The 2015 Milan World’s Fair has adopted the theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” FTV’s Jinny Chang spoke with the Italian Representative to Taipei, Donato Scioscioli, about the importance of food at this year’s expo and in Italian culture. Known as one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan has also transformed itself into a world culinary capital. For this year’s World Fair, which started at the beginning of May, 145 nations built pavilions that use aesthetics and technology to introduce, among other things, their foods. They show how new techniques are making production and delivery of food more efficient..Donato ScioscioliItalian RepresentativeItaly has been very active in promoting food security all over the world. A very important component of the expo will be food security in developing countries for example.To safeguard the reputation of Italian food, the government closely heeds food safety. It monitors foods and ingredients from production site to the table. It formed a thousand-person strong police unit under the supervision of the health ministry specifically tasked with food safety. Every year the government conducts half a million food inspections to uncover violations. [utube video] Government control over food goes beyond safety to quality, as demonstrated by regulations governing prosciutto. This popular dry-cured ham is covered by both general standards and variable standards specific to different regions. Donato ScioscioliItalian RepresentativeTo make that prosciutto, you have to use the meat from certain area, and you have to produce in that area, also produce according to some regulations which are themselves registered. If you don’t follow those regulations, you can’t call it your prosciutto. Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto di San Daniele. Take Prosciutto di San Daniele for example. Thirteen months production is followed by a series of inspections. When this savory meat reaches consumers, it is often wrapped around honey dew or kiwi fruit then served.Another popular Italian product is wine. The country’s best-known wine grape growing region, Chianti, is in a high-exposure region of Tuscany that is over 20,000 hectares large. Chianti blends must contain at least three-quarters Sangiovese wine grape.Donato ScioscioliItalian RepresentativeChianti area is between Florence and Sienna which are two cities with a lot of history. So you can start with the history then you move on to wine and food. In the area, they have very particular cows that produce very delicious meat. In Italy, the strict practices found in production and ingredients even extend to the dinner table. For example, soup and pasta are served as the first course while salads are left for the end of the meal. Tomato varieties are reserved for different purposes, with plum tomatoes used to make pasta sauces and globe tomatoes used in salads. Authentic Italian foods are generally heavier on the salt than the Italian foods found in restaurants in Taiwan. Donato ScioscioliItalian RepresentativeGenerally speaking the Italian taste is a little saltier then what you get here. Although when I go to a restaurant and I say I''m actually the Italian representative I realize I don’t get what they normally serve but they try and make it a little more similar to Italy. Italians prefer to eat foods when they are in season, such as favoring white truffles in fall and black olives in winter. Simple cooking methods better express the flavors of the original ingredients. If you have a chance to visit Italy, make the most of your opportunity to try its foods. The Italian representative said the best way to explore Italian cities is on two feet, so you can experience the wonders hidden among the nation’s streets and alleys.

• published: 18 May 2015
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