Apples, Quality Signs and Trademarks for Local Products

Abstract

The interest for food quality is one result of the changes in consumption practices and of the food crisis that generated customers’ distrust. The latter became more and more interested not only in the food’s properties, but also in the conditions of its production (hygienic security, fairly paid labor and proper work conditions) and distribution (product’s origin, traceability control). In this context, the attention has moved to food production and distribution and to economic practices, focusing on the economic and social dimension of the food system. In this article, I have analyzed how food quality is built, both culturally (through signs such as authenticity, hygiene and ecology) and politically (through official labels such as protected designation of origin - PDO, protected geographical indication - PGI). I also analyze how Voineşti apples achieved commercial notoriety as an example of the food products known in the Francophone literature as ‘ terroir ’ products, in order to highlight specific practices of quality performing and different types of quality discourses related to them. I touch upon the economy of quality, the quality standards, signs and marks, the European and Romanian legislation regarding local products, the process of quality certification and the local products as quality products.