Imported ethnic foods, University of Pisa: '80% have ingredients not declared on the label'
The results of a FishLab study by the Department of Veterinary Sciences on 62 foods sold between Lazio and Tuscany
Tests on ethnic products intended for human consumption sold in Italy have revealed that almost 80% contain ingredients that are not declared on the label. This is the result of research conducted by the FishLab of the Department of Veterinary Science of the University of Pisa, led by Professor Andrea Armani, and published in the scientific journal 'Food Control'.
The study, the first in Italy to use themetabarcoding technique on a large scale on samples collected as part of official controls, analysed 62 foods sold between Lazio and Tuscany, also detecting the presence of undeclared allergenic species, such as fish and shellfish, with potential health risks for consumers.
The research, which lasted two years and was financed by the Ministry of Health, was carried out in collaboration with the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana 'M. Aleandri' (Izslt).
Regardless of specific labelling requirements, the lack of information could lead to health risks, even given some rather surprising cases: products labelled as vegetarian contained DNA from pork, chicken or fish; in a sample declared as 'chicken only', traces of beef, duck and even venison were found; a rice food reported the presence of molluscs such as clams and oysters, but these were not declared; in other cases, ingredients indicated on the label - e.g. shrimps or eggs - were not detected at all.
"Our results must not be read in a repressive key," stressed Alice Giusti, researcher at the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Pisa and the study's first author, to the Adnkronos news agency, but as a means of protection for everyone: for consumers, who have the right to correct and safe information, and for operators who intend to work legally and stand out for their transparency and quality. In addition to offering new guarantees for those who follow specific diets, such as vegetarians, vegans, or people with religious needs, the research represents a fundamental step forward in combating fraud and irregularities in the food chain, while also promoting the growth of a sector that is also expanding rapidly in our country.
