“McDonald’s is the spirit of Italy”, this annoying little phrase at the start

food-“ The cheddar of burgers is actually the spirit of French cheeses ». Does this sentence shock you? It’s like what the Italians are doing now… and it’s the fault of Coldretti, the head of the most important Italian agricultural organization.

While McDonald’s and the organization have signed a collective agreement since 2018, during a March 16 conference at the Ara Pacis Auditorium in Rome, Goldretti’s president, Ettore Brandini, made the mistake of announcing that McDonald’s would be represented. “The Italian Spirit”. It didn’t stop there The Italian version of HuffPost: “McDonald’s Italian spirit, our specialty, our diversity”.

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“McDonald’s and Coldiretti promote the mission of providing accurate information to consumers and citizens, leading the country to become a reference point around the world”, He also added the boss of Italy’s largest agricultural union, created in 1944, whose influence spans the practices of producers and distributors and has more than 1.5 million members.

Statements of support from the Italian Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lolloprigida at the conference. A few days ago he announced the candidacy of Italian cuisine for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

There is nothing “excellent” about Italian food

This was enough to spark the ire of the international movement “Slow Flood”, which is raising awareness among citizens about a more ecological gastronomy. The organization was created in 1986 by Carlo Petrini after a protest against the establishment of a McDonald’s in the center of Rome.

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Since then, Slow Food has continued to criticize fast food companies’ attempts to appropriate traditional Italian cuisine.

Hours after Ettore Brandini’s declarations, the association intervened in a press release published by the newspaper. Republic of Lawhy “Words matter » And this partnership is nothing “Stable”.

“The contract may have significant commercial valueRegarding the jobs supported by this partnership, Slow Food officials wrote, But it cannot be presented as a cultural and social activity that leads to excellence, biodiversity and Made in Italy, sustainability and animal welfare…” According to the association, the specialty of Italian cuisine is “ Benefit from the beauty and diversity of the landscapes of the producers with stories.”

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In 2022, McDo added Parmesan to the menu, but also mozzarella and pecorino. By 2023, these will be “ Pachino PGI Tomatoes (Protected Geographical Code Editor’s Note) » introduced in the menu. Under the Ministry of Agriculture, the fast food chain has signed a protocol with sustainable tomato labels to buy 250,000 kg a year.ANSAItalian press agency.

McDonald’s restaurants in Italy have prided themselves on offering products with Protected Designations (PDO, IGP) and respecting Italian cuisine for many years. But several controversies have already erupted, notably when popular Italian pasta maker Barilla joined the chain in 2013 to offer “penne.” International mail At the time.

Elsewhere in the Italian press, President Brandini’s ouster has also been commented on. In a column published in Republic of La On March 18, journalist, columnist and humorist Michael Serra Don’t go with a dead hand: “The collaboration between Coldretti and McDonald’s, and no matter how well-intentioned, Brandini’s words cannot be understood if a pachino tomato, piece of Asiago or piece of Parmesan cheese is not enough to celebrate the triumph of Italian biodiversity.”

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“Italy”, “Oxymoron” Mediterranean Diet »

A formula comes up several times in the reviews: “italianita”, which can be translated into French as exclusive to Italian culture. “Italianness has nothing to do with marketing efforts aimed at Italianizing by adding local ingredients the most standardized gastronomic formula ever devised by the global food industry”Emphasizes slow eating.

To support his point, he also recalls the dangers of food served in fast food restaurants: “An unbalanced diet based on sugary drinks and overly processed foods, high in salt, preservatives and additives. A diet far from the Mediterranean diet, UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage, guaranteeing health and longevity is taken as a model around the world. »

McDonald’s narrative risks further confusing citizens, Slow Foot concludes, “Rather than helping them make choices based on awareness of health and environmental impacts. »

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