Olive oil certification: The process behind DOP and IGP labels

The certification of extra virgin olive oil under DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) or IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status involves a rigorous process of rules, verification, and traceability. This system ensures that certified production is verifiable from the raw material to the final packaged product.

Under the framework of EU Regulation 2021/2115, operators must follow specific production specifications (disciplinari) that define the requirements for these designations. This includes documenting every stage of the supply chain: the origin of the olives, their entry into the production circuit, transformation, storage, and packaging.

While the regulatory framework is established at the European level, inspections are carried out through national systems and competent bodies to ensure compliance. The olive mill (frantoio) serves as a critical node in this process, where maintaining clear batch identification and managing documentation is essential to reconstruct the entire production path.