Teeny tiny tracking devices are going into Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds in an effort to cut down on cheese fraud. Yum, pairs nicely with microplastics!
Just like Asiago cheese, Camembert de Normandie, and champagne, Parmigiano-Reggiano has a protected designation of origin — meaning that within the E.U. and U.K., it legally must prove its origin before it can be sold. And not just any derelict dairy gets the title. The Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano has bizarrely strict standards for inclusion.
