IFEAT STUDY TOUR OF ITALY 2009 Peter Greenhalgh pgifeat@yahoo.co.

uk Introduction On Sunday February 22nd the 28 members of the IFEAT Study Tour arrived in Palermo adding to Sicilys long list of invaders that have included the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Spanish, Arabs, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians. However, the objective of the 12 nationalities that made up the IFEAT Group was not to conquer but to learn. In the course of 6 days the Group gained an intimate knowledge of the production and trading of citrus essential oils in southern Italy, as well as being enlightened about several other related issues including: product and processing innovations and extraction equipment upgrades; technical advances being made in analysing essential oil constituents; the growing importance of organic essential oils and their certification; the expanding range of citrus speciality products; agronomic techniques and traceability; the impact of EU health and safety regulations, including the development of furocoumarin and pesticide reduced products; citrus fruit market liberalisation following the recent reduction in EU subsidies and the growth of the fresh fruit market; purchasing arrangements with local producers. Alongside the knowledge acquired from visits and discussions with 10 different essential oil processing and citrus growing organisations, another important benefit was the interaction and networking between Group members. Alongside this report which will be posted on the IFEAT website (www.ifeat.org) a report on the Study Tour was included in the March 2009 issue of IFEAT World and a presentation will be made on October 20th 2009 at the IFEAT Conference in Shanghai. The Group was very appreciative of the support and hospitality of our Italian hosts in making an exhausting tour most educational and memorable. In more than achieving its objectives the Group has to thank the efforts of the IFEAT Local Organising Committee, especially Antonella Corleone and the Ferraras, Capuas, Caratozzolos, Stracuzzis, Misitanos, Alberto Arrigo and members of the Analytical Food Chemistry Group at the University of Messina. The tour operator, Tagliavia and Company, made many of the arrangements and provided a multilingual Tour Guide (Linda Incandela) and driver (Nino Albano) whose driving skills on the narrow streets and lanes of southern Italy elicited spontaneous applause on several occasions. Fortunately there were no spontaneous eruptions from snow-covered Mount Etna, which provided a beautiful backdrop to the final three days of the Tour (when the clouds lifted). Each day saw a full programme of activities lasting from early morning until late evening, which combined with staying at 4 hotels in 6 days left little time for shopping!

Italian Citrus Citrus fruits were introduced to Sicily in the 10th century, but different varieties continued to be brought from different parts of the world, and citrus production became a very important aspect of the Sicilian economy. Sicily now accounts for over 50% of Italian citrus fruit farms. Today, Sicily with a surface area of 25,460 sq km (of which according to Eurostat some 46,700 hectares are orange orchards and 17,600 hectares are lemon see Table 1). Sicily is the worlds largest producer of blood oranges and a major source of lemons. It also produces the high quality mandarins, clementines and oranges Amare. Its geographical position and its temperate climate favours the production of these citrus fruits particularly sought after because of their characteristics.

Source: Stracuzzi (IFEAT Lisbon Conference 2004) The map shows the various citrus growing districts according to fruit cultivar in Sicily and Calabria. The Calabria region is the worlds largest producer of bergamot. Table 1: EU Citrus Area Area under Trees (000 ha) EU Italy Sicily Source: Eurostat Orange 252.1 76.0 46.7 Lemon 68.0 17.6 15.3 Small fruit citrus 149.6 28.4 6.3

Citrus Seasons and Varieties The citrus production season starts in early October and continues uninterrupted until the end of July. Further work may take place later during the months of August and September using the summer harvest of lemons, known as "Verdelli", although the quantity available at this time is much lower (ca. 10%). The first fruit to be processed is the green mandarin, (using Pelatrice extractors), for only three weeks in late September to early-mid October. As the yellow mandarin fruits ripen they are processed into the yellow oil (Torchio/Sfumatrice extractors). November also sees the first winter lemons called primofiore being processed. Early December the mandarin ripens further and are processed (still Torchio machinery) into the reddish fruits giving the reddish oil. Oranges, Biondo Comune and Tarocco start in December lasting until late March. Bergamot production starts in early December (Pelatrice

machinery) and can last until the end of February/early March. December is the start of the full production of winter lemon, which lasts until late March, as does red mandarin production. January, February and March are the months of the blood oranges together with lemons and with the later varieties of mandarins called ciaculli. The citron fruit, produced from the cdratier tree, is a close relative of the lemon is grown in the Diamante area in north Calabria as well as Sicily. They are picked in January until March for the preparation of the candy fruits and a small portion of them are processed (Pelatrice Special). The petitgrains are produced at the end of the fruit collection when trees are cleaned and branches cut (April for the mandarin and lemon trees, a little later for the bitter orange trees). A summer production of lemon takes place in June/July.

