Article; Microchips in the Parmigiano https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/microchips-in-the-parmigiano-and-other-ways-europeans-are-fighting-fake-food/ar-AA1fn7ct
New methods to guarantee the origin of products are being used across the EU. Some wineries are putting serial numbers, invisible ink and holograms on their bottles. So-called DNA fingerprinting of milk bacteria pioneered in Switzerland, which isn’t in the EU, is now being tested inside the bloc as a method for identifying cheese. QR codes are also proliferating, including on individual portions of pre-sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele, a raw ham similar to Prosciutto di Parma. A smartphone can be used to show information such as how long the prosciutto has been aged and when it was sliced. Food fraud is particularly rampant for cheese and wine, but is also common with fresh and cured meats, fish and produce. In addition to fighting against products that fraudulently present themselves as the European original, the EU is also waging battles over the naming rights of cheeses and other products, trying to stop other countries from using names such as Champagne, feta and Gouda.