Montélimar nougat wins special protection: what does this mean?
The European Commission confirmed the status for the famous sweet treat this week
To qualify for the PGI, the nougat must be made in Montélimar and align with strict criteria
Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
Nougat made in the French town of Montélimar and its immediate surroundings has been awarded European Union geographical protected status.
The Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP, Protected Geographical Indication, PGI) status was awarded on Tuesday, November 26.
The nougat, which comes in soft or hard varieties, can now only be considered real Montélimar produce if it is made in a specific area of the Drôme (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) town and its surroundings. It must also comply with other criteria, including a specific kind of recipe and ingredients.
In a press release announcing the status, the European Commission wrote: “This type of nougat is made exclusively in and around Montélimar using specific know-how developed over several centuries, and with ingredients that comply with ancient recipes.
“Whether hard and ‘brittle’ or soft and ‘chewy’ it will join the list of more than 3,500 products already protected in the EU,” it said.
What are the criteria?
To qualify for the PGI the nougat must be made in Montélimar or its surroundings, and be made with a white/cream base, aerated with egg white, with sweeteners - especially honey - and a filling of almonds, and sometimes pistachios.
It must meet other certain criteria also including a 30% filling (roasted sweet almonds, or with 2% pistachios) and a specific quantity of honey. It must not have any additives added.
"[The PGI] is a great source of pride,” said Marie-Claude Stoffel, co-president of the Montélimar nougat manufacturers’ union, le syndicat des fabricants de nougat de Montélimar, to FranceInfo. “We are a small industry representing 200 direct jobs. There are 13 manufacturers involved in the process.”
The town produces 3,000 tonnes of nougat per year.
