Rome — Italians have very strict rules when it comes to making carbonara. The classic combination of Italian pasta, pork and cheese are mixed with egg yolks and pepper preferably just moments before serving to create the perfect dish.
Which is why, when jars of a pale creamy sauce labeled “carbonara” but made in Belgium using non-typical ingredients appeared in a store at the European Parliament — an institution Italy often calls on to protect its traditional foods from imitation — there was outrage.
Even Wikipedia lists pancetta as an acceptable variant for carbonara.
If the definition is so important to Italy, they shouldn’t be complaining to a supermarket, but should ensure the naming is protected, which unlike champagne or parmesan, does not seem to be the case for carbonara (probably because it’s a style of dish and doesn’t reference a place of origin).