McDonald's have unveiled their new "McItaly" burger, emphasizing it will "promote the taste of Italy".
The burger is made from ingredients produced in Italy, and has been launched under the slogan, "McDonald's speaks Italian."
This humble burger (described as "square, with artichoke sauce and Asiago cheese--or olive oil and pancetta") has stirred up foodies around the world.
In a newspaper article reprinted on the Slow Food site, Carlo Petrini, president of Slow Food, wrote about his fears for Italian farming and his doubts that this burger would improve life for either consumers or producers, challenging McDonald's to be transparent about the quality of ingredients, and about the wages paid to farmers:
If the McItaly is just a new way to exploit farmers, paying them poorly, imposing further production standardizations which can only impoverish people, flavor and tradition, then this whole thing is quite a farce.
With the burger launch supported by the Italian government, Berlusconi and Luca Zaia (Minister of Agriculture) have come in for criticism, particularly from the left-wing press. Supporters believe that the new burger will help Italian farmers, since it's produced wholly from ingredients grown in Italy. Nay-sayers fear that this is just another example of McDonald's global expansion, exploiting rather than protecting local cuisine.
If sales within Italy reach a target of 3.5 million, the burger will be launched worldwide.
Would a McItaly burger entice you into McDonald's?
http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2010/02/09/mcitaly_burger_stirs_up_controversy.php