Source: Best s.r.l. Sicily and Calabria are major producers of blood oranges and lemons, as well as good quality mandarins, clementines, bergamot and other orange varieties. Production of lemon, bergamot and mandarin oils in 2008/09 is estimated at 600 tonnes, 70 tonnes and 55 tonnes respectively (see Table 2). Production levels are very much influenced by climatic conditions. Citrus production starts in early October and continues uninterrupted until the end of July. The varieties available for industrial transformation are: Lemons: Femminello, Monachello; Blood Oranges: Tarocco, Sanguigno, Sanguinello, Moro; Oranges Blond: Blond City, Oval, Navel, Valencia and Navelina; Mandarins: Avana and late Ciaculli. Table 2: Production of Bergamot, Lemon and Mandarin Oils Bergamot Lemon 1999/2000 50 764 2000/2001 130 753 2001/2002 90 620 2002/2003 120 680 2003/2004 65 690 2004/2005 135 475 2005/2006 95 700 2006/2007 80 750 2007/2008 55 450 2008/2009 70 600 Source: Cilione s.r.l Mandarin 91 176 102 97 105 90 95 80 35 55

Bergamot There are an estimated 1,200 1,300 hectares (ha) of bergamot under cultivation, with an average fruit production per ha of 25-30 tonnes (t). Production is concentrated in Reggio Calabria Province and in 2008/9 in the northern part of the Province, which accounts for approximately 35% of the cultivated area, there was a reduction in availability of about a third. In southern Reggio Calabria Province, which accounts for the remaining 65% of production, the crop is predicted to increase by about 30% compared with the previous one. Bergamot producers are not entitled to an EU citrus subsidy. The average quantity of bergamot oil produced per ha is 125-150 kg/ha. with a crop average of 120 t per year. In 2007/8 and 2008/9 production was 55 t and 70 t respectively. During the 2008/9 crop, the price of the fresh bergamot fruit in the field was !0.36-0.38/kg; transportation from the field to the facility cost !0.02/kg, while processing costs were !0.04/kg. The juice and the process peels are not sold but are collected free of charge, with the latter being used in pet foods. Lemon There are an estimated 5,000 5,400 hectares of lemon under cultivation, with an average fruit production per ha of 30-35 tonnes. Until the current crop, lemon producers received an EU subsidy !0.10 per kg of fruit produced, but this has now been replaced by a subsidy of !1,200 per hectare of cultivated citrus fruit. The average quantity of lemon oil produced per ha is 125-140 kg/ha. with a crop average of 700 t per year. In 2007/8 and 2008/9 production was 450 t and 600 t respectively. During the 2008/9 crop, the price of the fresh lemon fruit in the field was !0.22-0.23/kg; transportation from the field to the facility cost !0.02/kg, while processing costs were !0.04/kg. The price received for the fresh lemon juice was !0.22-0.25/kg while the processed peels were given away free of charge. Mandarin There are an estimated 700 800 hectares of mandarin under cultivation for processing, with an average fruit production of 30 t/ha. The average quantity of green-yellow mandarin oil produced per ha is 180-200 kg/ha. The average quantity of red mandarin oil produced per ha is 75-80 kg/ha. The crop average is 80-100 t per year. In 2007/8 and 2008/9 production was 35 t and 55 t respectively. During the 2008/9 crop, the price of the fresh mandarin fruit in the field for the green/yellow mandarin crop was !0.35/kg and the price offered for red mandarin was !0.15/kg, which the farmers were very reluctant to accept. The transportation from the field to the facility cost !0.02/kg, while processing costs were !0.04/kg. The price received for the fresh mandarin juice was !0.05/kg while the processed peels were given away free of charge. EU Citrus Subsidies A recent change to the EU subsidy regime has led to greater liberalisation of the citrus market in Italy. This, combined with the recent heavy rains experienced in southern Europe and the growing market for fresh fruit within the EU, has created uncertainties over citrus supplies for essential oils processing. The EU introduced a new Common Market Organisation for fruit and vegetables on 1 January 2008, implemented by Regulation 1182/2007. The aim of this reform was to improve the competitiveness and market orientation of the EU fruit and vegetable sector, reduce income 4

