Protected designation origin

A protected designation origin is a term generally applied to food products characteristic of and generally associated with a particular region, with an eye to ensuring that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed in commerce as such.

In the U.S., examples of such are Vidalia onions and Florida orange juice. Vidalia onions must be produced within a certain region around Vidalia, Georgia as defined by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, 100%Florida Orange Juice is certified as being such by that state's Department of Citrus.

In Europe, products qualifying for PDO's and their allowable production areas are determined by the European Commission. A famous such designation is Stilton cheese, which may be produced using only local milk at specified dairies in three specific English counties.

Ideally, protected designation origin is both a consumer protection measure and a way of protecting producers of a region's traditional and/or characteristic foods. In reality, such designations may often become a subject for divisive politics.