Provenance and traceability are undoubtedly two of the biggest trends in the food industry at the moment, but unlike many transient food fads 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 food 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, 36 of them 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  roduction 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 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 highlighting 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 capitalize on consumers’ increasing appreciation of the importance of regional and speciality foods, but that they can offer “a real point of difference” on menus.

 

“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.”

 

And it’s not just food that can benefit. Kent brewer Shepherd Neame’s commitment towards protecting its reputation and heritage of its products abroad was rewarded when it was crowned the EUPFN Exporter of the Year at the Food from Britain Export Awards 2007.

 

By combining cutting edge technology with traditions that can be traced back for more than 300 years, Shepherd Neame has created a range of award winning traditional ales and international lagers. For example its Spitfire Premium Kentish ale has a loyal following across the world from Germany, France and Italy to Hong Kong and Russia.

 

Export manager Nick Harding says: “A great deal of effort has gone into protecting the heritage of our Spitfire Premium Kentish ale. It is made using only locally sourced ingredients and holds a PGI, the same regional produce protection afforded to parma ham and champagne.”

 

While Food from Britain is working hard to communicate the message in foodservice, the scheme could also translate well into retail. “Of course protected products are beginning to be used not just individually but in recipes. A stilton sauce is a good example. We are keen to promote that but only if it makes sense. It must be at least more than 50% of the recipe, not just powdered stilton or a small amount. I think manufacturers of beef burgers in Wales, which are using 100% Welsh beef, are definitely missing a trick by not promoting the PGI status of the meat. We are currently debating such possibilities.”

 

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,” she says. “The ironic thing is that such scheming implies that people see the value of it and are trying to benefit from having EUPFN status.”

 

EU PROTECTED FOOD NAMES

 

PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN (PDO)

Products produced, processed and prepared within a specific geographical area and with features and characteristics attributable to

that area.

 

PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (PGI)

Products produced or processed or prepared within a specific  geographical area and with features or qualities attributable to that area.

 

TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED (TSG)

Products that are traditional or have customary names, and have features that distinguish them from other similar products. These features need not be attributable to the geographical area the product is produced in or entirely based on technical advances in the method of production.