fluctuations, promote consumption and enhance environmental safeguards. While subsidies for citrus fruits (excluding bergamot, which is not an edible fruit) used to be paid on each kg produced, the subsidies have now been decoupled from production, and producers receive a payment per hectare. Producers will receive !1,200 per hectare of cultivated citrus instead of !0.10 per kg of fruit. In this way, subsidies will be brought under the EU Single Payment Scheme that is already in place for many other farm products. The new regulation also lays down the framework for the operation of Producer Organisations that play an important part in the marketing of fruit within the EU, and a vital role in the supply of citrus to Italys essential oil producers. Participants on the Study Tour welcomed the opportunity to discuss the regulatory changes with producers and processors in one of the EUs most important citrus producing area. Most of the essential oil processing companies purchase their raw materials from local cooperatives in accordance with various specifications to ensure that the fruit received for processing is of the required quality. Often framework contracts are agreed with growers associations at the beginning of each season for delivery throughout the processing period according to carefully calculated schedules. However, the changes in EU support to the citrus industry is having an impact on both the prices and purchasing arrangements, which are currently in a state of flux. Essential Oils Production Most organisations visited were family-owned with many decades of expertise in producing and processing citrus oils for a variety of applications. Visits to the essential oil producing companies usually followed a similar format; an introduction to the companys operations, a guided tour of the production plant and laboratories, where participants were able to quiz the staff. Following the unloading and washing of the fruit, we then saw various types of extraction equipment including the "rasping" technique used to obtain the oil from the peel called pelatrice, and then the process of removing the oil after the juice is expressed, known as sfumatrice. The diagram below illustrates the citrus essential oil production flow chart in operation at Citrus Vita s.p.a. one of the companies visited during the Tour. We were able to compare and discuss the main organoleptic and chemical characteristics of a wide range of citrus oils obtained by the different processes, including lemon, blood and blond sweet orange oils, mandarin oils (red, green and yellow) and bergamot oils that the companies produce. In addition, each company provided a selection of delicious Italian snacks and in several cases superb lunches and dinners, as well as information packages and gifts for each of the participants.

Citrus Essential Oil Production Flow Chart

Source: Citrus Vita SRL Unloading Selection and Washing

Oil extraction

Pelatrice extractor

In-line extractor

Oil centrifuges

Quality Control It was apparent during the visits that quality control issues have increased in importance in recent years, and that this involves all sectors of the operation from fruit growing, transport and arrival at the factory, the processing technology, production control, sophisticated laboratory testing, traceability systems, data collection, research and development and the employment of skilled technical and managerial staff. Most companies meet various international standard guidelines, such as ISO 9001, HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practice which ensures that various national and international food directives and rules are met. Several companies are also certified to sell organic, kosher and halal products. Organic oils In response to the increasing interest in a healthier way of life and greater consumer awareness about organic growing methods, a number of companies visited have undertaken various processing changes to enable them to produce a growing number of organic essential oil and other products to meet the new market needs. Several of the companies are now certified for organic production using internationally recognised bodies, such as Ecocert. Monday 23 February Corleone Agrumaria Following the Welcome Reception and meal on Sunday evening, the Group set off early on Monday morning to visit the operations of Agrumaria Corleone in Palermo, which has over 100 years of experience in processing and manufacturing citrus oils for a variety of applications including food and beverages, perfumery, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and detergent use. The company is a joint stock company, whose shares belong entirely to the Corleone family and four generations have been involved in the companys operations. Over the years the company has grown steadily through the adoption of a range of technological innovations. The factory covers an area of 25,000 square metres, within which are 25,000 cubic metres of cold rooms, laboratories and offices. The plants are managed under the HACCP system using the most modern production methods. The plant has three different lines for the processing of lemons, oranges and mandarins. Corleones lemon processing capacity is 43,000 tonnes, with lemon oil production of 172 tonnes. Equivalent figures for orange (blond and blood) are 30,000 tonnes capacity, and orange oil production of 45 tonnes. Equivalent figures for mandarin are 6,000 tonnes and 12 tonnes of mandarin oil. 7

