this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2023
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Parmigiano-Reggiano makers are putting edible microchips the size of a grain of sand into their 90-pound cheese wheels to combat counterfeiters::Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano makers are using microchips to verify the authenticity of their products and thwart scammers.

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[–] Terr@lemmy.ml 295 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I got to admit, Italians inventing Cheese DRM, wasn't on my 2023 Bingo card.

[–] Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow@lemmy.world 26 points 2 years ago

Physical products are the only ones that makes sense for DRM.

[–] 995a3c3c3c3c2424@feddit.nl 24 points 2 years ago

Blockchain-based cheese DRM! 😂

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[–] Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de 252 points 2 years ago (4 children)

For fucks sake... This is literally about an RFID sticker that is put on the outside of whole cheese wheels.

So unless you buy whole 40kg wheel and then eat it with the rind... you are not eating any.

And also fuck that article for even mentioning that.

[–] N1NJ4W4RR10R_@aussie.zone 57 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

That makes it sound like the "edible" aspect of this is just an anti idiot feature. *Or just "printed" on it.

Either way, pointless article.

[–] _s10e@feddit.de 47 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I believe regulations require that everything you put in or on food is technically editable. Like the paper stickers on bread or produce. They are disgusting, but if you or your child accidentally eats them, they are fine.

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[–] pimento64@sopuli.xyz 41 points 2 years ago (1 children)

unless you buy whole 40kg wheel and then eat it with the rind

Haha no of course not...

[–] June@lemm.ee 14 points 2 years ago (5 children)

lol right? I would never lol, that would be like, too much? Would it be too much? Honestly we may never know

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[–] LogarithmicCamel@feddit.uk 17 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Some people add the rind to broths.

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[–] dhork@lemmy.world 108 points 2 years ago (4 children)

The chips use blockchain technology and trace the wheel of cheese back to where the milk that was used came from.

Cryptobros, Unite! We finally found a way for blockchain tech to be relevant for more than just ransomware! We authenticate cheese!

Someone's gonna make a ton of money on CheeseCoin

[–] June@lemm.ee 29 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Blockchain =/= crypto

Crypto uses blockchain, but blockchain is just a different type of database that generally tracks data through a decentralized network. It has a lot of real uses beyond crypto like identity verification, transcript/records management management, and iot data sharing. It’s nothing that can’t be done in a centralized manner, it’s just a different way of going about it that, in some cases, is much more secure and/or much more easily accessible.

[–] Helluin@lemm.ee 23 points 2 years ago (5 children)

It’s nothing that can’t be done in a centralized manner,

and thats the main problem with basically all blockchain related solutions, theres pretty much always a centralized alternative thats more efficient

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[–] Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow@lemmy.world 29 points 2 years ago

Blockchain is also good for solving the Ship of Theseus problem. You can encode the entire history of the object into the object.

Blockchain has many cool uses and none of them are currency.

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[–] Gork@lemm.ee 67 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If I run low on health and have to eat several dozen cheese wheels, will the authentic DRM ones provide a greater HP boost compared to the generic cheese wheels?

[–] Curious_Canid@lemmy.ca 18 points 2 years ago

Actually an "HP boost" refers to using fake Hewlett-Packard ink cartridges that circumvent their ink-jet printer DRM. 😁

[–] Fishy@lemmy.world 63 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (11 children)

Maybe I’m a picker eater, but I think I’d rather have an inauthentic product than eating a microchip.

[–] nuke@yah.lol 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Hey, don't knock it till you try it

[–] Rescuer6394@feddit.nl 12 points 2 years ago

as other people pointed out, is a sticker on the outside, on the hard part.

unless you are very hungry and have good teeth, you will not eat it.

yet, since is applied on edible product, it needs to be edible.

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[–] FrankTheHealer@lemmy.world 55 points 2 years ago

Nothing enhances that Mediterranean flavor quite like micro plastics

[–] aquarisces@lemmy.world 53 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The conspiracy theorists are going to run wild with this one.

