Italy is losing €120 billion each year due to the ‘Italian-sounding’ phenomenon, whereby counterfeit Italian agri-food products, lacking any genuine link to Italian production or employment, flood global markets.
This alarming figure was reported by Coldiretti, Italy’s largest farmers’ association, following comments from Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, who discovered numerous ersatz Italian sauces and gravies, including ‘carbonara’ and ‘arrabbiata’, in a Delhaize supermarket in the European Parliament.
The ‘carbonara’, in particular, highlighted in a Facebook post by Lollobrigida, is a prime example of a widely counterfeited recipe found abroad.
Variations include the use of cream in Belgium, bacon instead of traditional guanciale in Anglo-Saxon countries, and Romano cheese instead of Pecorino in the United States.
The presence of ‘Bolognese sauce’ also drew attention, as it’s often a ‘tourist-catching’ speciality with no true culinary tradition in Italy.
According to Coldiretti, at least two out of three Italian agri-food products sold worldwide are counterfeits.
Paradoxically, industrialised nations are among the biggest culprits in this ‘scandal of fake Italian products’.
Most-Faked Italian Delicacies
Cheeses are the most frequently counterfeited Italian products.
Iconic names like Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are extensively faked, alongside Mozzarella, Provolone, Gorgonzola, Pecorino Romano, Asiago and Fontina.
They are followed by prestigious cured meats, such as San Daniele ham and Mortadella, as well as extra-virgin olive oil, preserves, and even specific fruit and vegetables, like San Marzano tomatoes.
While the United States leads in the overall volume of counterfeiting, imitation Italian cheeses are pervasive across the globe, from Australia and South America to the European market itself.
The trend has even led to the availability of ‘magic boxes’ in some countries, allowing consumers to make ‘home-made’ typical Italian cheeses, wines and cured meats in just a few days.
Coldiretti’s Top-Ten List
Mozzarella
Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano
Provolone
Pecorino Romano
Salami
Mortadella
Sauces
Wine
Pesto
Extra-virgin olive oil
Dining and Cooking