Edible Microchips on Parmigiano-Reggiano Used to Fight Counterfeiters
- Makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy are adding microchips to their cheese wheels.
- It’s the latest move to combat counterfeiters selling rip offs of the premium product.
- The chips, which are edible and placed on a food-safe label, cannot be read remotely.
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The next time you dig into a bowl of pasta with freshly grated parmesan, you could accidentally be eating a microchip.
That’s because makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano are implanting microchips into the casings of their 90-pound cheese wheels as the latest move to ward off counterfeiters, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Yes, there are counterfeiters of Parmigiano-Reggiano. That’s because it’s the original parmesan cheese officially protected by the European Union, meaning the name can only be used for the authentic product. Parmigiano-Reggiano must be made in a particular area of northern Italy’s Emilia Romagna region and with specific production standards and techniques. It also has to be aged for at least one year.
Because of its world-famous reputation for quality, Parmigiano-Reggiano can be sold at a higher price point than cheese simply labeled “parmesan,” which is typically an imitation of the original and is commonly sold in the US.
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