CIITA Puebla Plays Key Role in Expanding Mezcal Appellation of Origin

Reporter: Claudia Villalobos / Photos: Courtesy of CIITA Puebla

At the request of the Government of Puebla, CIITA played a decisive role in expanding the Mezcal Appellation of Origin in the region.

Researchers from the Center for Innovation and Integration of Advanced Technologies (CIITA) Puebla Unit of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) carried out the technical validation that enabled mezcal produced in the municipalities of Puebla and Huaquechula to obtain inclusion within the Mezcal Appellation of Origin, a designation granted by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) and recently published in the Official Gazette of the Federation.

In an interview, CIITA Puebla Director Tomás Garduño Pérez described the achievement as unprecedented for the Polytechnic, as it marks the first time the institution has participated in a process of this nature. He explained that the Appellation of Origin protects multiple aspects of the product, including its characteristics, components, extraction methods, production processes, packaging, labeling, and commercialization.

At the request of the Government of Puebla, CIITA’s multidisciplinary team prepared the technical study required by IMPI to demonstrate that both regions met the legal, historical, geographical, and scientific criteria necessary for inclusion within the Mezcal Appellation of Origin.

Garduño Pérez noted that the project was developed under the applied research approach that distinguishes IPN’s innovation centers, to address a specific need of Puebla’s productive sector while strengthening an economic activity deeply rooted in the state's cultural identity.

To support the designation, specialists demonstrated that mezcal production has a long-standing historical presence within local communities, that the raw materials originate from the same region, and that production processes are carried out within the designated geographical area. They also verified compliance with the Mexican official standards governing mezcal production.

As part of the study, researchers visited mezcal-producing communities to interview producers and collect testimonies, photographs, historical documents, and community records demonstrating the traditional production of mezcal across generations. They also consulted archives, historical maps, and legal records that confirmed the origin and continuity of this activity in the region.

At the same time, the team conducted extensive scientific research by collecting samples of agave, mezcal, soil, and other materials for physicochemical analyses. Each sample was identified, labeled, and subjected to strict traceability controls, allowing researchers to verify alcohol content, higher alcohol concentrations, and other characteristics required under current regulations.

The project also incorporated georeferencing and spatial analysis tools to map agave plantations, production facilities, and mezcal-producing families. Using cartographic and mathematical models, the researchers confirmed that the entire production chain is located within the same geographic region, a fundamental requirement for obtaining the designation.

The study further included soil analyses to identify the environmental conditions that influence agave growth and the organoleptic properties of mezcal. In addition, specialized tastings were conducted at CIITA Puebla’s sensory analysis laboratory—the only facility of its kind within IPN—with the participation of master mezcal producers to develop detailed aroma, flavor, and quality profiles.

During the evaluation of samples from different areas, researchers determined that not all products met the official standards, validating only those that fully satisfied regulatory requirements.

Garduño Pérez emphasized that another major accomplishment was completing the study in just six months, whereas similar processes often take years. After integrating historical, social, geographical, documentary, and scientific evidence, the final dossier was submitted to IMPI, which ultimately issued a favorable resolution.

According to Garduño Pérez, the outcome demonstrates how applied research can drive regional development, safeguard cultural heritage and the traditional knowledge of master mezcal producers, create new commercial opportunities, strengthen local economies, and further establish IPN as a strategic partner for productive sectors.