Fiore Sardo, seizure of over 400 tons and investigations in half of Sardinia

Over 400 tons of Fiore sardo cheese seized by order of the Cagliari prosecutor for the suspicion that the processing planned to have the DOP mark was not carried out according to protocol.

The operation, carried out a few weeks ago, involved eight companies on the island whose owners are now under investigation for "counterfeiting of geographical indications or designations of origin of agri-food products".

The investigation, coordinated by the prosecutor Maria Virginia Boi, hypothesizes the use of pasteurized milk instead of raw.

Yesterday the Review hearing was held in Cagliari and the lawyers Massimo Macciotta, Gianluca Damiano, Antonello Garau, Nicola di Benedetto and Edoardo Vassallo asked the judges to declare the "lack of conditions" at the basis of the kidnappings.

The analyzes on some samples showed the low value of an enzyme whose presence is reduced when the cheese is subjected to heat treatments, so it emerged the suspicion that pasteurized milk had been used in the processing. But the lawyers argued that breaking down that enzyme depends on compliance with the "blanching" procedure, not pasteurization. The Court reserved the decision.