Last week high levels of dioxins, chemical contaminants, were found in samples of buffalo milk in the southern Campania region, so far 25 facilities in southern Italy have been temporarily closed.
The ban, imposed by the Italian government together with the European Commission will come into force in the near future. During the 10-day ban vets will check Campania mozzarella producers, and if no traces of dioxin are found, farmers will be allowed to resume sales.
However, daily losses from the ban will amount to 2 million euros ($3.1 million).
The cheese, traditionally eaten with basil and tomatoes and used as a pizza topping, is produced mainly in the southern Campania region, which has been hit by a long-standing garbage crisis. Local experts say that as a result of illegal dumping of waste many buffalo pastures were contaminated by dioxins.
The region's police suspect Campania's organized crime group the Camorra of illegally disposing of waste where buffalos graze and say that at least 100 people could be responsible for the health scare.
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema meanwhile said only nine out of the country's 132 producers had been detected with traces of dioxin, adding that the international alarm over mozzarella was "excessive and unfounded."
Experts warned that the production of one of Italy's best known exports is under threat with
mozzarella sales plummeting by 40%. Japan, South Korea and China have all banned imports of the cheese.
The Italian mozzarella sector employs 20,000 people and produces over 46,000 tons of mozzarella a year.
However, some experts say that the tainted mozzarella scares are exaggerated, as dioxin-containing products pose a threat to health only if consumed in large quantities and for a long period of time.
