Symbol of biodiversity and age-old knowledge, the italian jams They are currently experiencing a phase of renewal driven by the recent provisions of Directive (EU) 2024/1438, Breakfast Directive, transposed into Italy with Legislative Decree 207/2025, effective from June 14, 2026. Between the increase in minimum fruit levels and flexibility on historical denominations, the sector confirms itself as a point of reference for quality and food safety. This article analyzes the excellences of the sector with a rigorous and multidisciplinary approach – from official nutritional data to compliancelegislative – offering a strategic vision useful to all actors in the chain, from informed consumers to international buyers.
The history of jams in Italy dates back to antiquity, when preserving fruit with honey or cooked must was an essential strategy for overcoming periods of scarcity. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the ‘fruit preserves’ spread in noble courts and monasteries, also taking on a medicinal value.
With the gradual introduction of cane sugar first and beet sugar later, between the 18th and 19th centuries, jam production became more accessible, rooting itself in Italian regional traditions. Each territory developed distinctive preparations linked to local cultivars: from citrus marmalades of Southern Italy to fig, cherry, apricot and plum jams from the hilly and pre-alpine areas, up to those made from berries in the Alps.
Ingredients, production process and product categories
The Jams are obtained by cooking whole or chopped fruit or puree with sugars, possibly supplemented with water, concentrated juice or natural gelling agents such as pectin. The final quality largely depends on the raw material, the ripeness level of the fruit, and the management of the thermal process, which must ensure microbiological safety while limiting nutritional degradation.
The European sector discipline, established in Directive 2001/113/EC, has been recently amended by Breakfast Directive (EU) 2024/1438 which has:
- increased the minimum quantity of fruit to be used in the production of jams and jellies referred to in Annex I of Directive 2001/113/EC to encourage ‘the production of jams and jellies with a higher fruit content and thus support the fruit market, while at the same time taking into account the need to reduce the amount of free sugars';
- authorized 'the use of reserved denominations defined in part I of this annex for products with a soluble dry matter content below 60%, but that meet the applicable conditions for the nutritional claim "reduced sugar content" referred to in the annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006', For 'to help consumers make more informed and healthier food choices’ (EU Directive 2024/1438, recital 27 and Annex II).
The 'jam’ is ‘the mixture, brought to the appropriate gelled consistency, of sugars, pulp and/or puree of one or more fruit species and water. For citrus fruits, however, jam can be obtained from the whole fruit cut and/or sliced’. The minimum fruit content is 450 g per 1 kg of finished product.
The 'extra jam’ is characterized by the sole use of non-concentrated fruit pulp (except for the use of non-concentrated puree in seedless versions of raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, and redcurrants). The minimum fruit content is at least 500 g per 1 kg of finished product.
The use of the term ‘marmalade’, historically associated only with products derived from citrus fruits, may now be authorized by Member States also for products derived from fruits other than citrus, in line with local uses and traditions.
Nutritional properties
From a nutritional point of view, jams are energy foods, generally characterized by richness in simple sugars, mainly glucose and fructose. According to official CREA data, a standard jam provides on average 227 kcal per 100 g, with variations related to the type of fruit and the amount of added sugars.
Jams retain, albeit to a reduced extent compared to fresh fruit, micronutrients of interest, such as:
- phenolic compounds and antioxidants, especially in jams of red fruits and citrus;
- minerals such as potassium, calcium and phosphorus;
- soluble fibers, particularly pectins, which contribute to the product’s structure.
Italian jams, peculiarities
Italian jams stand out in the international market for a unique combination of factors:
- productive quality, based on the strict selection of raw materials and delicate processes;
- varietal biodiversity, also thanks to the use of Italian fruit and native cultivars;
- connection with the territory, expressed through short supply chains and seasonal productions;
- compliance with high standards of safety and traceability, also guaranteed by an effective system of official controls.
These elements make Italian jams not just consumer products, but cultural and gastronomic expressions with high added value.
Advice for buyers
For passionate consumers, it is advisable to choose extra jams with a high percentage of fruit, favoring seasonal and single-variety productions. Organic certification expresses respect for agronomic practices that are more environmentally and biodiversity friendly, as well as free from pesticide residues.
For international buyers, the selection of reliable suppliers requires specific expertise in EU regulations, quality standards, production capacity, and supply continuity. GIFT – Great Italian Food Trade offers its consolidated experience to support importers in finding reliable Italian producers, with particular attention to organic and sustainable jams.
Conclusions
Italian jams represent a virtuous balance between tradition and innovation, offering products that meet the expectations of an increasingly demanding global market. Quality of raw materials, territorial identity, nutritional attention, and regulatory compliance make these preparations a strategic segment of Made in Italy food. Promoting them means supporting the agricultural supply chain, protecting biodiversity, and promoting a model of conscious and quality consumption.
GIFT Editorial Staff
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
Bibliographic references
- CREA – Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics. (2019). Food composition tables. Jam. Rome: CREA Food and Nutrition. https://www.alimentinutrizione.it/tabelle-nutrizionali/204500
- Legislative Decree 30 December 2025, no. 207. Implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/1438 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2026/01/05/26G00001/sg
- Directive (EU) 2024/1438 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption, 2001/113/EC relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption, and 2001/114/EC relating to certain partly or wholly dehydrated preserved milk for human consumption. http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1438/oj
- Directive (EU) 2024/1438 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption, 2001/113/EC relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption, and 2001/114/EC relating to certain partly or wholly dehydrated preserved milk for human consumption. http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1438/oj
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