4,000 euro penalties for restaurants for serving a different cheese than written in the menu

4,000 euros punished with a restaurant in Trenta-Górna Adady in the north of Italy for switching cheese in the dish. Instead of Parmigiano Reggiano, called Parmesan cheese in many countries, Padano cheese was served in the premises. The exchange was detected by representatives of the Parmesan Consortium.

The Italian media described the case of a restaurant in Merano, where the description of one of the dishes on the menu was the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This is protected by certificates from the Emilia-Romania region, produced in the area of ​​the cities: Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna.

It turned out that the restaurant customers received Padano's cheese, also from cow's milk, hard and rennet, but produced in 32 provinces in the regions of Emilia-Romania, Lombardia, Piedmont, Trent-Górna Adah. Its name refers to the Padtan Lowland.

It is considered a bit more delicate in taste than Parmesan cheese and its great competitor.

Both cheeses are Italian specialties known all over the world, at the forefront of the best

The difference on the plate in the premises was detected by the Messengers of the Consortium of Producers Parmigiano Reggiano, who demanded to punish the owner of the premises, explaining this by the need to protect the brand of their product.

The union of the House of Trade and Services of the Upper Adiga stood up in defense of the restaurateur, arguing that on his part there was no intention to deceive clients. As this organization pointed out, the use of Parmigiano Reggiano in the menu was aimed at explaining to the client what type of cheese it is about.

The consortium led to a 4,000 euro administrative penalty to the restaurant owner. As the press noted, it may seem salty, but in such cases considered fraud it is up to 13,000 euros.

From Rome Sylwia Wysocka (PAP)

SW/WR/