Italy Allays Claims Of Toxin Presence In Mozzarella Cheese

Rome, Italy (AHN) - The Italian government jumped to its feet and began a defense strategy for its supplied Italian buffalo mozzarella cheese, after South Korea and Japan halted the product imports after findings of high levels of dioxins in 66 buffalo herds were revealed.

The alarm, which has led to a 30 to 35 percent drop in sales of Italian mozzarella, was taken as an overreaction by Italy's Foreign Minister.

The minister pointed out that the dioxin contamination was isolated, and that an overblow of concerns such as the one made could produce very significant damages that people should consider.

Upon analyzing the situation, health experts asserted that the dioxin levels, which were found to be higher than normal, did not pose any health dangers.

Despite the claims, the European Commission has ordered more information to be provided by the city of Rome.

"Yesterday we asked the Italian authorities to provide all the available information and we await a reply today or tomorrow at the least," said a spokeswoman for the Commission.

Members of the Italian Confederation of Farmers also stepped up, defending the product, 33,000 tons of which is exported yearly, produced from the milk of 250,000 buffalo.

The Confederation said that they are open to checks for contamination of the herds in Naples, the area where the contaminated buffalo allegedly came from.

"We intend to protect and promote buffalo mozzarella because we are convinced of the extraordinary quality of this product and we want to avoid an unjustified commercial panic, which in a very short time could provoke wide-scale unemployment and losses of millions of euros," said the union, as quoted by the UPI.

Paolo De Castro, the Agriculture Minister, said that talks have also begun with South Korea, Japan regarding the issue.