The tomato, a vibrant and versatile fruit, has a rich and fascinating history. Let’s travel back in time to understand how the tomato processing industry flourished in Northern Italy and why the origin of tomatoes matters to consumers.
The tomato, also known as Solanum lycopersicum, is believed to have originated in the western regions of South America, primarily in present-day Peru, Ecuador, and northern Chile. This small, round fruit was cultivated by indigenous peoples long before the arrival of European explorers.
Regarded by the ancient populations as a symbol of good fortune from the Gods, the tomato’s good reputation didn’t follow in Europe. Brought to the Old Continent by the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century, the initial reception of tomatoes in Europe was cautious, if not outright hostile. Its resemblance to other poisonous nightshade plants fueled suspicions about its edibility and safety. As a result, it was often grown as an ornamental plant in botanical gardens rather than a food crop.
Despite these initial reservations, the tomato gradually gained acceptance in European cuisine, with Italy playing a pivotal role in its transformation from a curiosity to a culinary staple. Today, the primary Italian regions for tomato cultivation are Emilia Romagna, Campania, Puglia, and Sicily. Emilia Romagna is the most representative region of OI Pomodoro del Nord Italia regarding cultivated area and raw material processing (68.8% of the cultivated area is located within this region, with 25 processing plants). For this reason, we will narrow our focus on Northern Italy, where OI Pomodoro del Nord Italia’s producers are based.
The history of tomato processing
The Corte di Giarola in Collecchio (PR), home of the Museo del Pomodoro.
The beginning of the 19th century witnessed the widespread popularity of tomatoes in the peninsula, which fostered field cultivations. Curiously, tomato cultivation improved the soil in crop rotation, enhancing other crop productions such as wheat.
Being a seasonal product peaking in August, preserving techniques became a priority for farmers. The first method of preserving tomatoes was to dry them and use them in sauces and soups during winter. A bit later, a homemade tomato preserve was made by boiling tomatoes, sifting the sauce, and separating it from seeds and peels. The resulting pulp had to be consumed fresh in a brief timeframe, or it could be further boiled and dried in the sun to make the so-called conserva nera, the black preserve. This block of sundried sauce would be confectioned in loaves and conserved in oiled paper. However, only the advent of the airtight technique, better known as canning, developed by the French confectioner Nicolas Appert, allowed the sauce to be stored longer in hermetically sealed containers.
Carlo Rognoni pioneered tomato processing in Northern Italy as he devised the need for proper large-scale tomato cultivation and worked to improve and spread agricultural technological innovations. The first processing tomato company in Emilia-Romagna was founded by him and other local farmers in 1874, and it was baptized the Anonymous Society of Farmers for the preparation of tomato preserves. It exported the conserva nera loaves to the UK and Argentina. In 1878, Rognoni participated in the Paris’ Exposition Universelle, where he introduced tomato preserves and purée made in thick loaves and crystal vases.
Rognoni’s tomato cultivation techniques were so successful and efficient that they became recognized and used even outside Italy.
The exhibition hall of the Museo del Pomodoro, Parma.
After the agrarian and cereal crisis in 1880, more importance was given to tomato farming to improve the region’s economy. The end of the century saw the rise of a curious and valuable project called the Travelling Academy of Agriculture. Led by university professors such as Antonio Bizzozero, on-the-field lectures were held in Emilia-Romagna’s regional municipalities. The topics were agricultural cooperation, fertilizers, soil conservation, pest control, and new tools and machines – all with the goal of modernizing agriculture. In those years, more capital poured into the tomato canning industry, which carried a primary role in the region.
Between 1892 and 1895, Italy’s most extensive regional railway network was completed, boosting commercial exchanges. Even after the tough years of World War I, Parma was the leading center for the production and transformation of tomato preserves and pastes. As a matter of fact, Italy was the first global exporter of canned tomato products.
With more than 150 years of history, the acquired know-how of the tomato industry has enabled OI Pomodoro del Nord Italia’s supply chain to maintain a global leadership position worldwide. Our own history is made of constant dedicated research and innovation to improve farming techniques and guarantee quality and fairness. But it’s not only about growth and innovation. Over the last 15 years, sustainability has been a major priority, as we’re making sure to offer healthy final products while respecting the natural environment where our tomatoes are grown.
Interested to know more about OI Pomodoro del Nord Italia’s supply chain and our sustainability mission? Discover all about our project in this article.
And if you’d like to know even more about the history of tomatoes and tomato production, explore the Museo del Pomodoro in Parma, a staple for tomatoes’ aficionados.
