As part of the ‘Estate Tranquilla 2025’ (Quiet Summer 2025) food safety and prevention campaign coordinated by the Carabinieri Command for Health Protection (NAS) of Rome, NAS officers in Latina have concluded a series of extraordinary checks at various commercial and production businesses across the Pontine territory.
The overall operation resulted in the seizure or voluntary disposal of more than 1,100 kilograms of food, the blocking of over 1,000 packages of preserves, and the issuance of administrative fines totaling over €10,000.
The controls specifically targeted vegetable preserve production plants, following recent news reports that have brought attention to the risk of botulism. Violations were found in several towns:
**In Fondi**, at a campsite, officers found a failure to implement HACCP procedures for the correct storage of food. Fifteen kilograms of untraceable products were voluntarily disposed of by the operator, who was fined €2,000.
**In Priverno**, a food preserve plant was found to be operating with a complete absence of the required self-control procedures to prevent microbiological contamination. Approximately 750 packages (1.5 kg each) of vegetable preserves, totaling over one tonne, were seized. A €2,000 fine was issued.
**In Gaeta**, a restaurant was fined €1,500 after 40 kilograms of food products lacking any documentation of origin were seized.
**In Terracina**, two critical situations were identified. A sandwich shop was fined €1,000 for serious hygienic-sanitary deficiencies. Separately, a pizzeria located in a beach establishment was found with roughly 60 kilograms of untraceable meat, fish, and vegetables, which were subsequently disposed of; a €1,500 fine was issued.
**In Sonnino**, another vegetable preserve plant was found lacking adequate HACCP protocols to ensure microbiological safety. Three hundred and twenty 500-gram packages, with a total value of approximately €500, were seized. The operator was fined €2,000.