Cozza di Scardovari

Cozza di Scardovari is a PDO-registered mussel of the species Mytilus galloprovincialis, farmed exclusively in the Sacca di Scardovari lagoon within the Po Delta, province of Rovigo. Its specification mandates a flesh-to-total-weight quality indicator exceeding 25% and a sodium content below 210 mg per 100 g of flesh, characteristics attributed to the lagoon's low-salinity, nutrient-rich waters.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO on 12 March 2012 under file number PDO-IT-0981 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014318), Cozza di Scardovari designates mussels of the species Mytilus galloprovincialis produced within the Sacca di Scardovari, a marine inlet in the southern Po Delta bordered by the branches of the Po di Tolle to the north-east and the Po di Gnocca to the south-west, within the municipality of Porto Tolle, province of Rovigo. The specification requires that insemination, growth, and harvesting take place exclusively in nurseries within the Sacca di Scardovari, while cleaning, washing, and selection must be carried out in units located in the area of Scardovari, Ca' Mello, and Santa Giulia. The mussels receive no additional feed or supplements, subsisting on the phytoplankton, zooplankton, and suspended organic particles characteristic of the lagoon. Two mandatory quality thresholds are set: flesh as a percentage of total mollusc weight must exceed 25%, and sodium content in the flesh must be below 210 mg per 100 g. Packaging must occur within the defined production area immediately after the mussels leave the cleaning tanks. Each package must bear a seal that breaks on opening, and the label must display the name Cozza di Scardovari, the words Denominazione d'Origine Protetta or the abbreviation DOP, the designation logo, and the European Union PDO logo. The applicant body is the Consorzio di Tutela della Cozza di Scardovari DOP.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 12 March 2012 under file number PDO-IT-0981, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014318.
• The specification sets a mandatory sodium ceiling of less than 210 mg per 100 g of flesh, lower than levels typical of open-sea mussels.
• Flesh must constitute more than 25% of the total weight of the mollusc, a quality indicator stated in the specification.
• All insemination, growth, and harvesting must take place exclusively in nurseries within the Sacca di Scardovari; no other area is permitted.

Tasting notes

Veneto Adriatic mussels from Po delta lagoon (Scardovari sacca), Mytilus galloprovincialis. Plump orange-cream meat, distinctive sweet-briny flavor with characteristic delta-water minerality, firm tender texture; among Italy's most prized lagoon mussels.

HoReCa use

Premium fresh service — sautéed alla marinara, in zuppa di cozze, on linguine, gratin alla parmigiana; raw service on tasting menus; classic with Soave or Lugana wines.

Packaging

• mesh-bag-fresh-1kg
• mesh-bag-fresh-2kg
• mesh-bag-bulk-5kg
• vacuum-pack-cooked-500g

Seasonality