There are two abbreviations given to certified Italian food products: IGP and DOP. 

DOP stands for 'Denominazione d'Origine Protetta' while IGP is 'Indicazione Geografica Protetta'.

In English, that's 'Denomination of Protected Origin' and 'Indication of Protected Origin'.  

These marks are guaranteed by the European Union and were created to promote the authenticity and genuine characteristics of certain food and agricultural products across the continent.

Italy accounts for about a fifth of all the DOP and IGP products in Europe.

To be precise they total 159, as listed in the Official European Community Gazzette on the 16 February 2007, while the last survey by ISTAT in Italy (31 December 2005) cites 152.

France boast 152 products and Spain 105 and for all countries they are split into the categories of cheese, fruit and vegetables, salumi or meats and olive oils.

All the products on the list are inexorably linked to their place of origin, eg. Gorgonzola, and many are household names, eg. Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma.

The last to join the list were the 'Limone Femminello del Gargano Igp', 'Stelvio Stilfer Dop cheese', 'Carota dell'Altopiano del Fucino Igp' and 'Olio Sardegna Dop' olive oil.

The most important appointment of the year for DOP products takes place in Gorizia in October and is called 'Ruralia'.

It is a trade fair dedicated exclusively to DOP and IGP 'Indicazione Geographica Protetta' products.

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