What is a Protected Geographical Indicator?
The European Union’s Protected Food Name Scheme gives special protection to the best regional and traditional foods. If the application is successful the Traditional Cumberland Sausage is likely be the first meat product in the North of England to be protected in this way.
In order to be called Traditional Cumberland Sausages they would have to be made in Cumbria. The sausages would also have to contain at least 80% meat and be left unlinked. Also the application specifies a number of other key features, including using a mincer with mincing holes that are a minimum of 4.5mm diameter in diameter to ensure a rough cut texture.
Cumbrian producers are concerned that the growing popularity of Cumberland sausage has led many large food producers to mass-produce it and sacrifice its quality and taste. Some shops and restaurants are selling so-called Cumberland sausages with a meat content as low as 45%, containing emulsified rather than coarsecut meat and selling the sausage in thin links rather than thick continuous lengths.
Before the application could be sent to Brussels it had to be assessed by the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs and Food From Britain, the organisation which helps to generate additional business for British food producers in overseas markets. Other interested parties were also invited to make comments or raise objections to the application.To find out more about the application watch the video below.
