Italians lose sleep over 'horror pizzas'

Italian food producers are raising concerns regarding "horror pizzas," which are gaining popularity globally. The toppings in these pizzas range from exotic meats such as zebra and snake to unconventional elements like pineapple, banana, or yogurt.

According to a survey by the Italian farmers and food producers union, Coldiretti, 36 percent of Italians have experienced encountering an unappetizing pizza while traveling abroad. Poor quality dough, improper baking techniques, and inappropriate toppings were the primary reasons cited.

In recognition of the sixth anniversary of Neapolitan pizza baking being added to the UNESCO heritage list, Coldiretti activists presented their findings on global pizza baking practices in Naples. Neapolitan pizza, long considered the best, was the focus of these findings.

A "Horror Pizzeria" stand was set up amidst the grocery and agricultural product stalls in the Coldiretti village. This stand showcased various ways traditional Italian pizza making has been altered and shed light on peculiar variations of this popular dish.

The Coldiretti Union warns that classic Italian pizza, typically adorned with tomato sauce and mozzarella, is being replaced by "practically impossible toppings." The worldwide toppings list includes familiar bugbears like pineapple, along with unconventional toppings like kangaroo and zebra meat, snake, crickets, tandoori chicken in yogurt, and cannabis.

Survey findings indicate that over a quarter of Italians are hesitant to try pizza abroad, with only 26 percent expressing satisfaction with their international pizza experiences.

"Preserving the authenticity of recipes and adhering to traditional pizza-making art is integral to our heritage. This tradition is under threat due to the proliferation of imitated Italian products," warned Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti.

The campaign to protect original Italian pizza discovered a 14 percent rise in pizza consumption in Italy over the past year. The affordable delicacy offers respite from rising costs and continues to be popular.

Union data reveals that Italy bakes 2.7 billion pizzas annually across 121,000 establishments.