Guide Note: The contaminate Dioxin was discovered in high-end Italian mozzarella cheese in March, 2008. The dioxin came from tainted buffalo milk, which is used instead of cow's milk to make the finest mozzarella. Some have blamed the contamination on the illegal dumping of waste by the Italian mafia, which could have affected the food the buffaloes eat. Some makers of the cheese resorted to full-page newspaper advertisements to reassure their customers that their product was safe and unrelated to the buffalo dairies involved in the dioxin scare.

Fast Facts:

1. Dioxin is known to cause cancer
2. 80 buffalo herds have been quarantined
3. 109 people are under investigation in Naples
4. BBC: Neapolitan mozzarella sales down almost 50%
5. Naples mafia known as the Camorra
6. Mozzarella cheese is often used in pizza

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