The Italian agricultural association Coldiretti has highlighted many pizza varieties that challenge common Italian standards, showcasing bizarre pizza toppings at a festival held in Naples. The association's press service mentioned that "Horror Pizza" includes samples from Asia, with the "record" going to snake pizza from Hong Kong featuring reptile meat. According to "Horror Pizza" enthusiasts, snake meat has healing properties, improves skin condition, and provides energy.
The association noted in a statement on its website that dietary traditions based on reptiles and insects are also common in other parts of Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam and Thailand, where crickets and other insects are used in various dishes, including pizza. This has upset fans of original Italian pizza worldwide. Options range from "pineapple to banana, with kangaroo and zebra meat, along with snakes and crickets, and spicy pizza with chicken marinated in yogurt."
Among the strange pizza variations, according to Italians, is the American version that uses macaroni and cheese as a topping. The Swedish version allows for everything to be added to the pizza, including turkey, honey, canned fruits, chocolate, meatballs, and even coleslaw.
According to a study conducted by the "Coldiretti" Foundation in collaboration with the demographic institute "Ipsos," 14% of Italians feel "extremely disappointed" after trying pizza abroad. Additionally, 26% of survey participants do not trust pizza abroad and have never eaten it, though there are also 6% who were satisfied and 20% who loved it completely.
