If possible, choose products with PGI and PDO certification

Generic products, although they are inspected according to standards and are safe to consume, do not have the same level of control over the supply chain, territory, and practices as those with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) or Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certificates, which guarantee not only the high quality of the product, but also the producer’s membership in one of the consortia or associations of producers in a given territory. In this way, products are prepared following a set of specific rules set forth in legal documents called “specifications,” giving an additional level of safety to the consumer (De Rosa, 2015). Therefore, it is preferable, whenever possible, to choose products with PGI and PDO certification to be sure to achieve a higher level of quality and safety.