"The Sicilian citrus supply chain has always been a pillar of our agriculture and, for this reason, I consider it essential that all operators adopt transparent behaviour and good production practices, also in the light of recent scientific evidence raising doubts about the citrus varieties used for the production of blood orange juice," reports Ketty Messina, quality control manager at Ortogel.
"In support of this and in this direction, a recent study conducted by the University of Catania, entitled 'High Resolution Melting DNA analysis for the traceability of plants and juices of blond and pigmented sweet orange', has shown how modern genetic analysis techniques allow the citrus varieties present in juices to be identified with extreme precision."
© Ortogel SpA
The results of the above-mentioned work have shown that some of the juices marketed under the name 'blood orange' are, on the basis of analyses carried out on samples of the derivatives, non-compliant, in that they are obtained from varietal blends that are not declared or are not consistent with the label. This practice compromises commercial fairness and undermines not only consumer confidence, but also specific identity productions of Sicilian citrus fruit farming."
"The scientific evidence," explains Salvatore Imbesi, manager of Ortogel, "has inevitably attracted the attention of the supervisory bodies, which have started control activities and reported the irregularities to the judicial authorities. The aim is to combat the phenomenon of food counterfeiting and protect end consumers. It is worth remembering that, in addition to constituting food fraud, such behaviour causes serious damage to the image of the entire Sicilian citrus fruit sector, penalising above all those companies that operate in compliance with the rules."
© Ortogel SpA
"We therefore reiterate our commitment to protecting the supply chain and the identity of the Sicilian produce by further strengthening the checks on raw material suppliers and promoting respect for the principles of transparency and proper management along the entire supply chain with a targeted information campaign, combined with visits to our suppliers' premises."
In this context, Ortogel has already firmly reminded all operators of the strict observance of certain fundamental rules, which are indispensable to guarantee conformity of production and market protection.
More specifically:
- deliver citrus fruits strictly separated by variety, species, and type
- avoid any form of undeclared mixing, both when harvesting and during delivery;
- ensure full and punctual correspondence between the product delivered and the accompanying documentation (DDT).
"Failure to comply with these requirements exposes the entire supply chain to significant regulatory, sanctioning, and reputational risks, in addition to possible direct intervention by the competent authorities. Now more than ever, the protection of Sicilian citrus cultivation depends on a sense of responsibility and collective commitment. Only through correct and verifiable behaviour will it be possible to preserve the value of a sector that must continue to be synonymous with quality, authenticity, and legality. The supply chain is therefore called upon to work as a team, to defend a heritage that belongs not only to the operators of the sector, but to the entire Sicilian territory," concludes Salvatore Imbesi.
For more information: 
Ortogel Srl
C.da Balchino Industrial Zone
95039 Caltagirone (CT) - Italy
+39 0933 1902800
+39 348 8949166
[email protected]
www.ortogel.com
