What are AOP, DOP, and IGP Certified Products

Visiting Joel’s Place allows you to discover the world’s finest offers. From the freshest meat, seafood, and produce sourced around the world, every selection guarantees you get only the best of the best. Walking around the store, you might have encountered certain products marked with "DOP", "AOP", or "IGP". But what do these abbreviations mean?

Protected designation of origin

PDO, or Protected Designation of Origin, is the European Union’s geographical indication, aiming to classify products according to where they are produced and processed. This designation not only helps consumers learn about the products they consume but also protects age-old traditions and methods of food production.

PDO is translated into different abbreviations such as DOP or Denominazione di Origine Protetta for Italy and AOP/AOC or Appellation d'Origine Protégée and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for France but carries the same importance in keeping and protecting their country’s culinary heritage. These labels are designed to help consumers distinguish authentically made products.

DOP (Italy)

DOP is a food label used in Italy and other European countries to protect the authenticity and quality of their products. This means that every product carrying the DOP certification indicates that it is produced, processed, and prepared traditionally in a specific geographical area. 

Products such as balsamic vinegar, olive oil, olives, cheeses, and cured meats can carry the DOP label. However, not every product coming from Italy carries this mark as one must earn and adhere to strict rules in production to be able to obtain the DOP certification. Thus, only products marked with DOP are legally allowed to use the word “traditional” on their products.

Having this label ensures that the product you are getting is authentic and of the finest quality. Some products you will encounter with DOP marks at Joel’s Place are our cheeses:

AOP (France)  

AOP or AOC is another European label that is mostly used in France. Like DOP, the products that carry these marks are guaranteed to be produced traditionally and within a specific geographical area. The products also need to follow strict rules in production to obtain an AOP or AOC certification. 

Some products that can carry the AOP mark are salted butter and cheeses. You can find these AOP-certified products at Joel’s Place: 

IGP

IGP or Indication Géographique Protégée translates to Protected Geographical Indication, another food label used in Italy. Unlike DOP, products carrying the IGP mark have only one or a few phases in the production, process, and preparation of the product that is traceable to a specific geographical area.

Some products with IGP marks that you may find at Joel’s Place are: 

At Joel’s Place, we are dedicated to ensuring that the products we offer are top-notch quality. Next time you’re on a hunt for quality ingredients for your cooking, look for these labels so you’re sure they’re authentic, and sourced straight from its local country.