You may have heard reports of a crisis threatening production of Mozzarella di Bufala. While the stories are true, you can rest assured that our Gustosella brand Mozzarella is perfectly safe and free from the troubles facing the farmers of Caserta.

The situation
Brucellosis, an infectious disease, has spread through a large number of the water buffalo in the plains of Caserta around Naples. In livestock, this highly contagious disease can cause infertility, kill unborn calves, and reduce milk production. If passed on to humans, it can cause intermittent fever and weight loss.

The local Neapolitan Mafia, known as the Camorra, is largely to blame for the problem. Using intimidation, the Camorra, who control a great deal of Mozzarella production, has covered up the gravity of the situation. Brucellosis has been present in these herds for the past 10 years though until recently, local officials were unaware of how far the situation had progressed. Some estimates say that up to 30% - about 30,000 animals - are now infected. Now that the government has been made aware, veterinarians accompanied by armed police will inspect the herds and destroy all infected animals.

To make matters worse, the area around Naples has a serious garbage disposal issue. Plagued by a lack of recycling and proper waste management, the streets became littered with refuse. Burning of the trash has led to contamination of the air, water, and soil which further threatens the buffalo herds.

Why the Mozzarella from Fresca Italia is safe
The issues with brucellosis and the trash are centered near Naples, Caserta. Our supplier, Gustosella, is located in Bellizzi, near Battipaglia in Salerno. Nearly 100 km to the southwest and separated from Caserta by ruggedbufala2 mountains, Salerno has been largely unaffected by the crisis. You can follow this link to see these areas on the map. As an additional reassurance, brucellosis is destroyed in the pasteurization process. All of the Mozzarella that we import, by law, must be pasteurized.

Our weekly shipment arrives with governmental documentation certifying the safety of the product. This certification states proof of milk origin, quality, safety, and treatment. When shopping you can easily check the provenience of your Mozzarella by checking the label. Find the manufacturers address. The name of the town will be followed by a two-letter provincial code in parentheses. Cheese made in Caserta will bear the provincial code (CE) while Mozzarella from Salerno will be labeled with (SA). All Mozzarella from Fresca Italia comes from Salerno.

Please rest assured, we take the quality and safety of all of our products very seriously. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Tags: Brucellosis, Caserta, food safety, Mozzarella, Naples, Salerno