Italy is known for its fantastic food, from pastas to pizzas and everything in between. Some food items are so revered that they are actually protected products. These products are designated DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protteta) or PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), and can include Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (along with more than 30 other types of cheese in Italy), Prosciutto Di Parma and Prosciutto Di San Daniele, San Marzano canned tomatoes, and even the dried Cilento white fig, a fresh fruit you must try when in Italy.

And since 2003, even certain breads have protected status, with the first being the Altamura bread from Puglia. Altamura has had a long tradition of bread-making. The poet Horace, in ancient Roman times, referred to bread from Altamura as "the best bread in the world, so much so that the diligent traveler brings a supply for the continuation of the journey."