Why these famous recipes are protected by law
Next time you’re enjoying a glass of freshly squeezed OJ in the Sunshine State, say thanks to the Florida Department of Citrus for making sure that it really is 100% Floridian orange juice, which can legally only be made from mature Florida oranges grown by licenced citrus dealers.
The potato is not as humble as you might think. Grown on the island of Jersey for more than 140 years, Jersey Royals are considered the cream of the crop thanks to their nutty taste and firm texture
Thanks to onion farmers in Georgia, who sought to trademark the uniquely sweet flavour of Vidalia onions, they are now protected by both state and federal law. Grown exclusively in the Peach State, these onions are also Georgia’s official state vegetable.
To gain Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, these meaty black olives can only be grown in or near Kalamata, a city in the Peloponnese, Greece. Similar olives grown elsewhere are usually sold as Kalamon olives.
One of the most controversial products on this list, buffalo mozzarella or, more specifically, mozzarella di bufala, has PDO protection in Europe – yet the same name can be used without restriction in the US.
Rich and indulgent, clotted cream is an essential for a British afternoon tea. While there’s long been rivalry between Cornwall and Devon as to which county is the birthplace of clotted cream, it was actually only in 1998 when Cornish clotted cream became protected under European law.
The first Indian product to receive protected status, Darjeeling tea is often called the Champagne of teas. It’s grown in 87 gardens in the foothills of the Himalayas, where some of the bushes are more than 150 years old.