Insalata di Lusia

Insalata di Lusia is a PGI-protected lettuce comprising exclusively the Cappuccia and Gentile varieties of Lactuca sativa, grown in a defined area spanning municipalities in the provinces of Rovigo and Padua. Its distinctive characteristics include lightness of head, absence of fibrousness, firmness, and a perceptible flavour attributed to high mineral salt levels in the sandy, flood-deposited soils of the Adige river plain.

About this designation

Registered under file number PGI-IT-0433 and protected as a PGI since 22 November 2004, Insalata di Lusia covers exclusively the Cappuccia and Gentile varieties of Lactuca sativa. The specification permits no other variety. The defined geographical area encompasses municipalities in two provinces: Lusia, Badia Polesine, Lendinara, Costa di Rovigo, Fratta Polesine, Villanova del Ghebbo and Rovigo in the province of Rovigo, and Barbona, Vescovana and Sant'Urbano in the province of Padua. Cultivation, harvest, trimming and washing must all take place within this defined area. Packaging must also occur within the area, as the specification requires that harvesting, trimming, washing and packaging be completed within a short space of time to prevent degradation of the physical and organoleptic characteristics of the product. The stem must be short, with a maximum length of 6 cm. Packaging must use containers of plastic, wood, cardboard, polystyrene or other food-grade materials, and each package must contain only lettuce of the same variety, origin, type, category and size. The upper part of each package must be covered with a transparent food-grade sheet bearing the Insalata di Lusia PGI logo, which incorporates the letters 'i' and 'L', an elliptical frame enclosing a stylised image of the medieval tower in Lusia, and the acronym 'IGP'. Logo labels may not be reused after being affixed to containers. The eAmbrosia identifier for this designation is EUGI00000013641.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 22 November 2004 under file number PGI-IT-0433; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013641.
• The specification permits exclusively the Cappuccia and Gentile varieties of Lactuca sativa; no other variety is permitted.
• The stem must not exceed a maximum of 6 cm in length, as required by the product specification.
• The surface water table in the production area lies at a depth of 1 metre, fed by the Adige river, which the specification identifies as a factor enabling year-round cultivation.

Tasting notes

Veneto salad greens from Lusia area (Rovigo province), Cappuccia and Gentile varieties. Crisp tender leaves, balanced sweet-mild flavor, bright clean character.

HoReCa use

Premium fresh salad service, accompaniment for antipasto, in mixed salads with regional ingredients.

Packaging

• crate-5kg
• retail-tray-200g
• retail-tray-300g

Seasonality