Dozens of tons of broth, labeled as “Made in Italy” but coming from Bulgaria, seized upon entering the Peninsula

Italian border police announced on Thursday that they had seized more than 42 tons of tomato paste falsely labeled as “Made in Italy” that had entered the country via Bulgaria, Reuters reports.

Italy, one of the world's largest producers of broth, has been embroiled in controversy in the past over the mislabeling of tomato paste imported from China.

Italian officers seized the tons of broth in two separate operations after stopping two trucks coming from Bulgaria during checks in the port of Brindisi, in the southeast of the country, the police from the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) said in a statement.

It is not clear whether the tomato paste came from Bulgaria or another country, they added.

The seized shipments were destined for two Italian companies known for their “Made in Italy” tomato products, the Guardia di Finanza said.

The Italian institution did not disclose the names of the companies.

The alleged fraud would have generated illegal profits of hundreds of thousands of euros and would have represented a potential risk to public health, “since the presence of contaminants prohibited by EU legislation cannot be excluded”, added the police, in the statement.

“Consumers would have thought they were buying a product from Italy, but who knows what they would have eaten,” Colonel Emilio Fiora, commander of the Brindisi unit of the Financial Guard, told Reuters.

Italy – December 15, 2023: Tomato sauces and broth, in jars and bottles displayed for sale on the shelves of an Italian supermarket. Illustrative image. PHOTO: © Francesco Marzovillo | Dreamstime.com