‘Parmesan’ is translation of ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’, Singapore High Court rules in cheese dispute

The implication of the court decision is that “Parmesan” should only be used for cheese originating from the particular region in northern Italy. - The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE, April 9 (The Straits Times/ANN): The High Court has ruled that “parmesan” is a translation of the Italian term “Parmigiano Reggiano”, the name of a hard, grainy cheese made from the milk of cows that graze in a specific part of northern Italy.

Intellectual property (IP) lawyers interviewed by The Straits Times say that while there is no immediate impact on traders, the implication of the court decision is that the word “parmesan” should be used only for cheese originating from the particular region in Italy.