This contribution focuses in particular on the contents of amphorae from Adriatic Italy. Data collected from historical, archaeological and archaeometric sources are presented, followed by an investigation into various research issues with some suggested directions for future multidisciplinary research initiatives. Amphorae for the transport of wine, oil, olives, sauces and preserved fish were produced in Adriatic Italy, from Istria to Apulia. The shape of these Adriatic amphorae always indicates a specific content and any anomalous content preserved demonstrates its reuse or a primary but unusual use of the containers to carry different types of food. Tituli picti which mention fish on Adriatic wine and oil amphorae are in effect 'labelling' a content which is different from the primary one, while tituli picti on small amphorae for fish and olives provide information on the specific quality of these products. Sporadic examples of reuse, whose importance is often exaggerated, are also attested: for example pine resin, augite sand or pozzolan, found in Lamboglia 2 wine amphorae.