There will be traditional tortellini from Emilia Romagna with fillings to suit all tastes, balsamic vinegar of Modena, wine and tasty bread rolls ready to be heated in the oven before being eaten. There will also be dairy products and cheese, pizza, truffles and different types of distilled liqueurs.

The Barcelona Alimentaria International Food and Beverages Exhibition , from 22^nd to 26^th March, will be a real triumph of the most authentic Italian foods, the heritage of Italy’s very ancient culinary tradition, which has helped preserve them over the years and in some cases even improved them.

The Italian collective, coordinated by the Italian Trade Commission, shall consist of about seventy companies and will offer a complete selection of tastes, ranging from starters to desserts.

One of the main attractions will be pasta, presented in many different forms, both fresh and made from durum wheat semolina, to be combined with the right sauce in order to be savoured at its best, ranging from the traditional Ligurian pesto, made from basil and pine nuts, to a Mediterranean sauce with olives.

But there will certainly be no shortage of attention for the confectionary, with traditional Easter “colombe” (dove-shaped cakes) and tea cakes, as well as frozen products, which have the advantage of preserving flavour and goodness over long periods. So make room for the apple strudel from Trentino Alto Adige or the puff pastry “cornetti” (croissants), which are perfect for breakfast. All these are strictly to be kept in the freezer, ready to be defrosted at the right moment.

What, then, can be said about the wines? From the famous Chianti classico, produced in the sunny vineyards of Tuscany, to the lesser known ones, such as Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and Pinot from Friuli, they will all be available to the visitors at Alimentaria, for tasting and purchase.

Finally, there will be delicious authentic Italian-made cheeses, from Asiago to Auricchio, and also mozzarellas, the fundamental ingredient of pizza, that can also be enjoyed on their own, seasoned perhaps with Italian extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of oregano.

Alimentaria, a biennial event that has already reached its 32nd edition, is the most important trade fair for food sector operators in the Iberian Peninsula and the neighbouring countries of North West Africa.

The previous edition, in 2008, witnessed the participation of 5,000 exhibitors and 158,000 visitors. About 21 per cent of these were from countries other than Spain.

There is no better occasion, therefore, for the Italian firms to consolidate their leadership positions in the European market (which represents 69.4 per cent of food product exports), particularly that of Spain. Spain, in fact, is the fifth-ranking country of destination for Italian food products, with a predominance of fruit and vegetables, followed by wines, preserves, vegetable juices and, lastly, pasta.

Alimentaria will also be a unique opportunity for introducing new types of wine and food products to local distribution networks, which could lead to interesting trade prospects for the future.