Diego Costi, from the Ligurian city of Genoa, presented his mango flavoured ice cream on Wednesday at the Salone Orientamenti student expo in his hometown.
Experts at Genoa’s famed Gaslini Children’s Hospital have confirmed that the recipe is suitable for people with Crohn’s disease, while Liguria’s regional health councillor praised Costi’s work.
“It’s a great example of strength and tenacity and a very beautiful initiative,” Sonia Valle said.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which causes inflammation of the digestive tract.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, severe diarrhoea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition.
Crohn’s disease can be both painful and debilitating, and may lead to life-threatening complications.
While there’s no known cure for the disease, therapy can greatly reduce its symptoms and lead to long-term remission.
