Green pistachio of Bronte PDO, a Sicilian treasure

A small fruit with a shell, from an ancient Sicilian village near the gates of Catania, reveals the myth of the green pistachio of Bronte PDO. A symbol and wealth of the territory as well as the protagonist of numerous festivals and fairs, such as the Pistachio Festival that every year attracts thousands of visitors to Bronte from all over Italy and abroad.

Pistachio, history and origins

The history The history of the pistachio (pistàkion, in ancient Greek) is lost in the mists of time. Its first written traces date back to the Old Testament (Genesis 42/43 verse 11). The Assyrians, during the reign of Ashurbanipal I (668-626 BC), celebrated the pistachio on the Kolach obelisk, among the most appreciated plants. Its cultivation in ancient civilizations – Jews, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Greeks – is documented as early as the 3rd century BC.

Lucius Vitellius, governor of Syria in the Roman Empire, brought the pistachio between 20 and 30 AD and helped spread its cultivation in Italy and Spain. The Arabs promoted its cultivation in Sicily around 900 AD thanks to grafting techniques. The Bronte dialect still refers to the terms ‘frastuca’ and ‘frastucara’, from the Arabic ‘fristach’ and ‘frastuch’, to indicate respectively the fruit and the pistachio plant.

The territory of Bronte – thanks to the lava soil fertilized by the ashes of the nearby Etna volcano and its sciarre (accumulations of volcanic slag) – proved to be an ideal habitat for cultivating a pistachio of excellent quality that still occupies about 2,000 hectares of lava soil. An extraordinary combination between the plant and the volcanic environment, where fruits appreciated in pastry and gastronomy are produced for their excellent organoleptic properties. (1)

Cultivation

The cultivation Pistachio cultivation requires attention as it is a dioecious plant, with male and female plants that must be planted nearby – ideally in a 1/10 ratio between male and female plants – to promote pollination. It is grafted onto Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus), a spontaneous shrub belonging to the same Anacardiaceae family, which also adapts to rocky soils.

The plant is resilient, as it adapts to poor and arid soils, as well as tolerating high temperatures and drought. It is also long-lived, up to 300 years, although production is slow – starting at 7-8 years and peaking 15-20 years after sowing – and alternating, with abundant and scarce fruit in successive years.

The deep roots and the plant's ability to host various species of insects, birds, and microorganisms – as well as the possibility of not using pesticides or nitrogen fertilizers – promote biodiversity, in addition to helping prevent soil erosion.

Green pistachio of Bronte PDO

The Bronte green pistachio PDO is characterized both by the cultivar (Pistacia vera, L.), itself highly valued for its organoleptic qualities, and by the peculiar climatic and geological conditions of the territory.

The cultivations take place on the slopes of the still active Etna volcano, between 400 and 900 meters in altitude. The production area covers over 2000 hectares in the municipalities of Bronte, Biancavilla, and Adrano.

Volcanic eruptions and lava flows have enriched the soil with minerals and organic substances, giving the Bronte pistachio its characteristic emerald green color and an intense, persistent aroma.

Nutritional properties

Pistachios are rich in proteins, dietary fiber, unsaturated fats, and micronutrients such as vitamins (A, B, C, E, K) and minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium). (2) The Bronte pistachio also stands out, compared to other varieties, for its higher oil content, unsaturated fatty acids, and a unique concentration of aromatic substances. (3)

The presence of is also recorded carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin) and polyphenols (anthocyanins, catechins and isoflavones), which are attributed properties of preventing cardiovascular diseases and contributing to the reduction of 'bad cholesterol' (LDL) in the blood. Anthocyanins, in particular, have anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. (3)

Consortium for the protection of the green pistachio of Bronte PDO

The Protection Consortium of the Bronte DOP Pistachio, founded in 2004, plays a fundamental role in safeguarding the authenticity and promoting this unique product, which obtained protection in the European Union – through recognition of the ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ (PDO, or DOP, or AOP) – in 2009. The president of the Consortium Massimo Enrico Cimbali, interviewed by GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade), offers some insights on ongoing activities:

– continuous commitment in the fight against fraud, through inspections entrusted to a network of inspectors who collaborate with certification bodies and report any irregularities and food fraud to the competent authorities,

– promotion and enhancement of the green Bronte DOP pistachio through specific projects that include participation in fairs and events,

– collaboration with universities, research bodies, institutions and associations, for research and innovation aimed at the sustainable development of the supply chain. (4)

Beware of frauds

The international reputation of the green Bronte DOP pistachio – which corresponds to a high demand from importers and buyers, often unaware of the commercial value and limited production – expose this product to widespread frauds and counterfeits, in physical and online retail but also in collective catering, as seen. (5) Food frauds concern both the pistachios themselves and processed products declaring their presence. Recorded phenomena so far concern:

– sale as ‘Bronte pistachio’ of pistachios coming from other countries and continents, from Turkey to Iran to California. Since imitation pistachios have organoleptic properties (taste, color and shape) different from those of Bronte, some frauds have included the addition of food additives (i.e. colorings) and forbidden flavors,

– mixing of Bronte pistachios with pistachios of different origins and characteristics, in variable proportions. This fraud is more difficult to detect because it requires chemical or genetic analysis to verify the presence of pistachios different from those of Bronte.

– evocation of the name Bronte on processed products (e.g. pesto and pistachio cream, nougat, ice cream, sweets, etc.) containing pistachios of different origin, misleading consumers about the provenance and authenticity of the precious fruit.

Prospects

The growth of the Bronte green pistachio DOP supply chain – as well as that of the Raffadali Pistachio DOP (6) – will not be able to express itself in quantities except marginally, barring hypotheses of extension of the production area and long-term investments. Quality can instead be enhanced by following two parallel paths:

– conversion of the production system to organic regime, as the highest expression of sustainability and increased added value,

– supply chain traceability with blockchain technology, ‘from seed to fork’, to guarantee operators and consumers the authenticity of each production batch. (7)

The European Union has meanwhile introduced new ‘marketing standards’ for nuts, with mandatory indication of origin, which will facilitate official controls at borders and on the internal market. (8)

Dario Dongo and Gabriele Sapienza

Notes

(1) Consortium for the protection of Bronte Green Pistachio DOP https://foodtimes.eu/4yuunfth

(2) CREA. Food composition tables Bronte Pistachio DOP  https://foodtimes.eu/2p8fsw9k

(3) Laura D’Evoli, Massimo Lucarini, Paolo Gabrielli, Altero Aguzzi, Ginevra Lombardi-Boccia (2015). Nutritional Value of Italian Pistachios from Bronte (Pistacia vera, L.), Their Nutrients, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity. Food and Nutrition Sciences,06,1267-1276. doi: 10.4236/fns.2015.614132

(4) G. Marino, S. Di Martino, A. Amico Roxas, T. Caruso, L. Ferguson, E. Barone, F.P. Marra,
Sustainability of pistachio production (Pistacia vera L.) under supplemental irrigation in a Mediterranean climate. Scientia Horticulturae,
Volume 241, 2018, 260-266.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.06.032

(5) Dario Dongo, Marta Strinati, PDO and PGI at the restaurant, fraud in the menu, GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 5.5.19

(6) Marta Strinati. Pistacchio di Raffadali PDO, green gold of Sicily. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 12.4.21

(7) Dario Dongo, Gianluca Mascellino. Public blockchain, Noberasco starts with Wiise Chain. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 11.11.20

(8) Dario Dongo. Fruit and vegetables, dried and shelled fruit, mandatory origin in the EU. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 22.11.23