Following a presentation the Group spent two hours touring the processing plant, where lemon and blood oranges (with its bright red fruit and juice) were being processed. The company also processes bitter orange, blond orange, mandarin and bergamot. The company has three independent production lines for processing lemons, oranges, mandarins, as well as grapes. Juices and essential oils are extracted by two methods, namely in-line extractors and pelatrice and policitrus plants. The juice is then pasteurised, depulped and concentrated under vacuum in order to obtain products with the most desirable levels of cloud and stability. The essential oils are extracted cold and separated by special high-speed centrifuges to obtain the highest possible yield. We then visited the companys laboratories, where we compared the aromas of many of these products, including the green, yellow and red mandarin. The company sells its products all over the world, with more than 70% of production exported. Major markets include the EU (55%), USA (5%) and Asia (10%).

Nisida BesT s.r.l. In the afternoon, following an excellent lunch hosted by BesT, at the beautiful Hotel Baglio Conca DOro Alla Carteria Grande on the outskirts of Palermo, the Group then headed to BesTs Factory Nisida to view the lemon processing operations. BesT s.r.l. was established in late 1993, as a limited private company focussing on the production and trade of Italian citrus derivatives including blond and blood oranges, lemon and mandarin. Most of BesTs range of citrus fruit derivatives is produced in its state of the art plant in Linera (Catania), located close to Mount Etna, in an area very important for lemon and Sicilian blood orange cultivation.

In the evening the Group headed off to Mondello, Palermo famous beach area, where there was another excellent dinner hosted by Agrumaria Corleone, On arriving back at the Hotel, those Group members still awake after an exhausting day watched a traditional puppet show in Sicilian dialect that had been put on at the hotel for our benefit. The show consisted of a series of medieval chivalric episodes dealing with issues topical today, namely the clash between Christianity and Islam the puppetry was impressive, especially since each puppet weighed some 20kgs or more. Tuesday 24th February Lemon Fields

On Tuesday 24th February we checked out of the hotel and headed for the lemon fields of Bagheria, where a cooperative member explained in detail the operations of the citrus plantations.

Candifrucht s.p.a. and Capua s.r.l. Then we headed eastwards along the coast road to the Candifrucht Factory at Barcellona. Candifrucht is an associated partner to Capua, and another family-owned company, led by Nunzio Calabr. The Group, guided by Gianfranco Capua and Lawrence Bert, toured the newly installed Brown extraction equipment, involving a fully integrated production chain from juice, oil and candied fruits productions.

The company extracts lemon, blood orange, mandarin and cedrat oils. Candifrucht and Capua then hosted an excellent lunch at Trattoria la Taverna in Barcellona.

