Pistachio

It belongs to the dioic species: its flowers are unisexual and grow separated. A male tree can produce as much pollen as to fecundate up to 10 female plants. Pistachio fructifies every two years and the crop is made on September, by hand, sometimes using nets or tarpaulins. It is to be noticed that it takes 6-7 years for a new pistachio plantation to develop its first fruit and it takes not less than 15-18 years to enter into the highest cycle of production. Nevertheless, the production of a pistachio tree is extremely changeable.  After fruits are collected their husk is to be taken off and then fruits need to rest under the sun for some days. Sicily is the only Italian region where "Pistacia vera" pistachio is produced, a variety that grows only in its rugged lands and in no other part of Europe.

Differently from the varieties cultivated in the Mediterranean region and in the American continent, it has peculiar colours and organoleptic qualities that make it unique all over the world. It may be due to the land and Etna Vulcan, to the temperature, the rootstock, the traditions passed from father to son, anyway it is  only in this region that the fruit reaches such a shiny Emerald colour and such a strong perfume. This fruit is unique in terms of flavour and colour, but its production is extremely limited: only 1% of the world production, out of which 20% remains in Italy. 

A bit of history
It was the Arabs, when they conquered Sicily, who started to promote and spread the culture of pistachio in the island. The species enjoyed special development from the second half of the Seventeenth Century within the province of Caltanissetta, Agrigento and Catania. Nowadays Sicilian Pistachio is considered the finest variety at international level. Thanks to its flavour and its organoleptic qualities it is considered the king of pastry, ice-cream and more in general of high class gastronomy.

Properties
Pistachio seeds contain a lot of proteins (18-23%), oil (50-60%), vitamins and other non nitrogenous substances (15-17%), among which the active principle of fecundity prevails. Therefore the fruit has an high nutritional value. Thanks to its flavour and its organoleptic qualities the Sicilian green pistachio is traditionally considered the king of pastry, cold cut meats and high class gastronomy.

Did you know...
Like hazelnuts, peanuts and other dry fruits pistachios can be contaminated by aflatoxins!
Aflatoxins are mycotoxins produced by moulds and are considered potentially toxic and carcinogenic; on this purpose the European Union, through the EC Regulation n. 1881 dated 19/12/2006 and following changes and integrations has established a limit in terms of aflatoxins presence in some food products. The contamination can occur directly during cultivation or during the following steps of collection, drying process, preservation, transformation or even transport.

What does Fugar do to protect you?
SWe test the product through two aflatoxins analysis from the arrival of the raw material to the potting of the product. First of all we accept supply of row pistachios seeds only if they  come with the supplier certificate of analysis that ensures the suitability of the product in terms of presence of aflatoxins within the parameters set by the regulation. Moreover we take a sample, that represents the whole supply, and we send it to an external acknowledged and ACCREDIA credited laboratory of analysis for an additional aflatoxins analysis.
Even after the raw milling and stock of the product, we take a sample to make another aflatoxins analysis. Only after the positive result of analysis we proceed with the refining of the paste and the potting of the product.

How do you know it ?
To all its supplies of Smeraldo Sicilian Pistachio 100% Fugar attaches a certificate of aflatoxins analysis that grants that the specific batch of the product complies with the regulation in force.

Curiosity
'Pistachio tree is one of the most ancient dry fruit tree. Just think that human beings have been eating pistachio for 9000 years!
According to a legend, it was cultivated in the wonderful roof gardens of Babylon. It was also very appreciated by the queen of Saba and by the Roman Emperor Vitellio.
The ancient populations also appreciated its medical and aphrodisiac properties as it is testified by quotations on the fruit in the Ancient Bible.

Smeraldo pistachio
Il Our compound ingredient Smeraldo pistachio 100% is widely appreciated both in Italian and foreign markets for its original taste and its suitability in ice-cream and pastry productions. It is ideal to prepare cakes, semifreddo, mousse and pralines, as well as for different ice-cream matches. Our range of Pistachio Smeraldo based products is completed by the following products, ideal to decorate and enrich your preparations: Whole smeraldo pistachios - selected and roasted whole Sicilian Pistachios - Chopped Smeraldo Pistachios - selected and roasted Sicilian Pistachio grains.