Mela

By far the most frequently eaten fruit in Italy - probably in Europe - is the apple. Of the total weight of 100 kg (220 lb) of fruit eaten by each Italian every year, at least half is apples. There are over 250 varieties of apple, a fruit that is considered to be one of the healthiest, with its high level of fibre, vitamin C and acidity.

Fifty per cent of Italian apples are cultivated in the Trentino Alto Adige, with Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy and Campania contributing the remaining half. Apple trees need cool temperatures and little wind, which is why they are cultivated in tranquil valleys and the flatlands of the north. The varieties grown in Italy meet local requirements, so they may be different to those grown in other parts of the world.