Published: 18 December 2009
Tasty Treats are Protected
Some of Britain’s tastiest treats were on offer when Defra held a Christmas market to celebrate the best regional & speciality food this country has to offer and also highlight the benefits to food producers of applying for the EU’s Protected Food Name status.
Defra ministers gathered with the producers & industry stakeholders to sample some of the best of regional and speciality foods – from Cornish pasties to Herefordshire Perry Cider – with a festive accompaniment from Defra’s choir.
At the event, held at New Covent Garden Market, sardines were also on the menu – the Cornish Sardine was announced as the latest food to be protected under the EU Protected Food Name scheme.
The product was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status because of the way sardines are caught and the historical link attached to the fishing of sardines in Cornish waters.
It joins the likes of Stilton Cheese, Scotch Beef and Lamb to become the UK’s 40th protected food name.
There was good news on British pig meat too – the Pig Meat Supply Chain Task Force has agreed to draw up a new code of practice for labelling pork & pork products, which will bring an end to ambiguous terms like ‘produced in the UK’, while pork labelled ‘British’ will mean that the animal was born, reared & slaughtered in Britain.
Food and Farming Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: ‘This agreement is great for consumers and the whole supply chain. It means that if you buy bacon or sausages from a retailer who’s signed up to the code then you’ll know exactly where the meat has come from.’
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