In 1996, three Sardinian sheep’s milk cheeses, Pecorino Romano, Fiore Sardo and Pecorino Sardo were certified with the Denominazione di Origine Protetta (D.O.P.) [Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.)] by the European Union: Pecorino Romano with Reg.(EC) No. 1107/96*, Pecorino Sardo and Fiore Sardo with Reg. (EC) No. 1263/96. This important validation served as an acknowledgement of the quality and uniqueness of the island’s three dairy products at the European level. The P.D.O. label is granted exclusively to those agricultural and food products whose stages of the production process are tightly linked with the history, culture and environment of a defined geographical area and that comply with a Product Specification. As such, the European Union establishes precise rules in order to safeguard P.D.O. products, setting up appropriate quality control and certification systems not only for the protection of the consumer, but also to provide the producer with practical tools to identify and promote products with specific features, as well as protect them from imitations and counterfeits.
Choosing a P.D.O. Sardinian sheep’s milk cheese means:
