I've been hearing rumors first of tainted buffalo mozzarella and now that the EU has banned the export of Italian cheese to any other EU country because of health concerns. Does anyone have any information about this? Or suggestion for a link I could follow? I'd really hate to think that I would be in Italy and be unable to eat the cheese.
Posted by
tipton, IN, USA
21 posts
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L28376222.htm
Most stories I've seen don't seem too excited about this. It's a case of the cheese being recalled because it MIGHT be contaminated with dioxin. From what I understand of dioxin you'd have to ingest it over a period of time to have to worry about the carcinogenic effects. (I'm no doctor though, just repeating what was said on the news.) I'd say that if you're extremely worried, just avoid buffalo mozzarella from this region.
Tami
Posted by
OP
Berkeley, California, US
655 posts
Thanks, Tammy. I actually searched around and found further information. It seems that at first they were worried about an infectious disease and then it was dioxin. The latest news seems to be that the EU is still allowing the export of buffalo mozzarella into EU nations and the French have withdrawn their ban on it, which works for me because I have great faith in the French and their attention to the "correctness" of their food. If anyone would like to check on this they can do that at the BBC online:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7319386.stm
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
The ban seems to be centered around mozzarella cheese from the Campania region. The area around Naples reportedly produces the finest mozzarella cheese. The culprit is dioxin which seems to be coming from the ongoing burning of garbage in Naples.
CLICK HERE to see an article in the New York Times on this subject.
Posted by
Atlanta
3262 posts
We just returned from Italy and there was no mention of the toxic cheese except for one restaurant in Milan that posted a certificate certifying that the cheese they used was safe. I ate lots of cheese and so far I feel fine...
Posted by
tipton, IN, USA
21 posts
I'm glad to hear that it seems to be taken care of. We leave for Italy in less than 4 weeks and I'd hate to have to avoid cheese. It's the best food in the world. LOL
Tami