Parmesan producers combat billion-euro counterfeit industry with microchip technology

Authentic Parmesan originates from Parma, Reggio nell'Emilia, and the surrounding regions. Mostly, small cooperatives comprising small-scale producers thrive in their production. The cheese can only be made from the milk of Reggiana cows, which are bred according to strict guidelines, and the resulting cheese wheels must be matured for at least 12 months. This ensures a unique taste, but also leads to increased costs which counterfeit manufacturers conveniently evade.

The Guardian reported that Italians from the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium have opted to combat counterfeits by implanting chips into the original cheeses. This action seems quite justified, considering that the yearly sale of fake cheese is roughly 1.8 billion euros, while the highest sale of parmesan last year touched 2.9 billion euros.

Manufacturers are currently experimenting with chips that are as tiny as a grain of salt. These microtransponders have been inserted into the rind of 120,000 Parmesan wheels. Functioning as durable, scannable food markers, these chips are produced by the American-based p-Chip Corporation and are housed near the QR code label, facilitating the tracking of the cheese from its origin right up to the end consumer.

Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, clarifies that the primary aim of digitizing the tracking process is not just about keeping tabs on the cheese, but more importantly, to "communicate the value of the product worldwide and distinguish it from similar products on the market that do not meet our stringent production and origin requirements".

Although the microchips utilized for tracking the product's journey are food-safe, it is unlikely that they would be consumed. These minuscule transponders that measure 0.02 inches on all sides are nested in the hard rind of the cheese, which comprises casein.