Italian artisanal ice cream, how to distinguish this universal symbol of Made in Italy, even more famous than pizza? (1) The subject is still debated.
A food can be presented as ‘artisanal’ – In general terms – provided that the conditions of its production laboratory are actually such. (2)
Artisanal ice cream shop, consequently, is a microenterprise where raw materials of different nature – e.g. milk, eggs or egg products, sugar, water, fruit and derivatives, various ingredients – undergo substantial transformation. To arrive at products such as creams , granitas and popsicles.
Italian artisanal gelato, how to distinguish the “real” one
The recurring question is how to distinguish artisanal gelato ‘handmade’, starting from primary ingredients, (3) compared to that produced with the help of semi-finished products or ‘ice cream preparations’. These allow to substitute some, or almost all, stages of processing. And the related skills.
Consumers can distinguish gelato ‘handcrafted’ by reading the ingredient list, which in such cases tends to be concise. Without listing, for example, the various ‘emulsifiers’ additives (e.g. E471, or ‘mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids’), ‘thickeners’ (E440, pectin), ‘colorants’. As well as by asking the ice cream maker on duty.
The Bolzano rules
The Autonomous Province of Bolzano tried at the time to introduce a specific regulation, (4) aimed at identifying ‘artisanal ice cream shops’ as those that mainly work with primary ingredients, with minimal use of preparations and a prohibition on the use of colorants. The same concepts have been taken up in two recent bills. (5)
It remains to be seen whether the legislative tool is the most effective one in relation to the proposed objectives. Considering that there are other priorities – first of all, accurate information on the presence of allergenic ingredients in individual food products offered for sale – still ignored by the Italian legislator to this day.
A voluntary standard
A voluntary standard could instead be developed, with the contribution of the associations that represent artisan ice cream makers and gelato preparation industries in Italy. And submitted for certification by accredited third-party bodies. With the aim of distinguishing, in Italy and abroad:
– the artisans who make Italian gelato ‘handcrafted’, mainly starting from primary ingredients as described above, (6)
– the ice cream shops that produce gelatos with characteristic ingredients, even if semi-processed, strictly Made in Italy. Considering that gelato preparations are also rooted in the history of our productions and can be clearly distinguished from those of different origin.
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) In various countries far from Italy, pizza is even believed to be of USA origin (sigh!). Due to American fast food chains fast food that spread crude imitations of it
(2) In European lexicon the reference is to micro-enterprise, that is an enterprise with fewer than 10 employees and 2 million euros turnover. This criterion also applies for exemption of prepackaged foods from nutritional declaration on labels.
(3) This category should include both primary agricultural products, such as fruit, and those derived from first processing, such as milk, cream, and sugar
(4) Autonomous Province of Bolzano, decree no. 27 of May 19, 2009. The regulation was blocked due to alleged incompatibility with the relevant European regulations
(5) Bills proposed by the 5 Star Movement: C4181, L’ABBATE and others: ‘Provisions concerning the production of high-quality artisanal gelato‘, ‘Introduction of the denomination ‘artisan gelato of the Italian tradition’ and provisions concerning its production” signed by deputy Federico D’Incà and others, C4236
(presented and announced on December 21, 2016)
(6) Cf. note 3
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
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