The Scottish Government has thrown its weight behind a bid to protect a popular cheese brand.
Food Secretary Richard Lochhead hopes Cambus O’May cheese will be granted Protected Food Name (PFN) status, joining other Scottish products including Scotch Beef and Arbroath Smokies.
The announcement coincides with today's Aboyne Highland Games, near the producer's home in Ballater.
Mr Lochhead said: “Scotland is world-famous for our wonderful food and drink, and people want to know they are buying the real deal. Achieving PFN status for Cambus O’May cheese will ensure that consumers at home and abroad have a one hundred per cent guarantee of the product’s authenticity.
“Cambus O’May is an unpasteurised cheese, with a recipe that dates back for generations, and is the only one of its kind in Scotland. It is very fitting that they launch their PFN application today, which is the start of Delicious Dairy month as part of the Year of Food and Drink celebrations."
A growing number of Scottish foods, including other home-grown cheeses such as Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar and Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese, which are protected under EU legislation and free from imitation. It guarantees the food’s provenance and supports local producers.
Mr Lochhead added: “The PFN scheme can benefit producers of brands synonymous with Scotland by providing them with recognition of their product and safeguarding it from imitation, and I would encourage more producers in Scotland to look at taking this forward.”
The unpasteurised cheese is made by Alex Reid of the Cambus O’May Cheese Company. The cheese is made the same way that Alex’s mother Barbara used to make it, and is hand-pressed using two different curds. The resulting cheese, which matures over a couple of months, has a marbled effect and a uniquely creamy texture.
The company has decided to apply for Protected Food Name status to preserve and promote the sixth generation family recipe, and hope to be able to celebrate Cambus O’May in the same way as Scotland’s other 14 Protected Food Name products.
Mr Reid said if successful, it would put his "company firmly on the world cheese map."
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