How a jar of pasta sauce triggered pan-European diplomatic feud in Brussels

A jar of “carbonara sauce” sold at the European Parliament in Brussels has stirred strong emotions in Italy, triggering criticism over its non-traditional ingredients and prompting interventions from senior Italian officials in what some are calling a food “fiasco.”

The controversy began when jars of a pale, creamy pasta sauce labelled “carbonara,” produced in Belgium with atypical ingredients, appeared in a shop inside the European Parliament, as reported by Belgian news outlet VRT.

Although the product, made by Belgian retail giant Delhaize, does not claim to be Italian, it commits what many consider a culinary sin by using smoked pancetta instead of traditional guanciale (pork jowl). The substitution was enough to provoke outrage among Italian critics.

The backlash escalated when Italy’s agriculture minister, Francesco Lollobrigida, vented his frustration by posting a photo of the sauce on Facebook. He condemned the ingredients, describing the product as an example of goods that falsely present themselves as Italian despite lacking authentic characteristics.

"It is unacceptable to see them on the shelves of the European Parliament market. I asked that investigations be started immediately," he fumed.

Members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party amplified the criticism. Lawmaker Carlo Fidanza denounced “products that use the Italian flag and evocative names without having anything Italian about them,” adding that he had written to the president of the European Parliament to lodge a complaint.

Delhaize responded with surprise, insisting that both the product’s name and packaging comply fully with existing regulations.

"We therefore see no reason to modify these products and their packaging in any way. Existing products will therefore remain available on our shelves," the supermarket doubled down.

Sore wound for Italians

For Lollobrigida, a member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, the problem goes beyond taste—it's a matter of national identity. Italy is currently seeking UNESCO recognition for its cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with a decision expected in December. He argues that “Italian-sounding” foods dilute the authenticity of a defining element of Italian culture.

“Our cuisine is simple, but not easy,” Lollobrigida said at the Summer Fancy Food Festival in New York in July. “The sea and the land give us what we need, and thanks to our processors we can count on exceptional product quality,” he said.

Coldiretti, Italy’s largest farm and agricultural lobby, echoed these concerns, claiming that Italian-sounding products impose a significant financial burden.

“The scandal of fake Italian products costs our country €120 billion a year, paradoxically resulting in the biggest counterfeiters of Italian excellence being industrialised countries,” the group said this week after Lollobrigida called for an investigation into the Belgian sauce.

For now, the European Parliament has confirmed that the product has been removed from the market’s shelves.

By Nazrin Sadigova