Oliva Alta Daunia, a table olive from northern Italy’s Foggia province, has been added to the EU’s list of protected food names after approval by the European Commission.
The product has been registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), meaning it must be produced, processed and prepared in the defined area under recognised methods, the Commission said in a statement on Thursday.
Oliva Alta Daunia refers to whole table olives originating in the north of the province of Foggia, in the Apulia region.
The olives are described as having a herbaceous taste that is slightly bitter, with hints of toast.
The olives’ characteristics are linked to climatic and environmental conditions in the region.
The designation also covers the Peranzana variety, which the Commission said is not widely grown outside the area.
Added to EU register of protected names
The new PDO joins more than 3,900 protected names listed in the EU’s eAmbrosia geographical indications register.
