Pesto excluded from liquid ban by Italian airport

In an era of high-security air travel, many a passenger has fallen foul of the rules banning liquids on planes.But now an Italian airport has decided to waive the 100ml maximum limit - as long as the liquid is pesto.More than 500 jars have made it through since Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport launched the "Il pesto è buono" (Pesto is good) scheme on 1 June.The cost? A donation to Flying Angels, which flies sick children abroad for treatment.Pesto - a popular pasta sauce made with basil, cheese, and pine nuts - is a local speciality in Genoa.The airport said the brainwave arose after staff were faced with "hundreds of jars that were seized in airport security checks".

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Tourists with pesto jars of up to 500g can ask for a special sticker in exchange for a €0.50 (£0.44; $0.55) charity donation - although the airport says many are donating more.The pesto is then scanned in a special x-ray machine before proceeding onto the plane as hand luggage.

Image copyrightTWITTER/GENOVAEROPORTOImage captionThe airport's Twitter account has been promoting its new scheme

Foreigners are not the only ones grateful for the pesto-preserving initiative. According to the airport, Genoese travelling out of Italy are delighted to find they can take the much-loved foodstuff along.There are some rules, however: Passengers can take either one 500g jar, or two jars up to 250g. They must be flying directly from Genoa.And crucially, the pesto must be Genovese.

The magical mixture - what's in pesto?

Image copyrightJOE KOHEN/GETTY IMAGESImage captionThe basil-based sauce is a local speciality in Genoa, northern Italy

• Genoese basil
• Ligurian extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic (preferably from Vessalico)
• Italian pine nuts
• Parmesan cheese
• Pecorino cheese
• Coarse salt