''Prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale'' (PAT) is an official approval for

traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

Italian regional food products similar to the

Protected Geographical Status Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect nam ...

of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

. A list of approved products is published by the

Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies The Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, it, Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali, italic=no or MiPAAF, is an Italian government department. It was formed in 1946 as the Ministero dell'Agricoltura e delle F ...

. It lists only products that do not qualify for pan-European approval, and as such PAT is only applicable within Italy. The denomination is attributed by each

regional In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies. In 2019 a total of 5128 products carried PAT certification; the region with the largest number of approved products was

Campania Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...

, with 531.

Classification

PAT products are classified in ten categories: drinks; meats;

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavor, to enhance the flavor, or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is served separat ...

s; cheeses; oils and fats; vegetables and vegetable products; pasta, bread and patisserie;

delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...

; fish and seafood; and products of animal origin other than those above.

References

{{Geographical indications Appellations Law of Italy Italian cuisine

Classification

See also

References