Mystery of the Mothballed Mozzarella

One of Italy's most prestigious and profitable products, buffalo milk mozzarella, may have been soured by the European Commission's finding that it is contaminated with cancer causing dioxins. A European embargo was being set against the product. The Italian government had no choice but to recall the contaminated cheese destined for distribution in the country and for export to the USA, Japan, and European countries. The question of what to do with 33,000 tonnes of mozzarella made from milk of 250,000 buffalo herds in a few Italian regions caused a crisis that spanned the cheese producers, dairy farmers, milk distributors, and the entire dairy industry, that roughly employs about 200,000 people.

Buffalo Milk Mozzarella is a ball of milky cheese cushioned in its own protective fluid. It is considered one of the finest delicacies in the world and a staple of Italian cooking. Of total production, only about 20% or less are exported. The problem of contamination has decreased sales by two thirds and some cheese makers have stopped operations altogether. The biggest worry of most food manufacturers is that the catastrophe will put Italy in bad light and damage the country's enviable reputation for high quality foodstuffs. Talk was already being made about the decline of "Made in Italy" products which is feared to snowball against the country's entire manufacturing capability.

The Italian authorities were however, uncharacteristically quick to isolate the origin of the problem. The Health Ministry said that the contaminated mozzarella came from 25 producers in the Campania region near Naples. They also found an immediate clue, the recent garbage crisis in Naples; and a suspect, the local mafia control of garbage disposal may have also dumped toxic waste in the area causing the dioxins to contaminate the air, water or feeds. This is all so convenient, and the usual suspects will be rounded up for questioning. With this isolation, the Italians also found a loophole in the European Commission's findings: that the dioxins were over the stringent standards but not excessive, and not enough to cause cancer unless mozzarella is consumed three 3 times daily for three months!

With this isolation and counter argument, the Italian authorities vowed to take additional steps to decrease the dioxin levels of the recalled cheese that originated from 105 other producers in regions outside of Campania. France has lifted the ban and the UK has declared no immediate risk to consumers. European Commission Health Ministry said that it was satisfied with the measures taken by Italy and the threatened EU embargo was not necessary. Japan meanwhile is conducting its own test from the freshly delivered batch it imported.

The swift solution, less than seven days from the time the finding was announced, has everyone smiling and happy. How much cheese was being produced in Campania, and why were they sacrificed? Are they politically at odds with the government or were they the only plausible excuse to save the rest? Will they get compensated for their cheese? If they are really the source of the highest levels of contamination, does not the argument about "non-excessive levels" used by Italy's Health Ministry include their output? Is there a trade off here somewhere? Will their products be repacked and mixed with those of other regions? Or will these be given to the mafia to distribute as an "offer no one can refuse"? Would this not be cheesy?

There is really no way to find out since the EC and EU member countries seem to have closed the issue and are satisfied with the agreements made. The Japanese test could be the remaining verifier of the truth, unless the guilty buffaloes come out and plead openly or simply drop dead. Italian authorities will not force a confession from any of these animals fearing they might call a strike and all 250,000 of them will refuse to be milked. If that happens, cheese producers will have to find another quick solution, but there are serious doubts if mozzarella made from mother's milk will taste as good.

Haaaarrrrwwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!

Naples' Noxious Nemesis

THEN: Welcome to Naples!!! Naples is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. It has a great bay with nice views of Capri and the Ischia Islands!

NOW: Welcome to Naples!!! Naples is one of the most obnoxious cities in Italy. It has great mountains of colorful garbage with one of the most amazing collections of large flies, maggots and worms! It has trash lined streets with methane gas that lights up the city with fires in the evenings!

After eight different commissioners, and 10 years of continuous declarations of a State of Emergency amounting to $2.5 billion every year, the garbage crisis of Naples remains...well... on the streets. It has come to a point where it is now an added tourist attraction (distraction?) because of the "mountains" it has created that has become the habitat of rare giant flies, fierce maggots, and worms. That is known as "creepy" garbage.

The President has instructed all those responsible to solve the problem. The Prime Minister has issued a directive to the Mayor to create solutions. The Mayor issued a call to citizens to "Respect the Law". But the garbage continues to pile up daily. All this talk is ah,... well,... garbage!

Incinerators began are left unfinished due to inadequate funds flow, while others were stopped because of criminal investigations alleging involvement of the local mafia in the projects. The collectors have stopped picking up since all dumps are full, and the citizens are up in arms against the government, opposing the reopening of old dumps or the opening of new ones. Pitch battles with police in the streets are common, with protesters throwing anything they can get their hands on at the authorities... including garbage.

The military has been called in to scrape the garbage from the streets, but no sooner than clearing it for a couple of hours, the trash returns on the very spot they were earlier in practically the same volume. This is perhaps....fresh garbage.

The citizens protests are understandable. Dumps were closed in the past with promises of converting the site into tourist facilities such as golf courses, recreation centers, among others. Neapolitans began investing in the land, buying up small pieces, building their homes, waiting for the promised conversion. It never came. Instead, they are threatened with reopening the dump where their houses are. All the previous promises made were just... ah... well... trash talk!

What used to be part of a daily exercise going up and down two flights of stairs to throw the garbage has ceased because they only have to throw it out the window, since the garbage mound has reached the second floor balcony. What was once a balcony for site seeing now sees the dump site!

Naples was one of the most romantic places in Europe. Now, if you consider one of several mounds of 3,700 tons of garbage a romantic spot, the noxious odors as the perfume of romance, worms slowly creeping up in your feet as playing footsies, and kissing with the possibility of swallowing flies in the process thrilling, then you're welcome to the city that always stinks.

Haaarrrwwwwwk...Twoooooph..Ting!