by Isabella Colombo
To know what you are really eating it is not enough that the package says "product of the country" or "from organic farming". You should be able to verify how and where the ingredients were processed, who cultivated the raw materials and with what methods. There are enlightened companies that have decided to make this information public, to allow consumers to make informed choices.
The instrument? The transparent Pianesian label, a system conceived in 1980 by Mario Pianesi, a pioneer of macrobiotics in the country, which today is becoming increasingly popular, arousing the interest of companies, such as De Cecco. A bilateral body will soon be born, created by Adiconsum and the international association UPM (A macrobiotic point): it will be called Tracce e virtuous companies will join it, adopting transparent labeling systems.
What is that - The law provides that little information is given on the packaging of each food, such as the origin of the product and the expiry date. "The transparent label provides more detailed information on the characteristics of the ingredients, such as, for example, the method of cultivation, processing and transformation », explains Lucia Mancini, agricultural economist at the Polytechnic University of Marche and expert in agri-food chains.
What is it for - "Thanks to transparency, consumers know exactly what they are buying»Says the expert. “And I'm safe from fraud. Not only. Citizens also become aware of the effects of their choices on the environment and on health ”.
Who uses it- Today the Pianesian label it is adopted by 400 companies in the country and certifies over 800 agri-food products. For example, Amadori for some of its chickens, Vestri chocolate, Enulv and Una salvia 4, two companies that distribute food products in pharmacies or macrobiotic points.
THE INDICATIONS
Location - Many products are of the country only because they are processed in the country, even if the raw material comes from abroad. On the Pianesian label, on the other hand, the place of production is identified exactly.
Green manure - On new labels you can find specified this practice of natural fertilization of the soil: indicates that no chemical treatments have been used.
Price at origin- Sustainability is also social: an initial price close to the final one means respect for those who produce and those who consume, without too much speculation by intermediaries. On the new label it is indicated.
Number of employees - It is reported to allow you to understand if it is a large company that practices intensive cultivation or of a small reality that, in general, uses simple processes.
Water and energy - The label measures the degree of environmental impact, declaring or not the quantity of water used, the energy used and the CO2 produced.
