Bid to protect status of Lincolnshire sausages

The sausages should contain at least 70% pork and be made in Lincolnshire

The government is considering whether Lincolnshire sausages should be given protected status.

The Lincolnshire Sausage Association (LSA) has been campaigning for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for more than seven years.

Defra is now deciding whether to submit an application to the scheme.

It would mean that only sausages made in the county of Lincolnshire could use the name, and they would need to be made to an authentic recipe.

Janet Godfrey, a Lincolnshire farmer and LSA chairman, said: "Not many people outside of the county actually make them to a Lincolnshire recipe.

"A lot of people say they don't like Lincolnshire sausages but that's because they have never had the real thing.

"That is one of the reasons we are doing this."

Ms Godfrey said that a true Lincolnshire sausage should contain a minimum 70% of coarse ground or minced pork, packed in natural casings and flavoured with sage.

Spices not authentic

The only other ingredients should be rusk, bread, salt and pepper.

But she said many people outside of the county flavour the sausages with spices or parsley, which is not authentic.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: "Defra is currently considering the application for the Lincolnshire sausage to be put forward under the EU Protected Food Name Scheme as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).

"We've been looking at all of the evidence provided by those applying for the status, as well as any objections, and will make a decision soon on submitting the application."

The LSA was formed more than seven years ago.

Its application was submitted to Defra two and a half years ago and the association is expecting a decision within weeks.

Supporters of the application include the leader of Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire MPs Andrew Percy, Stephen Phillips, John Hayes and Karl McCartney.

The UK now has 48 foods protected from imitations by the EU Protected Food Name Scheme, including Cornish clotted cream and Melton Mowbray pork pies.