Finocchiona

Finocchiona is a Tuscan salame distinguished by the use of fennel seeds and/or flowers in the mixture, which impart its characteristic pronounced aroma. The slices are soft in texture and sometimes tend to crumble. Colour ranges from meat red in the lean parts to white or pinkish white in the fatty parts. Production is confined to the mainland territory of Tuscany, excluding the islands.

About this designation

Finocchiona is registered as a PGI under file number PGI-IT-1120, with EU protection granted on 27 June 2013. The eAmbrosia identifier is EUGI00000014535. The applicant and control body is the Consorzio di Tutela della Finocchiona IGP, based in Florence. The production area covers the entire mainland territory of Tuscany, excluding the islands. The specification requires that the steps of cleaning and trimming of authorised cuts of meat, mincing, kneading, filling the casings, drying, and maturation all take place within that defined geographical area. The mixture must contain fennel seeds and/or flowers. The specification also permits the use of meat from pigs of the Cinta Senese breed, provided those animals are entered in the breed register and reared and slaughtered within the production area. The water activity of the finished product must be not more than 0.945, a value established by a minor amendment approved in 2017. Where Finocchiona is released for consumption in sliced and packed form, both slicing and packing must be carried out exclusively within the production area under the control of the authorised inspection body. On the label, the name 'Finocchiona' must appear in lettering of a minimum of 3 mm, clearly larger than any other writing, and must be followed immediately by the words 'Protected Geographical Indication' or the letters 'P.G.I.', together with the EU PGI logo.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 27 June 2013 under file number PGI-IT-1120 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014535).
• A 2017 minor amendment raised the permitted maximum water activity from 0.92 to 0.945 to preserve the soft texture of the slices.
• Slicing and packing of pre-sliced product must take place exclusively within the mainland Tuscany production area under the authorised inspection body.
• The specification permits use of Cinta Senese breed pigs, provided they are entered in the breed register and reared and slaughtered within the defined area.

Tasting notes

Tuscan salami flavored with wild fennel seeds and flowers, soft pliable texture, savory pork flavor distinctly perfumed with anise notes, gentle red wine undertones.

HoReCa use

Sliced thin on Tuscan salumi boards; served on crostini; layered in panini.

Packaging

• whole-piece-vacuum-1.5-2kg
• half-piece-vacuum-800g
• deli-sliced-vacuum-100g
• pre-sliced-tray-150g