PARMESAN

The reality behind the most popular staples

An episode from the series FOOD BUSINESS INVESTIGATIONS

Synopsis

Is Parmesan a luxury product or a mass-market food? It is a product whose production has been jealously guarded for centuries in the Po Valley in Italy. Thefts of whole wheels have multiplied, and a parmesan cheese bank has even been created in an ultra-secure place.

While specific production methods are under debate, the United States, a country with little regard for Protected Designation of Origin and traditions, offers a local version of the famous Italian cheese.

Parmesan, the world's second most counterfeited food product, has flooded restaurant tables and supermarkets.