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Bright red, elongated, sweet and sour: these are the distinctive features of the San Marzano tomato. Almost seedless and easy to peel, the San Marzano tomato is sapid and incredibly fragrant. The ideal conditions of the Sarno-Nocera countryside have contributed to its perfect balance between sugar and acids. Nicknamed the red gold of Campania, in 1996 it received the San Marzano Tomato of Agro Sarnese-Nocerino PDO and since 1999 it has been under the tutelage of the Consortium for the Protection of the San Marzano Tomato of Agro Sarnese-Nocerino.
The upward-growing San Marzano
Tomato The San Marzano tomato is grown in flat, volcanic grounds, in 3-4,000m² lots, where the tomato shoots are transplanted during April and May. The San Marzano tomato is grown vertically, with the aid of poles and wire. The operation requires considerable labour costs. The harvest is carried out manually in August and September. The production area encompasses 41 towns in the provinces of Salerno, Avellino and Naples. 90% of the produce is sold on the foreign market, with only 10% consumed domestically. This is because Italian consumers are more interested in processed tomato products, namely sauces and purées.
Organoleptic properties of the San Marzano Tomato
The San Marzano Tomato is a celebrated antioxidant due to its high lycopene content. It is highly-recommended in low-calorie diets, for its low calorie count, that is 20kcal/100g. It is a powerful diuretic and laxative, because of its high water and fibre content. The real San Marzano Tomato must bear the San Marzano Tomato of Agro Sarnese-Nocerino PDO mark. Since 2000, both the fresh produce and the processed tomato products have been in the Slow Food Presidium list.
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