Et Tu, Romano?

U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) figures show that Reggiana cattle, the traditional dairy breed in the Parmesan cheese-producing region of Reggio-Emilia, are among 53 breeds of livestock in risk of dying out in Italy as agricultural production methods change. A spokesman for the consortium of Parmesan producers has acknowledged that there are only 1,400 Reggianas left, despite efforts by farmers to increase their numbers. The reduction has been under way since World War II, the spokesman explained. “Today one uses Dutch cows of Canadian stock which produce much more milk, but the quality of Parmesan has not suffered,” he claimed. “It is compatible with that produced from the Reggiana.”

Angelo Paracucchi, one of Italy’s best known chefs, disagreed. “It can’t be identical if one has gone from cows producing 20 litres a day to 60 litres a day. This means that one has a less fatty milk with all the consequences that follow, including a more watered-down cheese.”

Also said to be threatened is the quality of Italian prosciutto now that the Romagnolo pig also has become very rare, with only nine of them alive last year. The consortium of prosciutto producers has played down these declines, saying they reflected changes in taste: “Consumers are gearing their demand to less fatty foods.”

The Lite of the Milky Way

Milky Way, the malted milk and caramel chocolate bar, went reduced-calorie a couple of years ago with the Milky Way II. Now--reformulated with polydextrose and a triglyceride called caprenin for texture--there’s an even lower-calorie version. Containing only 160 calories and half as much fat as most chocolate bars, Milky Way Lite is the first candy bar to meet the FDA’s Nutritional Labeling and Education Act regulations so that it can legally call itself Lite. Oh, yeah--another technique for reducing calories was making it only five ounces. Apparently dieters confided that they’d have a better chance with a smaller bar.

The King of the Jungle Bar

In essentially unrelated chocolate news, tomorrow Nestle’s issues a special edition chocolate bar molded with scenes from the Disney cartoon “The Lion King.” You won’t be able to miss it, with its jungle label and gold foil wrapping.