Label Rouge Scottish Salmon
The Flavours of Scotland
Label Rouge is a prestigious quality mark granted by the French Ministry of Agriculture to products demonstrating superior quality and taste.
Scottish salmon was the first fish and the first non-French food to receive this accolade in 1992.
Label Rouge and UK Protected Origin – dual recognition of the superior quality and the origin of Label Rouge Scottish salmon.
A benchmark for Quality
The quality manual for Label Rouge LA 33/90 specifies all the requirements for attaining this superior quality standard.
The following are significant elements of Label Rouge Scottish salmon’s exceptional quality :
- Slow growth of fish in accordance with their natural rhythms (between 8 and 16 months in fresh water, then between 10 and 24 months in the sea).
- Farming conditions that promote firm flesh.
- Controlled fat content in the flesh.
- An identification system guaranteeing total traceability and absolute freshness.
- Respect for fish welfare, the environment and sustainability
- Guaranteed Scottish origin
- Controls carried out at every stage of production by an accredited independent body
What is the Label Rouge ?
Label Rouge is an official endorsement of the superior quality of a food or farmed product.
To obtain this recognition, a very stringent set of standards prepared by a group of producers must be approved.
These standards establish the criteria which the product must meet, in particular with regard to farming techniques, feed, equipment and sites, hygiene and staff training.
Approval is officially announced through a joint decree from the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Consumer Affairs, on the recommendations of the National Institute for Origin and Quality (INAO). INAO is the French public body responsible for quality and origin marks relating to food products.
Scottish Quality Salmon is the holder of Label Rouge No. LA 33/90. Compliance with the standards is controlled by an independent certifying body, Acoura - Food Certification International Ltd.
Full traceability
From egg to point of sale
The origin of each Label Rouge salmon can be identified through a sequentially numbered tag allocated by the certifying body.
This tag is attached to the fish gill and includes the following information:
- The Label Rouge logo
- The approval number
- An individual identification number
- A “use-by” date
- The contact details of the certifying body
In addition, each box carries a sequentially numbered label, also supplied by the certifying body.
An official guarantee of Scottish Origin
Scottish salmon has been awarded the “UK protected Geographic Origin” label by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
This is a system for protecting and promoting the origin of a quality agricultural product.
The geographical designation of Scottish Salmon is now strictly limited to the coastal region of Scotland and the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.
