78% of consumers consider the wording “100% Italian Wheat” a guarantee of quality. However, on most supermarket shelves, the tricolor on the packaging is not enough to ensure the origin of the raw material.
The reason is simple: the law allows you to define Made in Italy also a pasta made with wheat grown abroad, if the last substantial transformation – pasta making – takes place in Italy.
A detail that paves the way for packages with flags, coliseums and golden countryside that suggest total Italianness, even when the wheat arrives from Canada or Australia. In recent years the Antitrust (AGCM) has sanctioned important brands, as in the case of Combino pasta sold by Lidl, for having used graphic elements that generated the erroneous perception in the consumer that the raw material was Italian.
Where to really look: the mandatory words on the label
Transparency is never on the front of the package. The only real useful information is found on the back, where ministerial regulations oblige you to indicate two key data:
• Wheat growing country
Indicates where the wheat was grown. Typical wordings are:
– “EU countries”
– “Non-EU countries”
– “EU and non-EU countries”
In the second and third cases, the origin is mixed or totally foreign.
• Milling country
Specification of where the wheat was ground into semolina.
Only when both of these words mention Italy can we talk about a truly 100% Italian product.
In some cases the manufacturer also indicates the percentage of Italian wheat: formulas such as “At least 50% Italian wheat” they do not guarantee a total national origin and should give pause for thought.
Because the origin of wheat has health consequences
The preference towards Italian or European wheat is not just a question of identity: it directly concerns healthiness and food safety.
The critical point is the use of glyphosate, the most used herbicide in the world.
• In Italy and Europe
The practice of pre-harvesting with glyphosate is prohibited: it cannot be sprayed on the ripening crop, just before harvesting. This greatly reduces the risk of residues in the final product.
• In Canada and parts of the United States
The use of glyphosate as a desiccant is widespread. It is applied a few days before harvest to standardize drying in cold climates: a technique that increases yield but also the likelihood of residues in the semolina.
Investigations by associations such as Il Salvagente and Altroconsumo have repeatedly detected traces of glyphosate in pasta produced with blends of non-EU grains, albeit within the limits authorized by European legislation, which is among the strictest in the world.
Many consumers prefer to completely – or almost completely – avoid ingesting residues linked to a food consumed every day.
How to no longer fall for the “tricks” of marketing
The law today offers the tools to choose, but it is up to the consumer to use them. The indications for a transparent choice are simple:
The wording on the label is the only element that doesn’t lie. In a market where communication aims to evoke an Italian spirit even when it isn’t there, knowing how to interpret those two technical data on the back of the package is the only way to defend yourself from unclear commercial choices.
Control is in the hands of the consumer: all that is needed is the willingness to read what is often written in too small print.
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