World Notes ITALY

Like the snooty appeal of the French Appellation Controllee, the Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata is meant not only to guarantee origin and authenticity of a product but also to imply that a particular brand is, well, better than other brands. But Italy may be producing too much of a good thing. Originally intended as a guide to superior wines, the DOC stamp of approval now appears on Parmesan cheese, prosciutto crudo, balsamic vinegar and chestnuts, all frequent fare on Italian tables. Among the other items that may soon bear the DOC label: handcrafted ceramics, Neapolitan pasta and pizza.

The Ministry of Agriculture says it is inundated with requests for the DOC label from food producers throughout the country. With an eye on Europe's open market of 1992, Italy's smaller producers are keen to receive the prestigious DOC symbol to help them stay competitive with multinational companies as they jostle each other for a slice of the European market.

Says Antonio Pace, vice president of the Association of European Pizza Makers: "We want Parliament to protect the consumer from being cheated." From what? Not enough mozzarella?