And the European Commission has signalled its intention to get tough with the Scandinavian nation by issuing an ultimatum warning them to stop selling the dairy product to non-EU countries – or face the consequences.
According to EU regulations, only the Greek variety can be labelled as feta, which is defined as as a brined cheese made in Greece from sheep milk, sometime mixed with up to 30 percent of goat’s milk.
In contrast, the Danish variety is made with cow milk and is smoother, creamier and not as crumbly. In Denmark itself, it is sold as “salad cubes” or “white cheese”.
Greece produces about 120,000 tons of feta every year, while the total domestic production of sheep and goat milk is about 1.1 million tons annually, and Greek manufacturers are fiercely protective of their product.
In 2002 Feta was added to the EU’s list of protected food products following a protracted legal battle between Denmark and Greece.
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The list aims to protect certain food products unique to particular regions – for instance, only sparkling white wine produced in the Champagne region of France can be called champagne in the EU. Yesterday, traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheese was also added to the list.
However, the EC claims Danish companies have been flouting the regulations by using the name feta when exporting to countries outside of the EU.
A letter to the Danish government stated: “The registered, protected designation of origin ‘feta’ is being used illegally in Denmark, where certain companies which produce or import white cheese are exporting it to third countries misleadingly marked as ‘feta’.”
Jørgen Hald Christensen, chairman of Denmark’s Dairies Association, told the country’s Altinget newspaper: “Since feta became protected as a Greek product, we have complied with the relevant laws.
“But we have naturally acted differently in areas where it is not protected.”
Protected products must also not be sold using protected names, such as Parma Ham, to countries with trade agreements with the EU.
A deal struck with Canada in 2013 means that feta made in Canada would be called “feta-style” cheese, without any labelling suggestive of Greece. Brussels has also clashed with with American feta producers in the past.