Citrus Vita s.p.a. After lunch, the Group headed to the modern Citrus Vitas factory and offices, located in the Pace del Mela industrial area, Messina district, about half way from the main Sicilian and Calabrian citrus fruits production centres. Citrus Vita s.p.a. is owned by Caratozzolo family, who were involved in the fresh fruit business prior to establishing the processing operations in 1996, since when production has steadily grown. The operation covers some 20,000 sq. metre, of which 6,000 are covered, and the company produces single strength juices, concentrated juices, and essential oils through direct extraction of citrus fruits. These products are used in the beverage and food sectors as well as in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and detergent sectors. The company manufactures cold pressed oils, hot recovered oils, terpenes, concentrated oils, deterpenated oils and aromas from lemons, mandarins and oranges. Average yearly processing figures are: 30,000 tonnes of lemons, 20,000 tonnes of oranges (blood and blond), and 2,000 tonnes of mandarins. Because of the equipment used (including 21 FMC extractors), the company is in a position to obtain 1.3-1.6 tonnes of cp oil/day during the peak of the season. The flow chart of the companys processing operations are illustrated in the above diagram, and during the visit the participants saw: 3 separate lines for fruits receiving 16 silos dedicated to the fruits receiving with a total capacity of 192 tonnes 21 FMC extractors able to process 45.000 kg of fruit/hour 3 centrifuges able to separate 30,000 litres of emulsion (water + oil) per hour; 180 kg - 225 kg of cold pressed oil/hour Chilled storage for essential oils: up to 700 drums x 180 kg + 17 tins of 4 and 8 tons capacity total volume: 328 tonnes; winterization: 2 tins of 7 tonnes at -15c + 2 tins of 40 tonnes at -22C. Deterpenation/concentration operations; using a small hot deterpenator the production capacity of concentrated oils (folded from 2 to 5 as standard with the possibility of increasing) goes from 180kg to 72kg in 8 hours. The production capacity of deterpenated oil (folded 20 times for instance) is 20 kg in about 8 hours.

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Following the factory tour, Simona Caratozzolo, the Sales Director, discussed the main organoleptic and chemical characteristics of the lemon oils, blood and blond sweet orange oils and the mandarin oils that the company produces. The company also produces organic, kosher and halal products both for the export and domestic markets. Wednesday 25th February Misitano e Stracuzzi s.p.a. Following an overnight stay in the centre of Messina some 2 miles from the Mainland, Wednesday saw the Group heading down the eastern coast of Sicily for a visit to the Misitano e Stracuzzi factory at Furci Siculo, a small seaside town. The factory is situated close to the beach and despite the difficulty of access and the location in the centre of town the Group were very impressed at the new processing equipment and sound-proofing installed on the restricted site. The company produces and markets a wide range of citrus essential oils and juices. As separate companies, Misitano and Stracuzzi have been producing essential oils and citrus juices since the early years of the 20th century. In 1974 the two firms decided to combine to create Misitano & Stracuzzi s.p.a., and today the company is managed by members of the fourth generation of two families, several of whom were met during the visit. O. P. Red Co.P, (Consorzio Produttori Soc Consortile a.r.l) In the afternoon, we travelled further down the coast alongside Mount Etna to visit citrus fields and the grading and packing plant of Red Co.P, (Consorzio Produttori Soc Consortile a.r.l) a cooperative group of 242 partners of citrus fruit and vegetable growers based in Palagonia. Its ultimate objective is to produce and market high quality citrus fruits and vegetables, cultivated according to the regulations governing organic and integrated production. The group cultivates some 1,600 hectares of mainly blood orange but also mandarin, clementine and lemon, of which 630 hectares are organic.

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Following the visit to the orchards the group then visited the fruit packing operations of Red Co.P.

We arrived at our new hotel in the beautiful medieval town of Taormina at around 19.00 having to switch to small buses to transport us up the Monte Tauro and through the narrow streets. In the morning we had wonderful views towards Mt. Etna and the coast. Thursday 26th February University of Messina Analytical Food Chemistry Group On Thursday 26th February we drove back into Messina to visit the new EU-funded analytical laboratories at the University of Messina, where detailed presentations were made about the innovations underway in analysing essential oil constituents, which could have important implications for detecting adulteration and pesticide content. Three excellent presentations were made:

