Italy is to retain the exclusive rights to the Parmesan trademark or at least the next two years, agriculture minister Giovanni Alemanno announced yesterday [Thursday].

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Alemanno reported that the Italian delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Codex committee meeting on milk and milk products in Wellington, New Zealand, had safeguarded the name.


Protected under EEC Regulation 2081/92, Parmesan cheese is one of a swathe of products to gain PDO recognition (Protected Designation of Origin). Other high-profile products with PDO status include Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham) and Stilton cheese.


The ruling means that producers of similar dry cheeses outside the Italian region of Parma will still be prohibited to sell their product as Parmesan. They will continue to use names such as “Italian-style premium cheese”.


Parmesan is the accepted English translation of the Italian designation, Parmigiano Reggiano.

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