Trasformation

Without preservatives, Without additives, sicilian tomato

Technologically advanced methods and machinery

The Siccagno tomato undergoes quality control (verification of the quality standards, verification of the optic residue and determination of the acid value), as well as quantity control (weighing) and, only if it conforms, it is stored in a special area pending processing.

At the end of the previous stages, the production batch to be attributed to the farmer is determines and the data collected are entered in a special register in order to be used for the product traceability in compliance with EC Regulation 178/2002.

The plastic containers full of tomatoes are transferred by forklift trucks for tipping into the steel bubbling tank filled with water. Air is then blown into the tank to remove any residue present on the skin of the fresh tomato.

The perfectly washed and undamaged tomatoes are then placed on a sorting belt using a porter lift, where staff remove any unsuitable produce and foreign matter.

After being chopped, the product is collected in a steel tank mounted on a mono pump which ensures the tomatoes are transferred to an exchanger (Hot Break).

The latter performs the function of enzymatic inactivation and heating of the product, which is transferred to the passers-refiners which separates the juice from the cellulose parts of the tomato (skins and seeds) by centrifugation.

The refined juice is transferred by gravity to a storage tank for the concentration plant which consists of a continuous double-effect evaporator working at a low temperature (55° C) so as not to alter the sensory properties of the product.

This system, which is fully automatic and vacuum operated, reaches the pre-set gradation (usually between 8/10 degrees Bx) and transfers to a support tank by means of two-stage pumps, where it is passed through a steel pump into the concentric tube pasteuriser.

The passata is then pasteurised before being transferred to the volumetric filling machine which automatically fills the glass jars which, upon reaching the predetermined net weight, are transferred to the capping machine to be airtight sealed.

The cans are transported along a chain to the pasteurisation and cooling tunnel, before being coded by indelible inkjet printing.

The coding process, which is compulsory by law, is of dual importance for the traceability of the products is essential for the technical and diagnostic analyses of the company.

Finally, the final product is palletised on wooden pallets and stored in warehouses.

In the post-production period (from October onwards), it is de-palletised, labelled and packaged for dispatch to customers across the world.