YOU have probably tasted the Cumberland sausage and the Cornish pasty, but the Yorkshire rhubarb or the Goosnargh duck may be less familiar. The hunt is on for Britain’s finest regional foods and the winners can expect international prestige, officially protected status and the chance to rival France and Italy in the culinary stakes.

Food from Britain, the government-backed marketing organisation, has launched an appeal to producers of local “signature foods” to apply for European Union recognition.

To date, only 35 British foods have been awarded such status in the EU compared with France, which has 161, including Camembert and various fine meats; and Italy, which boasts 155 of its choicest foods, including Parma ham and Amalfi lemons.

The items so far on the British list include Cornish clotted cream, Whitstable oysters and Stilton cheese. Protected name status can mean extra handouts from Brussels to promote a regional or national delicacy and legal backing against imitation products made outside the area.

The new scheme has already proved lucrative for Greek producers after feta cheese was given protected status. Producers in France, Germany, Denmark and Britain were told to halt production or rename their cheeses.

Irene Bocchetta, EU protected food names manager at Food from Britain, said: “Britain has fantastic food and has enjoyed a renaissance in the past 10 years, but other European countries have been taking the lead in promoting their regional produce. We are appealing to British producers to come forward.”

The protected status scheme was set up in 1993 and is modelled on the French appellation d’origine contrôlée system that governs wine names. Foods are either described as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which means they must be wholly produced and processed in one area; or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), a less stringent rating, which means one stage of production must be in the defined area.

Farmers claim the failure of the government to promote the scheme in Britain earlier has been one of the factors undermining the economic viability of many farms. It has meant British food producers repeatedly losing out in EU marketing budgets for regional delicacies.

Among the British foods now bidding for protected status is Yorkshire rhubarb, which is grown in an area around Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield known as the “rhubarb triangle”.

The application for EU recognition states the rhubarb is grown indoors, benefits from the cold, heavy Yorkshire soil and has a “superior” flavour to its rivals.

Another bid due to be submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs within the next few days is for traditional Cumberland sausage.

The coiled ropes of meat are made all over Britain, but producers in Cumberland are trying to reclaim their sausage.

Peter Gott, who farms near Kendal and is a spokesman for the Cumberland Sausage Association, said: “This is one of the signature dishes of the area and it deserves recognition for its quality.”

Regional food marketing groups are now drawing up lists of contenders. In the South West, the Cornish pasty, Cornish sardines and Gloucestershire Old Spot pork are among the foods bidding for recognition.

There is also the Goosnargh duck, produced in a Lancashire village near Preston, which is traditionally killed young and hung for two days to enhance flavour. Sue Nelson, chief executive of North West Fine Food, said: “There are some foods like Goosnargh duck which are on the menu in some restaurants and we know they haven’t come from Goosnargh. We want our produce to have proper protection.”

Additional reporting: Jonathon Tabet

What's your favourite local delicacy? Tell us using the box below

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Swine flu vaccine for all as drug rushed through
• Artificial sperm and the race to build a baby
• BBC jets out stars to tout for prizes