Categorização e Qualificação dos Queijos da Auvergne (França): Relações entre Expertise Científica e os Selos de Denominação de Origem

Abstract

The article addresses one of the strategies for the patrimonialization of food production: the protected designation of origin. The main emphasis is placed on the appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOC), the most recognized certification in France, whose assumption is based on terroir. With no translation into other languages, the terroir refers to the geographical, social and historical specificities of the production process of specific agri-food products. The insertion of this model outside French territory, with the recognition of AOC by the European Union and the World Trade Organization, triggered several controversies regarding food quality. In Europe, along with the regulation of this certification for all member countries, there was an incentive to strengthen the legal justification of the privileged reputation enjoyed by that the Protected Designation against trade transactions. In this context, a legitimizing process of the labels was encouraged by the intensification of production criteria. Cheeses made from raw milk were qualified as those capable of preserving the terroir's sensory, taste and cognitive diversity. This article focuses on the work of scientific institutions inserted in this context of legitimizing AOC, that have worked for health sustainability of raw milk cheeses. The goal in this case lies in an analysis of the influence of scientific knowledge on the categorization and qualification of food production. The objective in this case lies in an analysis of the influence of scientific knowledge on the categorization and qualification of food production.