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Products with guaranteed origin and quality: Know about what you munch

They say “you are what you eat”. And we add that you don’t know who you are until you know about what you munch. In the Basque Country we have many seasonal, local products, with their designations of origin, protected indications and other origin and quality markings. But do we really know what they are? At Mantala we’ll describe our most appreciated foodstuffs in more detail. For now, here goes an introduction.

The Basque Country is known worldwide thanks to its gastronomy, which is inevitably linked to local and seasonal products. For this reason, HAZI has been making a significant effort to identify and certify local agrifood products.

HAZI is a tool of the Basque Government’s Department of Economic Development and Infrastructures to promote the competitiveness and sustainability of the primary and food sector, and the sustainable development of rural and coastal environments. Among its many activities, worth highlighting is the certification of local products, by means of different markings, designations of origin and protected geographical indications.

The aim of the monitoring and certification is to generate trust in the consumer, in producers and the rest of the operators, guaranteeing compliance with the features defined in the regulations of agrifood products labelled with quality markings.

HAZI is in charge of monitoring and certifying many products linked to autochthonous varieties and their cultivation, ageing and preparation. But do you know how many certified Basque agrifood products there are and which ones they are? In this post you’ll learn which products with guaranteed quality and origin certified by HAZI you can find in the market.

DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN:

In general terms the Designation of Origin can be defined as the name of a geographical location that it used to designate an agrifood product originating from that location and whose characteristics or qualities are mainly or exclusively due to the geographical environment with its natural and human factors, and whose production, processing and preparation takes place in the geographical area. In the Basque Autonomous Community there are 6 Designations of Origin:

  • Cantabrian Anchovy from the Basque Country
  • Rioja Alavesa Wine
  • Idiazabal cheese
  • Getariako Txakolina
  • Arabako Txakolina
  • Bizkaiko Txakolina
  • Euskal Sagardoa

PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION:

In the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), the link to the geographical environment is still present in at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation. In the Basque Autonomous Community there are two PGIs.

  • Beef from the Basque Country
  • Gernika peppers

EUSKO LABEL:

Eusko Label is a marking the graphical sign of which is the K for Kalitatea (quality) and is used to distinguish agrifood products produced, processed and/or prepared in the Basque Autonomous Community, whose quality, specificity or singularity surpass the general average.

  • Natural spring salt
  • Milk of the Basque Country
  • Cereals of Álava
  • Fresh anchovies
  • Basque Farmhouse Eggs
  • Basque Farmhouse Chickens
  • Basque Suckling Lamb
  • Alabacore and Red Tuna
  • Eusko Label Honey
  • Potatoes of Álava
  • Ibarra chilli peppers
  • Beans of the Basque Country
  • Lettuce of the Basque Country
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Farmhouse Pig

EUSKAL BASERRI:

Euskal Baserri is a guarantee of origin branding that enables the identification of fruit, vegetables and legumes of the Basque Country. These products are mostly sold fresh on the market, but they may also be found preserved, always conveniently identified with the Euskal Baserri logo.

These are the main designations, indications and agrifood quality markings that we have at home. At Mantala we will promote their consumption and use in gastronomy, and will talk about each one of the products in this very section, with the help of HAZI.

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