By Kriste Marciulionis
ROME, April 10- It would be
a sad day to walk into your favorite local market to see a traditional
staple of Italian cuisine pulled from the shelves.
For the past two weeks the
production of world famous buffalo mozzarella (known locally as "mozzarella di bufala Compana") has been under close inspection after
South Korea banned the import of all mozzarella in fear of dioxin contamination last month. The speculation unleashed a whirlwind as Japan,
China and France followed suit by banning imports until tests show that
the level of dioxin do not present risks to public health.
Dioxin is a cancer-causing
compound resulting from industrial processes and uncontrolled burning
that pollute the environment. In elevated doses, dioxin can cause skin
disfigurement, organ failure, birth defects and cancer. The mozzarella
industry, based in the Campania region around Naples, faces continued speculation it has fallen victim to an ongoing waste management crisis in the region.
With 80 perctnt of Italy’s 33,000
yearly tons of mozzarella production based in the region of Campania,
buffalo milk is under inspection for higher levels of dioxin. After
testing 2,000 herds of buffalo, 83 dairies have been quarantined to
allow the herds of buffalo to naturally eliminate dioxin as a result
from coming in contact with contaminants.
Roberto Polica, owner of Antica Caciara Trasteverina on Via San Francesco a Ripa, says “sales of buffalo mozzarella have fallen recently by 50 percent.” He adds local merchants are feeling the impact of the scare as consumption of mozzarella within Italy drops.
As of April 7, The European
Commission has withdrawn the threat of halting exports of buffalo mozzarella,
as the spreading of contamination and the threat of dioxin has been
contained. “Taking into account the information given by the Italian
government today there is no reason for further action at EU level,”
a European Union’s executive said in a statement.
As for what initiated the spread
of dioxin contamination, specific sources are unknown. The waste management
crisis in southern Italy is a primary target. But “the garbage problem
is a completely different case, a much bigger problem,” Polica believes.
Regardless of recent worries, passing by any local pizzeria is reassurance enough that despite the speculation, mozzarella is far from losing its position as an Italian delicacy.
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