ESPRESSO MAGAZINE’S WINE ADULTERATION “SCOOP” DISMANTLED BY THE EU HEALTH COMMISSIONER SPOKESPERSON WHO NOTES; HOWEVER, THAT RISKS STILL REMAIN. VERONAFIERE TAKES LEGAL ACTIONS TO SAFEGAURD THE “REPUTATION AND PRESTIGE OF VINITALY”

According to the information that was sent by Italian authorities to the EU Health Commissioner, Andreu Vassiliou, the chemical substances that were found by investigators in some wineries had not been used to adulterate wine but were, instead, for agricultural use, and the irregularities found were only the result of adding water and beet sugar.

The spokesperson for the Health Minister, Nina Papadoulaki, stated, “The Italian authorities have informed the Commission that the investigations confirmed that this was a case of adulterating wine but that there are no health risks because the problem was the adding of water and beet sugar to musts”. As well, explained Papadoulaki in the note sent from Rome, “in regards to the chemical substances that had been reported by the press, authorities have found that the containers containing hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid were for agricultural use and not for wine destined for consumption”.

Espresso, the Italian magazine that had first published the “scoop” on adulterated wines at the beginning of April has, however, defended its findings. It also released a note confirming, “all that was published in the Velenitaly investigation. After the exams were done on the confiscated wine from the establishments of Veronella and Massafra, the public prosecutors’ offices of Verona and Taranto contested the accusation of adulteration of food substances (article 440), which punishes ‘anyone who corrupts or adulterates substances that are destined for food, making them dangerous for the public health’”. Espresso’s conclusion was that, “This is not, therefore, a harmless trick with water and sugar but a situation that puts the health of consumers at risk, as has been verified by the investigators who contested the more serious crime. And not only that, the presence of hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid and other substances (that are very dangerous to human health) in the wine that had been confiscated, was cited in press releases from the State Forest Rangers, as well as in the first disciplinary action by Verona. Until now, however, the wines produced by the accused companies are still in commerce”. Espresso ended the note with the comment, “It is surprising to note how, regardless of the fact that the exams had confirmed weeks before the danger of these products, only yesterday, did the investigating offices of Taranto prepared the confiscation of wine samples in fifteen companies throughout Italy that had been supplied by the confiscated wineries. How much illegal wine was sold until now thanks to the silence of controlling authorities”.

Veronafiere, the organizing entity behind the Vinitaly expo, defended, on the other hand, the prestige of its fair and the quality of Italian wine. “Vinitaly, the brand name of Veronafiere, is the most important wine expo in the world. The 2008 edition counted 4,300 exhibitors from over 30 countries, with one out of two visitors from abroad, and over 2,700 accredited journalists from over 50 countries. Vinitaly is obviously concerned with the quality of Italian wine products and considers with serious attention every control made by competent authorities in order to safeguard the quality of products and the consumer.
Veronafiere has given the go-ahead to its own legal team to promote all actions geared towards safeguarding the reputation and the prestige of the Vinitaly name, well-known worldwide. With particular attention made to the improper exploitation of the name for journalistic purposes”.