The Italian Government has bowed to pressure from consumers and manufacturers to introduce legislation governing the labelling of Passata. The new regulations state that labels must indicate where the fresh tomato ingredient was cultivated.


Vincent Donatantonio, of UK importation and distribution company Donatantonio, told just-food that support for the legislation “started with imports of Chinese tomato paste in Italy, which were diluted and passed off as Passata.”


The regulations will come into effect on 15 June this year. Any product labelled before this date may be sold until 31 December 2007.