Signs your food is authentic and not a cheap knock off - from pizzas to pasties

I’m an expert and this is how to tell if what you are eating is authentic.

Food writer and Great British Bake Off 2019 winner, David Atherton, explained a traditional Neapolitan Margherita is protected by EU law to be made with Italian flour, tomatoes, and genuine mozzarella.

Hand-kneading the dough is a strict requirement and the diameter should be no larger than 35cm with a crust between one and two centimetres tall.

When it comes to eating a Cornish pasty, you should look out for the distinctive crimping down the sides, which traditionally served as a handle for the miner’s hands.

It should be filled with mince, potato, swede and onion. The beef should make up exactly 12.5 per cent of the filling with vegetables making up a quarter – seasoned with just salt and pepper.

He explained the New York bagel should always be boiled before being baked to create a distinctive soft texture while retaining a good chew and a golden crust.

He adds “If it’s not from New York , it’s just a roll with a hole.”

Alastair Unite, a spokesperson from from New York Bakery Co., which commissioned the research, said: “We’re on a mission to champion authenticity. That’s why we’ve teamed up with David Atherton as the nation’s ‘Chief Authenticity Expert’.