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 19 points 2 years ago (6 children)

That’s because makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano are implanting microchips into the casings of their 90-pound cheese wheels as the latest move to ward off counterfeiters, The Wall Street Journal reported.

If it's just going in the casings, then it wouldn't be eaten I guess?

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[–] Thann@lemmy.ml 52 points 2 years ago

its funny that some ppl are paranoid that bill gates is trying to microchip them with a vaccine when they probably already have been by the fucking itailians

[–] obinice@lemmy.world 45 points 2 years ago (12 children)

Not really putting them "into" their cheese, just the labels that bind with their outer casing of the cheese wheel. Still neat.

They are being placed on the casein label, a food-safe label commonly used in cheese production, which is placed on the cheese wheel.

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[–] Draconic_NEO@lemmy.world 41 points 2 years ago (11 children)

I guess in that case I should probably seek out the counterfeit versions of it since they're now apparently better than the originals.

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[–] Schlemmy@lemmy.ml 35 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Next up. Improve your wireless network with cheese.

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[–] virtualbriefcase@lemm.ee 34 points 2 years ago

Lol, cheese DRM. Just when I thought more DRM was impossible.

[–] AfricanExpansionist@lemmy.ml 32 points 2 years ago (3 children)

If I can make cheese good enough to pretend that it's another brand, I'm gonna just slap my own label on it

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[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 30 points 2 years ago (14 children)

Hold up...

There is counterfeit cheese?

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 35 points 2 years ago (12 children)

It's not Parmigiana-Reggiano if it doesn't come from the Parmigiana-Reggiano region of France. Everything else is just sparkling cheese.

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[–] neptune@dmv.social 14 points 2 years ago

And olive oil and cigarettes and... Anything else really.

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[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 30 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Why are they not using those nanotech microchip trackers that are small enough to fit in a vaccine, and that can communicate with a satellite without any need for a radio or battery?

[–] fluxion@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago

Those chips are only good for mind control

[–] 4am@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago

The cheese is ruined when they make it magnetic, of course

[–] AnonymousBaba@lemmy.world 23 points 2 years ago (8 children)

if people who is eating them cant tell the difference than whats the point

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[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago (7 children)

TIL there's a global market in fake cheese. Which is to say, real cheese that someone slapped a fancier label on.

I'm sure all the steps we took to reach this point were logical ones, but we still find ourselves in a very strange place.

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[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 17 points 2 years ago (1 children)

This is the best summary I could come up with:


The next time you dig into a bowl of pasta with freshly grated parmesan, you could accidentally be eating a microchip.

That's because makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano are implanting microchips into the casings of their 90-pound cheese wheels as the latest move to ward off counterfeiters, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Parmigiano-Reggiano must be made in a particular area of northern Italy's Emilia Romagna region and with specific production standards and techniques.

The microchip can then be scanned to pull up a unique serial ID that buyers can use to ensure they've got the real thing.

"We keep fighting with new methods," Alberto Pecorari, whose job is to protect the product's authenticity for a group that represents Parmigiano makers, told the Journal.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is among the many food products that are formally protected in the European Union, including Champagne from France and Feta from Greece.


The original article contains 324 words, the summary contains 144 words. Saved 56%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

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[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 16 points 2 years ago

Now I want to try it... 🤤

[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (2 children)

TIL that counterfeit fucking cheese is a thing.

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[–] ellesper@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The microchips aren’t edible because they want you to eat them. They’re edible because they know some idiot eventually will eat one.

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[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Are we not all chipped anyways through the civic vaccine? /s

[–] vladmech@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

Thankfully countries voted to avoid that during the meeting of the Honda Accords.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I knew this was how Bill Gates would get us. Through our spaghetti and meatballs.

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[–] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 13 points 2 years ago (4 children)

So if you eat the chip, does it mean you officially become a wheel of cheese?

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[–] CamelCityCalamity@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (3 children)

OMG! That's what those crystals are!

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