Tomato: The Agricultural Revolution That Started in the Andes

It has been a long time since 1544, when botanist Pietro Mattioli dismissed tomatoes with a few precise words: “They provide little and poor nourishment.” Having just arrived from the Americas (the tomato is native to the Andes but was first cultivated in Mexico), this plant with small, yellow fruits—because that's how they were at the time—had very little success in Europe. It took at least two centuries for it to become a staple crop. However, from the 19th century onwards, the history of the tomato has been marked by great successes: the conquest of the Mediterranean basin, its entry into the cuisines of many countries (just think of two iconic Italian dishes: pizza and tomato pasta), and industrial processing from the early 20th century, with Francesco Cirio from Piedmont bringing canned peeled tomatoes from Naples to excellence.

Italy is now one of the major producers, with over 5 million tons per year, accounting for about 12% of global production and more than half of European production. The tomato industry had a turnover of approximately 44.6 billion euros in 2022, employing 10,000 permanent workers and over 25,000 seasonal workers. Production now involves thousands of companies scattered throughout the national territory, and for the past twenty years, a law has protected Italian preserves: peeled tomatoes and tomato purées must be made from fresh tomatoes, and producers must indicate the origin of the raw material used, specifying the region or state where it was cultivated. The Po Valley has historically been the home of tomato purée, with the bulk of industrial production and large cooperatives concentrated between Parma and Piacenza, followed by the San Marzano hub in Campania. But small and very small farms work and process tomatoes throughout Italy, creating excellent products thanks to the many cultivars present in our territory.

Rich in potassium, phosphorus, vitamin C, and vitamin K, but at the same time low in calories as it is 90% water, the tomato is one of the symbols of summer, with its bright red color, characteristic scent, freshness, and use in many dishes. But for many Italians, summer is also the time for a ritual, perhaps with recipes and tools passed down from generation to generation: the ritual of making tomato preserves. Pots on the fire, jars to sterilize, the preparation of tomatoes that resembles a liturgy, grandma's little secrets (a basil leaf or two, coarse salt or fine salt, garlic or no garlic): we all have a memory linked to the preparation of sauce for the winter.

And then the dilemma, with two very clear schools of thought: which container is best to use? On one side, there are those who prefer bottles (or jars) with a wider mouth and a twist-off cap, and on the other, those who only want dark glass bottles with a crown cap. In reality, both are fine, as long as they are suitable for boiling (for sterilization).

Alongside the small producers and the many families who still carry on this tradition, for thirty years, our Enolmaster and Enolmatic fillers have become faithful (and robust) allies of those who love to make their own tomato sauce at home. A piece of Italy's agricultural and artisanal history, in preserves as in oil and wine: when there is a need to fill and bottle, Tenco machines never disappoint. We are certain that in many homes, many cellars, many kitchens, our machines are and have been present: for sauce or peeled tomatoes, for clear or dark glass bottles, for twist-off or crown caps, we have all possible solutions.