A specification of a particular cheese, butter, fruit, wine or poultry. AOC is applied when a item of food if produce meets certain criteria. It is often applied to produce passed down from generation to generation, now recognized by law, regulating the animal breed or variety of fruit, the zone of production, the techniques used, the composition of the product, its physical characteristics, and its specific attributes. It started with wine in 1935. In the year 2000 there were 36 AOC cheeses. It should be said that this designates the rules and standards governing production, ingredients and methods and controls the authenticity, rather than being an indicator of peculiar or unusual quality.
