Waiter, My Cheese Has Been DOP(ed)

No, it's not the latest performance-enhancing drug scandal at the Giro d'Italia. This DOP(ed) cheese, (Denominazione di Origine Protetta, or Protected Designation of Origin), instead, carries a symbol designed under European Law to protect the names of regional foods. The law protects a wide range of products produced in Europe (and by extension, Italy). Another similar food designation is the IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta, or Protected Geographic Indication).

To qualify for a DOP or IGP seal, a product must comply with the European Union's standards in regard to the name and description of the production, the definition of the geographic area, the methods of preparation, factors relating to the geographic environment, the inspection bodies, and details of how the product is labeled. Hundreds of Italian food products have been labeled either DOP or IGP by the European Commision, including cheeses such as Fiore Sardo, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, and Pecorino Siciliano; fruit, vegetables, and cereals such as Arancia rossa di Sicilia, Cipolla Rossa di Tropea Calabria, and Riso di Baraggia Biellese e Vercellese; meat-based products such as Culatello di Zibello, Mortadella Bologna, and Prosciutto di Parma; and breads such as Pane casareccio di Genzano, and Pane di Altamura.

The next time you eat Asiago DOP, you can rest assured that you won't fail any blood tests.