Capocollo di Martina Franca EU PGI certification

The Capocollo di Martina Franca, a traditional cured meat from the Puglia region, has moved toward official European Union Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. The production area is centered in the Valle d’Itria, specifically within the municipalities of Martina Franca, Locorotondo, and Cisternino.

The certification process highlights traditional craftsmanship, including the use of ‘mire cutte’ (a cooked wine made from Verdeca and Bianco d’Alessano grapes), smoking with fragno wood, and the use of natural pig casings known as ‘muletta’.

Following the European Commission’s official approval and registration in the Union register, the product now receives legal protection. During the certification process, Italian authorities identified that certain companies, Comalbest s. r. l. and Industria Alimentare Apulia s. r. l., had been marketing products under the name for over five years despite being non-compliant with production specifications, particularly regarding their location outside the designated geographical zone.