pdo (2)

5326712490?profile=RESIZE_180x180Foods with names, which are linked directly or indirectly to a designated geographic origin are protected in law by a European based system of protected denomination of origin (PDO) and protected geographic indication (PGI). This study examines whether past protection of GIs through 11 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) has increased trade in them. The answer matters for trade policy, since the protection of at least some GIs has been a red line in EU FTA negotiations. The findings of this study show that that legal protection of GIs in FTAs does not significantly increase trade in them. Hence, the suggested policy implication is that the EU should focus on external promotion of its GIs rather than asking trading partners for stronger legal protection. 

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4340533394?profile=RESIZE_710xThe March 2020 Foods Journal has a special issue on “Food Authentication: Techniques, Trends and Emerging Approaches” consisting of  12 articles (11 original research articles and 1 review), which focus on the development and application of analytical techniques and emerging approaches in food authentication. The research papers cover the authentication of foods with high commercial value, such as olive oil, Iberian ham or fruits, among others. The review examines the potential of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) as a valuable technique to determine small metabolites in food tissue sections without requiring purification, extraction, separation or labelling. It can be used not only to identify the composition of foods, but also to investigate among other applications, their geographical origin for improved traceability, food safety and breed enhancement. 

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