authentically European.natuRAl frOm thE startProsciutto di Parma is free of additives, cured only with the help of air and sea salt. Though natural production methods are exactly what contemporary customers want, this is not a new idea. In fact, all Parma Ham® has been produced with the same painstaking care since Roman times, when they were considered a delicacy suitable for banquet tables. By law, this world-famous ham can be cured only in the gently rolling countryside near Parma, Italy, in the foothills of the Apennines. Traditionally, producers opened their windows to capture the aromatic breezes needed to air cure the hams.

suPEriOr POrK, curED slOWlyTo qualify for Parma Ham production, specially bred pigs must be born and raised according to strict guidelines on approved farms in 10 regions of northern and central Italy. Their diet, a special blend of cereals, grains and whey from Parmigiano Reggiano production, contributes to the full-bodied, complex flavor of the hams. At the curing facilities, or prosciuttifici, that dot the countryside, highly experienced “salt masters” apply just the right amount of sea salt to produce a ham with the desired savory-sweet flavor profile. For months, workers monitor humidity and temperature as the hams slowly develop their

distinctive flavor. A curing period of at least 400 days ensures that customers will be rewarded with perfectly cured Parma Ham every time.

farm-tO-taBlE EXcEllEncEAll of the approximately 160 Parma Ham producers belong to the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma, which guarantees their products’ authenticity. Every step is monitored closely, not only by association representatives but by independent technical experts. Marks on the pork legs indicating origin, processor’s identification and the date curing began provide visual evidence of a quality-control system that is entirely transparent.

THE FINISHING TOUCH When the hams are cured to the desired stage, the moment of truth arrives. As a final quality test, an inspector pierces the ham in several locations with the traditional horse bone needle, sniffing after each puncture. If the ham possesses the sweet-savory fragrance typical of Prosciutto di Parma, it is branded with the five-pointed Parma Crown, reminiscent of a time when the Duchy of Parma ruled this region. Every Parma Ham also comes with an extra guarantee of authenticity: the European Union’s coveted PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification.

On thE mOvEOnce branded with the Parma crown, the hams are considered ready for market, although some are aged even longer — up to 36 months. Most hams are deboned before being shipped to their destination, where retailers and chefs cut paper-thin slices to order. American consumers can also buy Prosciutto di Parma that is pre-sliced and packaged in Italy under the Consorzio’s supervision.

Eating PrOsciuTTO Di ParmaProsciutto di Parma serves as an energy booster because it contains amino acids, a quick-metabolizing form of protein. There are only 75 calories in a one-ounce serving, which contains 6 grams of fat, roughly two-thirds of it the “good” unsaturated kind. Prosciutto di Parma is also a good source of B-vitamins, especially thiamin. Classic ways of serving Prosciutto di Parma include pairing slices with melon and other fruit, garnishing a salad with strips of the ham and strewing a freshly cooked pizza with Prosciutto di Parma. Some chefs and cooks wrap fish or other seafood in Prosciutto di Parma before crisping on a grill or in a skillet. One of the simplest ideas remains the best: Paper-thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma, artfully draped on a platter. •