Feb. 6, 2026
Italy’s “Food Police” — Why Some Foods Are Worth Protecting
Italy has a dedicated food police—and it tells us a lot about how seriously the country takes food.
In this episode, I explain who the "Carabinieri per la Tutela Agroalimentare" are, what they do, and how they differ from Italy’s NAS ("Nuclei Antisofisticazioni e Sanità") and from the U.S. FDA. I also explore why these units exist, how unique they are in the world, and what they reveal about the value of food quality, tradition, and cultural heritage in Italy.
