Two types of Polish sausage have made it onto the European Union’s list of regional products.

The two sausages, named ‘mysliwska’ and ‘jalowcowa’, will now carry the EU logo and are ‘Traditional Specialty Guaranteed’. Out of over a thousand regional products on the EU’s books, only 26, including the sausages, are of Polish origin.

In the European Commission documents on the products, we can read that “the product’s specific character as expressed in the name is reflected in its etymological derivation from the words ‘myśliwy’ (hunter) and ‘myślistwo’ (hunting), and indicates its original purpose: smoked-meat products of this type were originally used by hunters as dry provisions.”

Meanwhile, “the name ‘kiełbasa jałowcowa’ expresses the specific character of the product, which is linked above all to its exceptional taste and aroma. These features reflect the use in the production process of juniper berries, which are finely chopped just before they are added to the meat, and the use of juniper branches during the smoking process.”

Brussels has been handing out such guarantees on geographic origin and traditional specialties for 19 years. So far, Italy has the highest number of regional products, with 230 different kinds of cheeses, sausages, and other products.

The first Polish product to be awarded such status was the so-called Bryndza podhalanska cheese four years ago. (jb)

Source: IAR/EC