Protected Designation of Origin (BOB) is a European quality mark that guarantees the origin of regional products.
It appears on products whose production, processing and preparation takes place in a European region. BOB is independently audited. In the Netherlands, a number of products with a PDO quality mark are:
Kanterkaas (BOB)
North Holland Edammer (BOB)
North Holland Gouda (BOB)
Brabantse Wal Asparagus (BOB)
There are four within the Spanish Ibérico Hams Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) : BOB JABUGO, BOB GUIJUELO, BOB LOS PEDROCHES AND BOB DEHESA DE EXTREMADURa
Today I start with one of the fourth differentiated qualities of Ibérico Ham: THE BOB (CAP) DEHESA DE EXTREMADURA.
The European Union recognized Dehesa de Extremadura as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in June 1996 and endorsed at Community level the prestige and quality of the Iberian hams and shoulders accepted by the Consejo Regulador.
Certification of a product involves an extensive work from start to finish: from the inspection of pigs in the pastures, by the technicians, the identification of the parts in slaughterhouse, carrying out audits in the dryer and the cellar and to complete with the checking the final product by placing the Council labels on each ham or shoulder.
All these steps are carried out by inspectors from the technical services of the Consejo Regulador, thus a system of strict controls with guaranteed traceability.
So remember… Differentiated quality hams are products protected by EU regulations that guarantee compliance with requirements higher than those required for other products.