Fake balsamic vinegar masquerading as the real deal has hit a sour note with the Italian authorities who have uncovered the “fraudulent use of table grapes” on a large scale in the country.
Investigators have seized €15m (£12.9m) worth of grape must and wine products as part of a major case dubbed Operation Global Wine, the trade magazine The Grocer has reported.
Documents said to show how provenance and authenticity credentials were falsified have also been discovered.
Balsamic vinegar protected status
Balsamic vinegar of Modena has protected geographical indication (PGI) status, a label afforded to products closely associated with a particular place and tradition of production. The scheme was introduced throughout the EU to guarantee authenticity.
In order for a product to be considered balsamic vinegar, it must be produced from seven vine varieties: Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana, Ancellotta, Fortana and Montuni.
Italy suffered its worst grape harvest in 60 years in 2017, putting pressure on grape supplies and potentially contributing to the fraud, The Grocer suggested.
UK supply affected?
The Food Standards Agency said its National Food Crime Unit was monitoring the situation, but “there is no indication of UK criminality at this stage”.
It is unclear whether any of the fraudulent stock was supplied to British stores before the bust.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents many of the UK’s supermarkets, said it had no information to suggest any of its members had been affected but that retailers were liaising with suppliers.
Tesco, which is not a BRC member, said: “We have complete traceability of our own-brand balsamic vinegars and the ingredients which go into them. Our comprehensive testing programme has not highlighted any authenticity issues with our products.”
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Dining and Cooking