Here are the foods that are prohibited in Italy but are available in other countries. Italy is the country of good food and good cuisine. If along the peninsula it is possible to find the most disparate recipes, there are some foods that are prohibited in all regions. Often for reasons related to health or the availability of these products, in Italy it is forbidden to sell, buy and consume certain foods. Here are the foods that are prohibited in Italy but are available in other countries.
Products dangerous for humans
Among the prohibited foods in Italy, those dangerous for humans stand out. Some of these are prohibited at European level. While others are not consumable only in Italy.
Among these stands out, for example, the famous cazu marzu. Fundamental ingredients for the preparation of this Sardinian cheese are, in fact, the fly larvae. The fly eggs are specially added during processing and the larvae, once grown, roam freely around the cheese. These are also part of the plate and should not be removed.
However, cazu marzu certainly does not have a good reputation, so much so that in 2009 it was declared the most dangerous cheese in the world by the Guinness Book of Records. Precisely to avoid risks to the health of consumers, this product has been banned by the European Union. Lovers of these cheeses can, however, find the mite cheese, cheese prepared with mites.
Sweet black pudding has also been banned since the 1990s for hygienic reasons. This sweet, Campania-Lucanian, in fact, included the addition of pig’s blood to the other ingredients. The health risks were obvious. This explains the ban on the use of pig blood. Dessert lovers today consume a healthier version of the traditional black pudding.
Foods prohibited in Italy to protect animals
Other foods, then, are prohibited in Italy in order to safeguard animals. This is, for example, the case of foie gras, the French paté made with goose liver. Given the mistreatment that the geese were forced to undergo in order for their liver to fatten, foie gras was declared unproductive in Italy. However, it is possible to buy it abroad and eat it in our country without repercussions.
The consumption of various marine animals to preserve their habitat and species is also prohibited. This is the case, for example, with sea dates. Collecting these molluscs, in fact, often caused the total destruction of their habitat. For this reason, since 2006, it is forbidden to fish and sell them. It is also forbidden in our country to eat pets such as cats and dogs, which is legal in some Asian countries. A similar prohibition also applies to some wild animals. Among these, porcupines, sparrows, dormice and hedgehogs stand out.
