Food crime worth 15.4bn Coldiretti tells Expo

(ANSA) - Milan, July 28 - Food-related crimes rake in some 15.4 billion euros and affect complex sectors of food production and distribution with a significant impact on the economy, the environment and health, noted Coldiretti farmers association chief Roberto Moncalvo said at the Expo world's fair. Moncalvo said the time has come to consider including agricultural crimes in the penal code in order to curb them.
    Such crimes should include agro-piracy (selling food with counterfeit labels) and food-related health disasters (such as selling expired food), he said in presenting a set of proposed guidelines for reform in the food and agriculture sector.
    "Food fraud and counterfeiting have become a criminal business and should be prosecuted," he said. "The sector requires specific protections".