A draft bill currently under examination by the Italian Senate aims to safeguard and protect artisanal gelato, a symbol of Italian gastronomic excellence around the world just as much as pasta, pizza and espresso. 

The bill, proposed by six senators from the center-left parties, wants to regulate the amount of air contained in gelato, and fine those who pump too much air into it, selling it as ‘artisanal’. The practice of injecting large amounts of air into gelato mixtures results in a fluffier, and therefore more visually appealing, product. It also makes it cheaper to produce, while often being sold at higher ‘artisanal gelato' prices.