Widely shared social media posts claimed in January 2025 that spaghetti, often regarded as a quintessentially Italian dish, actually owes its origins to Arab traders who introduced dried pasta to Italy in the 8th century.
"Spaghetti didn't originate in Italy. It was introduced to the country by Arab traders in the 8th century. The Italians embraced it, and its popularity quickly increased," one Facebook post (archived) stated.