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Cheeses with designation of origin
How many cheeses hold a designation of origin? The official European register protects 272 cheeses (207 PDO and 65 PGI), and Brazil's INPI recognizes 8 GI cheeses. The tables below show the map by country, the most famous names and the Brazilian slice.
Protected cheeses by country (European register)
| Country | Cheeses |
|---|---|
| France | 58 |
| Italy | 56 |
| Spain | 32 |
| Greece | 25 |
| United Kingdom | 17 |
| Portugal | 12 |
| Germany | 9 |
| Slovakia | 8 |
| Netherlands | 7 |
| Austria | 7 |
| Poland | 5 |
| Denmark | 4 |
| Sweden | 4 |
| Slovenia | 4 |
| Czechia | 3 |
| Lithuania | 3 |
| Romania | 3 |
| Croatia | 3 |
| Hungary | 2 |
| Cyprus | 2 |
| Türkiye | 2 |
| Belgium | 1 |
| Ireland | 1 |
| Bulgaria | 1 |
| Croatia, Slovenia | 1 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 |
| Malta | 1 |
The best known PDO and PGI cheeses, with registration year
| Cheese | Country | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parmigiano Reggiano | Italy | PDO | 1996 |
| Grana Padano | Italy | PDO | 1996 |
| Gorgonzola | Italy | PDO | 1996 |
| Mozzarella di Bufala Campana | Italy | PDO | 1996 |
| Pecorino Romano | Italy | PDO | 1996 |
| Roquefort | France | PDO | 1996 |
| Comté | France | PDO | 1996 |
| Camembert de Normandie | France | PDO | 1996 |
| Brie de Meaux | France | PDO | 1996 |
| Époisses | France | PDO | 1996 |
| Feta | Greece | PDO | 2002 |
| Halloumi / Hellim | Cyprus | PDO | 2021 |
| Queso Manchego | Spain | PDO | 1996 |
| Cabrales | Spain | PDO | 1996 |
| Queijo Serra da Estrela | Portugal | PDO | 1996 |
| Stilton (White and Blue) | United Kingdom | PDO | 1996 |
| Gruyère | France | PGI | 2013 |
Brazil's 8 GI cheeses
| Name | Product | UF | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serro | Queijo Minas Artesanal do Serro | MG | IP | 2011 |
| Canastra | Queijo Queijo da Canastra | MG | IP | 2012 |
| Colônia Witmarsum | Queijo | PR | IP | 2018 |
| Campos de Cima da Serra | Queijo Artesanal Serrano | SC and RS | DO | 2020 |
| Marajó | Queijo | PA | IP | 2021 |
| Cerrado | Queijo de leite de vaca cru integral Queijo do Cerrado | MG | IP | 2023 |
| Autazes | Queijo | AM | IP | 2024 |
| Sudoeste do Paraná | Queijo Colonial | PR | IP | 2025 |
Why cheese dominates the register
No other food has as many protected names: there are 272 cheeses on the European register (207 PDO and 65 PGI), ahead of olive oils, hams and fruit. France (58) and Italy (56) fight it out at the top, and the list runs from Parmigiano Reggiano, registered in 1996 with the first big wave of PDOs, to Cypriot Halloumi, a PDO only in 2021 after a seven year process. A protected name is not the same as a prize: the world's best cheese is chosen by another ranking, the world cheese champions.
The Gruyere case: one name, two countries
Gruyere was born in Switzerland, which is not part of the European Union and protects Le Gruyere under the Swiss AOP seal, outside this register. France registered its own Gruyere as a European PGI in 2013. The curious result: the Swiss cheese that has won the World Cheese Awards more than any other, a six time world champion, does not appear on the EU register, while its French cousin does. The two traditions coexist, each with its own seal.
Brazil's cheeses join the map
Brazil has no European PDO cheese yet, but INPI has recognized 8 cheeses with a geographical indication, from Queijo Minas Artesanal do Serro (2011) to the Queijo Colonial of Sudoeste do Parana (2025), by way of Canastra and the Queijo Artesanal Serrano of Campos de Cima da Serra, the country's only cheese DO. The complete list of Brazilian GIs across all products is in the Geographical Indications of Brazil archive; the full European picture, cheese included, is in designations of origin in Europe.
Sources: eAmbrosia (European Commission) and INPI/MAPA. Snapshot of July 2026. This site is independent and not affiliated with any of the bodies cited.
Last updated: · Methodology and sources