Dairy giant Lactalis has denied claims it broke EU protected designation of origin (PDO) regulations by producing cheese labelled as ‘feta’ in France.
Local media reports in Greece claim a product was listed on the French multinational’s website labelled as “French soft sheep’s milk cheese ripened in brine”, called Valbreso feta.
But a spokesperson for the company told Just Food the product in the photo had “old packaging” and the label has since been updated. It said the image on its website has now been replaced.
The spokesperson said Lactalis produces feta at its plant in Volos, mainland Greece, which is “in compliance with the AOP specifications”.
The spokesperson added: “We have never sold feta in the European Union that did not meet the specifications.
“Since the beginning of 2021, we have not produced or marketed brine-ripened sheep’s milk cheese under the Valbreso Feta brand in the European Union.”
Feta was granted PDO status in 2002, meaning anything labelled ‘feta’ must be produced in Greece and contain a certain percentage of sheep’s milk.
In its application for the feta PDO, Greek authorities defined it as: “A white table cheese which is stored in brine and produced, using traditional methods, exclusively from sheep’s milk, or from a mixture of sheep’s milk and goat’s milk with the latter not exceeding 30% of the milk net weight.”
It can be produced in Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, central mainland Greece, the Péloponnèse and Lesbos.
The European Commission states: “A true product of its environment, [feta’s] recipe and production method reflect the unique terrain of Greece and are grounded in the cumulative know-how of more than two millennia.”
Just Food has contacted the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food for comment on Lactalis.
