EU Grants Pizza Napoletana Status of “Traditional Speciality Guaranteed”
The European Union has reportedly granted Neapolitan pizza a status of “traditional speciality [sic] guaranteed” (TSG), a premium labeling designation that “does not refer to an origin, but highlights the traditional composition or means of production.” According to media sources, the Italian government has successfully persuaded EU member states to approve their application stipulating that pizza napoletana—also known as pizza margherita—must be hand-kneaded and cooked in a wood-fired oven, use mozzarella from the southern Apennine Mountains, and contain specific kinds of flour, yeast, salt, and tomatoes. In addition, the pie must apparently feature an elevated crust rim of 1-2 centimeters (cm), a base that does not exceed 1/3 cm in thickness and a diameter less than 35 cm.
While EU restaurants will still be able to proffer their versions of pizza napoletana, only products meeting these exact requirements can boast the coveted TSG logo. The Italian agriculture ministry has since noted that the petition attempts to redress the counterfeiting of pizza napoletana, which has “for too long been the subject of imitations,” including those made from Chinese tomatoes and other imported ingredients. See The Guardian, December 9, 2009; The Sydney Morning Herald, December 11, 2009.