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1. Rosaria Costa, Maria Rosa De Fina, Maria Rita Valentino, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Giovanni Dugo GC and GC-MS of Citrus Oils 2. Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Giovanni Dugo HPLC and HPLC-MS of Oxygen Heterocyclic Components Of Citrus Oils 3. Luigi Mondello, Peter Quinto Tranchida, Danilo Sciarrone, Paola Dugo, Giovanni Dugo Innovative Analytical Approaches Applied to Essential Oils Copies of the presentations were circulated to Tour participants Capua 1880 s.r.l. Following a short ferry ride to the mainland we visited the operations of Capua 1880 s.r.l. in Reggio Calabria. The company is today managed by a 4th generation family member, Gianfranco Capua, son of Mimo Capua, who lately passed away, and who for many years was a member of IFEATs Executive Committee. Mimos wife, Pina, a regular attendee at IFEAT Conferences was there to greet us. During the last three years the company has undertaken a large investment programme and alongside the new Brown production lines in Sicily, the Group were also shown the two types of pelatrice in Calabria for all Italian citrus products. During the visit we saw bergamot pelatrice extraction and further processing operations and the laboratories. Bergamot is not an edible fruit and therefore (in theory) is not eligible for EU subsidies. The oil is widely used in fragrance creation, and less commonly used in flavour creation, with a major use in the production of Earl Grey tea. The company supplies the international market for bergamot and green mandarin oils from its operations in Calabria and lemon, mandarins, cedrat and orange oils from its Sicily operations. For each and every citrus oil there are difficulties in summing up their existing olfactory characteristics and Capua has developed an Olfactory Agenda in order for customers to grasp the differences and select citrus products according to their needs. The new 2008 edition was distributed to all the participants. The Group also visited the QC department, where the company closely monitors the various natural products in order to meet the increasingly stringent EU regulations. The range of furocoumarins and pesticides reduced products are the latest illustration of this policy.

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Friday 27th February Bergamot Fields The last day of the field trip saw a visit to a bergamot field at Pellaro outside Reggio, where the last few fruits were being harvested at the end of the season. Bergamot yields are affected by climatic factors, but on average a 20-year old tree would yield between 100 to 120 kg of oil, with 1 kg of oils being obtained from 200 kg of fruit. The best crop provides a yield of 0.07 (i.e. 7 kg of oil per tonne) with big fruit yielding 0.03 to 0.035. The bergamot harvest starts in mid-late November, with the earlier crop being greener and smaller. We were just in time to see the last few fruits of the season.

On the bergamot field trip we were accompanied by members of Cilione s.r.l., including Enzo Cilione, Alberto Arrigo, Remy Bontoux, Nicholas Herve and Hans Pfeiffer. During the season Cilione processes bergamot from around 260 hectares, approximately a quarter of Italys bergamot production area. Cilione s.r.l. Five generations of the Cilione family have been involved in the production of citrus oils beginning at the end of the 19th century. Initially the family began working with bitter orange oil, which was used for industrial purposes. Then bergamot oil was introduced followed by other southern Italian citrus fruits. In 2001 the Cilione family merged with the Bontoux family to create the joint venture Cilione s.r.l. The Group visited the old bergamot factory of Cilione at Reggio where we saw the extraction process. The facility covers some 700 square metres. On arrival the bergamot fruit are sorted then washed. A conveyor belt then takes them to the pelatrice equipment where the fruit surfaces are scrapped by plates covered in needles. The fruit are constantly sprayed with water which creates an emulsion of essential oil and water. This emulsion is then put in a centrifuge which separates out the essential oil. The equipment can process between 16 and 20 tonnes of fruit per hour, equivalent to some 15.00/17.50 kg per hour of bergamot oil (i.e. approximately 1 drum per day).

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The company produces a range of products. These include the production of oils of bergamot, mandarin, lemon, orange, clementine and petitgrains as well as allied products and their derivatives. In addition, the company uses it processing knowledge to make other citrus oils, such as tangerine, grapefruit and lime. All Cilione products are kosher certified and in-house the company produces organiccertified bergamot oil. The Group then visited the new Cilione facility which is being established a short distance away from the existing factory. The new facility will have a productive area of around 1,000 square metres and should be opened by the Summer in time for the new harvest. The facility will have new processing equipment including one line dedicated to organic oil production as well as a molecular distiller. The new facility will have ISO and NOP certification to add to the HACCP, kosher and EU organic certification of the existing plant. Also the new facility will have new office space of around 200 square metres which will include QC equipment that includes analysis of pesticides and furocumarins content.

Following an excellent lunch hosted by Cilione, Tour participants visit the Bar "Il Bergamotto" where we saw old processing equipment and tasted different types of Bergamot-flavoured desserts.

In the evening the Group had a farewell dinner, where the hotel provided an IFEAT cake to celebrate the occasion.

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