Teaca fermented cheese receives EU Protected Geographical Indication status

The European Commission has officially registered “Brânză frământată de Teaca” as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), making it the 18th Romanian food product to receive EU quality protection.

Produced in the Teaca area of Bistrița-Năsăud county, the cheese is made from unpasteurized raw cow's milk. The traditional production process involves coagulation, fermentation, ripening, salting, and kneading. A distinctive feature of the product is its packaging in natural pig bladders, which influences its irregular oval or round shape and weight, typically ranging between 0.4 and 2 kilograms.

The certification ensures that all production stages must take place within the specified geographic area, linking the product's reputation to local expertise passed down through generations. The regulation, adopted on September 2, 2026, follows a period where no objections were filed against the application.