Italy's embattled food maker Parmalat has filed for bankruptcy protection

Italy's embattled food maker Parmalat has filed for bankruptcy protection. As one of Europe's biggest corporate scandals deepened, the company's former chairman Calisto Tanzi and his son left the country. Judicial sources rebuffed speculation they had fled prosecutors. Parmalat's rescue managers will take advantage of an emergency government decree, which introduces fast-track protection from creditors. The company's simmering crisis boiled over last week when a four billion euro hole was uncovered in the finances of one of the group's units. The multinational's shortfall is now estimated at at least seven billion euros. All eyes are now on new boss Enrico Bondi. He will be given extra powers by a government decree to come up with a restructuring and recovery plan within 180 days. That is likely to involve selling assets to save core operations. The scandal has put the the spotlight on Parmalat's partners, including some of the world's best-known banks and auditing firms.