New Forest Pannage Ham was successfully registered under the Government's Geographical Indication (UKGI) scheme today (16 February).
It now holds full protection and recognition throughout Great Britain as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), which means consumers can be confident that the product they are buying is genuine and the efforts of producers are protected from imitation products.
New Forest Pannage Ham PGI is an air-dried ham made specifically with pork from pigs released into the New Forest during the 'Pannage Season'. The pigs eat large quantities of acorns and beech mast (nuts) during this time, resulting in a buttery nutty flavour to the meat, which is darker in colour than pork from pigs that have not been fed on acorns. Air drying preserves and accentuates the flavour profile of the pannage pork.
Salting of pannage pork to preserve the meat has been carried out in the area for centuries. New Forest Pannage Ham continues this ancient tradition of making hams in the designated geographical area but in such a way as to highlight the qualities of the meat by using lower levels of salt than in previous centuries and air-drying which was not available in the UK prior to the development of climate-controlled maturing facilities.
Food Minister Mark Spencer said:
"New Forest Pannage Ham now carries the same protection as Melton Mowbray Pork Pies and Welsh Leeks. Our traditional foods help to form the backdrop of British life, and with a 1,000-year heritage New Forest Pannage Ham is a part of our national food story.
"I look forward to sampling some New Forest Pannage Ham myself and celebrating this wonderful product with a unique history."
Geographical Indications (GI) are a form of intellectual property protection which specifies particular characteristics of a product and links them to a place or a tradition. GIs recognise the heritage and provenance of products, mostly food and drink. They provide registered products with legal protection against imitation and protect consumers from being misled.
Visit GOV.UK for a full list of UK protected goods, including Welsh Leeks PGI, Sussex Wine and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies PGI, and details of the UK scheme, labels and application requirements.
