Food From Britain - Protected Status
France has 161. Italy 155 and Spain 97. In the UK we have just 35. Our list includes Stilton Cheese, Welsh Lamb, Jersey Potatoes and Cornish Clotted Cream. These regional specialities are recognised by the European Union with protected status.
The Protected Status scheme was established in 1993 - products are either PDO’s (Protected Designation of Origin) that must be wholly produced and processed in one area, PGI’s (Protected Geographical Indication), a looser rating, where only one stage of production must occur in the area or TSG’s (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed) for products that are traditional or have customary names, and have features that distinguish them from other similar products but are not necessarily geographical in nature.
The government run Food From Britain is currently researching ’signature foods’ to apply for one or other of these designations. Producers benefit from financial backing and legal support against imitation products being made outside the area. Suggestions can be made via a (pdf) form.
Those looking for such status include Yorkshire rhubarb, Cumberland Sausage and the Cornish Pasty. My vote goes to the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie and the Bakewell Tart. I’m surprised at how few of our regional cheeses are listed. A full list of products can be viewed on the Food From Britain website.
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The famous and superb Newmarket sausages were up for protected status, but apparently couldn’t qualify when the producers refused to reveal their closely guarded secret recipes.