Chinese internet users cry foul after Italy labels preserved eggs inedible
- Century eggs were among 800 preserved eggs confiscated by Italian authorities, who said they were not fit for human consumption
- ‘Foreigners are clueless when it comes to food’, wrote one person on Chinese social media, in response to the news
Italian police confiscated 800 preserved eggs from two restaurants in Sicily earlier this month, labelling them “unfit for human consumption”.
Two Chinese restaurant owners in the commune of Misterbianco, outside the town of Catania, were detained.
In a statement dated April 9, Italy’s health ministry said that the eggs were not fit for human consumption and were a violation of European Union import laws.
Most of the confiscated goods were century eggs, while some were salted duck eggs. Century eggs are a traditional Chinese delicacy made by burying eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt and lime for days or months until they develop a distinctive pungent aroma and salty taste.
Many Chinese internet users took to social media to say that foreigners did not understand the cuisine.