The names Parmigiano Reggiano and Parmesan are protected designations of origin (PDO) for cheeses produced in these provinces under Italian and European law.[1] Outside the EU, the name Parmesan is legally used for imitations, with only the full Italian name unambiguously referring to PDO Parmigiano Reggiano.[2] A 2021 press release by the Italian farmer-rancher association Coldiretti reported that, in the United States, 90% of "Italian sounding" cheese sold as parmesan, mozzarella, grana, and gorgonzola was produced domestically.