Fans of the famous Fiorentina T-bone steak were sharpening their knives Tuesday after the European Commission lifted its last restriction on beef-off-the-bone.
''We have approved the regulation that raises from 24 to 30 months the age of cattle whose beef can be sold with the bone,'' said Nina Papadoulaki, spokeswoman of Health Commissioner Androula Vassiliou.
EC sources said the measure would be published in the Official Gazette this week. It comes into force three days later.
Italian Farmer's Union Coldiretti hailed the raising of the age limit.
''After seven years of it being banned, we will finally be able to taste a Fiorentina from really adult animals,'' the union said.
The Fiorentina steak has been legal in Italy since New Year's Day 2006 when the EU lifted a five-year ban on beef off the bone prompted by the mad cow crisis.
But so far only meat from cattle up to 24 months old has been allowed back onto the shelves.
Fiorentina purists say a true steak should come from older cattle, which make for a juicier, tastier meal.
Coldiretti said the EU ruling would be a tribute to efforts by livestock producers to promote quality, traceability and safety.
These efforts were also reflected in the number of cattle infected with BSE in the country, which fell from 50 in 2001 to just two in the first nine months of 2007, according to the union.
Before the 2001 ban, the cut accounted for 5% of Italy's meat consumption.
Coldiretti said they hoped the final EU green light would help reverse recent poor sales figures.
Consumption of beef dipped by 4.2% in the first ten months of 2007 compared to the previous year, according to agricultural and food market services institute Ismea.
In 2006 Italians spent 3.5 billion euros on beef, with each family consuming over 23 kilos of the meat.
