There's great news for home chefs who prefer imported Italian pasta over American brands. Amid concerns that tariffs could kick favorite Italian pasta brands out of grocery stores, the United States has reversed course after completing an initial review of the alleged U.S. pricing practices of 13 Italian pasta brands. Higher pasta tariffs were initially passed by Congress in September, with the U.S. imposing a 92% anti-dumping duty on top of the existing 15% tariff on products imported from the EU, citing concerns that Italian pasta prices were too low.
The primary answer is actually written into Italian law. Interestingly, it's a legal requirement for dried Italian pasta to use semolina (also known as durum wheat), and not the standard flour used in American-made pastas. It's exactly this difference that gives pasta in Italy - be it linguine or spaghetti - its signature al-dente chew and the ability to hold its shape.
