The “lemon pesto” case: clarifications from the Consortium of Genoese Basil DOP and Uno Mattina Estate with Alessandro Piana.

In this regard, for illustrative and clarifying purposes, we report the exchange of questions and answers between a consumer and our President Mario Anfossi.

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Good evening, Dr. Anfossi,
As you may know, for a few weeks now, a Barilla advertisement has been airing for their new product, “Pesto with Lemon and Basil.”
I wonder how it’s possible to accept that an Italian excellence, which undoubtedly has its own precise specifications regarding ingredients and preparation methods, is being promoted in a distorted and exploitative way by a manufacturer who, in my opinion, uses the term “Pesto” inappropriately and misleadingly for consumers.
I look forward to hearing from you, and I thank you and best regards.
Francesco – Milan

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Good evening Francesco,
I am always happy to respond to emails from consumers who want to be informed about things they may not understand.
I must preface this by saying that I chair the Consortium for the Protection of Genoese Basil DOP, which oversees the cultivation, harvesting, and, in the case of Genoese Basil DOP for the food industry, its transformation into a semi-finished product with oil and salt.
Pesto is a whole other thing.




Unfortunately, we must accept that Pesto, or Pesto alla Genovese, or Pesto Genovese, despite being one of the traditional specialties of Italian gastronomy, does not have any legal trademark protecting its recipe.
The word “pesto” cannot be protected by itself, as pesto or pesto sauces for almost all vegetables exist in many Italian regions.
The European Union trademark for this product is the TSG: “The term Traditional Speciality Guaranteed, better known by the acronym TSG, is a trademark of origin introduced by the European Union aimed at protecting specific products that are characterised by traditional compositions or production methods.”
Unfortunately, to date, pesto producers in Liguria have never agreed on the traditional recipe nor on the willingness to request certification, which would subject them to controls as well as high-priced ingredients (PDO extra virgin olive oil, PDO Parmigiano Reggiano, PDO Pecorino Fiore Sardo, Italian pine nuts and, of course, PDO Genoese Basil).
But as I said at the beginning, I have no say in the matter; my job is to protect and promote basil in order to increase the cultivated area and make it an ever-increasing resource for Ligurian agriculture.
Thank you for your interest and best regards.
Mario Anfossi