The European Optional Quality Term "Mountain Product": Hypothetical Application in the Production Chain of a Traditional Dairy Product

EU Delegated Regulation no. 665/2014 defines the requirements for applying the optional "mountain product" quality term, which was introduced with EU Regulation no. 1151/2012. These requirements are the result of a long process on the part of the European Commission to standardise the different approaches presented by those Member States for whom the term is relevant. The purpose of this study was to assess the applicability of the provisions of the Regulation to the production chain of cow's milk and milk products. Specifically, the study was geared to assessing the requirements in relation to a milk product in the Piedmont cheese-making tradition, the "Toma del lait brusc." Although restricted to a limited geographical area and to a particular traditional product, the results of the survey provide an initial assessment of the applicability of the instrument. Companies operating in the mountains and those practising transhumance would be able to use the optional term provided they are able to self-produce a substantial portion of their fodder or obtain it locally and can regularly document the diet of their animals. Some of the Regulation's requirements, however, await derogations and clarifications from the national legislator.