Italian foods lead in European Union seals of approval aimed at protecting genuine products from inferior clones.

About 25 percent of the EU quality products are Italian, the most of any member state, Istat, the Italian statistics institute, said Friday. France is second with about 20 percent.

Italy now leads the EU in two specialty food categories: Protected Geographical Indication, or PGI, and Protected Designation of Origin, or PDO.

Italy's fruits, vegetables, cereals and extra-virgin olive top the EU specialties list, while its cheeses and meats ranked just slightly behind its top products, the Italian news agency, ANSA, reported Saturday.

Especially prized are a sweet chestnut from the region of Cuneo, a white asparagus native to the Bassano area, rice from Biella and an orange from Puglia's Gargano peninsula.

The EU now recognizes the quality of almost 800 food products from its member countries.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International



Publication date: 18 November 2007   

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