L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano IMPRESA ITALIA MADE IN ITALY TOP BRANDS BUSINESS & ECONOMY C irio Conserve, an iconic name in the Italian food industry, repre- sents a significant part of Italy's culinary history. F o u n d e d b y F r a n c e s c o Cirio in 1856, the company b e c a m e a p i o n e e r i n t h e industrial preservation of tomatoes and other vegeta- bles. Cirio's impact on the food industry is profound, largely due to its innovation in the canning process, which revolutionized the way food was stored and distributed, not only in Italy but around the world. Francesco Cirio, born in 1836 in Nizza Monferrato, was a visionary entrepreneur: he moved to Turin, where he began experimenting with the preservation of vegetables through a canning process. This was a time when food preservation was becoming increasingly important due to the growing urban popula- tions and the need for stable food supplies that could with- stand long periods without spoiling. Cirio's first major success came with tomatoes, a staple in Italian cuisine: he managed to develop a technique for canning them in a way that retained their taste and nutri- tional value, something revo- lutionary at the time. The process involved blanching the tomatoes to remove their s k i n s , s e a l i n g t h e m i n t i n cans, and then sterilizing the cans through boiling. This method allowed tomatoes to be shipped and stored for long periods, making them accessi- ble to people far from where they were grown. Francesco Cirio's initial success with canning toma- toes laid the groundwork for an extensive product range that eventually included not just a variety of vegetables like peas, beans, and corn, but also fruits such as peach- es and apricots. The expan- sion was also a reflection of a growing consumer demand for a wider variety of conve- nient, shelf-stable foods. The introduction of sauces and other tomato-based prod- u c t s , s u c h a s p a s s a t a (strained tomatoes) marked a s i g n i f i c a n t e v o l u t i o n i n C i r i o ' s o f f e r i n g s b e c a u s e these products catered to the needs of modern households looking for convenient cook- ing ingredients that did not compromise on taste or qual- ity. Indeed, the company's commitment to quality and innovation quickly estab- lished its products as staples in Italian kitchens, with the Cirio name becoming syn- onymous with authenticity and culinary excellence. This reputation was not confined t o I t a l y : C i r i o ' s p r o d u c t s gained international recogni- tion, exporting Italian culi- nary traditions and flavors worldwide. During the 20th century, Cirio Conserve's influence on the industrialization of food production in Italy became more pronounced. The com- pany was at the forefront of research and development in food preservation, leading to significant advancements s u c h a s t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of concentrated tomato paste, a staple in kitchens around the world for its rich flavor and convenience. Cirio also pioneered new packaging solutions, such as the intro- duction of easy-open cans and more durable packaging materials, which improved product safety, shelf life, and consumer convenience. However, like many his- toric companies, Cirio faced challenges, including finan- cial difficulties in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. D e s p i t e t h e s e h u r d l e s , i t remained an important name in the Italian food industry, and a symbol of Italy's rich culinary tradition and of its contributions to food technol- ogy and preservation. Today, Cirio is owned by the Conserve Italia coop- erative, a major player in the European agri-food sector. Conserve Italia represents a group of over 14,000 farmers and operates several well- known brands in addition to Cirio, including Valfrutta and Y o g a , a m o n g o t h e r s . T h e cooperative model allows the company to oversee the entire production chain, from culti- vation to distribution, ensur- ing high standards of quality and sustainability are main- tained. Cirio continues to offer a wide range of preserved food products and keeps embody- ing the tradition and innova- tion that marked its founding over a century and a half ago. Today, its products are found on the shelves of supermar- kets and in the kitchens of homes and restaurants across Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond: the brand's rep- utation for quality products transcended Italian borders, making it a household name in many countries. T he history of mir- rors dates back t h o u s a n d s o f years, when our ancestors would use natural bodies of water, like lakes and ponds, as the f i r s t r e f l e c t i v e s u r f a c e s , intrigued by their own images seen in these transient reflec- tions. Curiosity led to experi- m e n t a t i o n w i t h p o l i s h e d stones and metals, such as obsidian, copper, and bronze, to create rudimentary mir- rors across various ancient civilizations . T h e A n c i e n t G r e e k s and Romans advanced mir- ror technology by using pol- i s h e d m e t a l , p a r t i c u l a r l y bronze and copper, to pro- duce small, handheld mir- rors. Despite their limita- tions, such as tarnishing and distorted reflections, these metal mirrors were a symbol of wealth and power and were w i d e l y u s e d t h r o u g h o u t antiquity . The Romans marked a pivotal moment in mirror history by pioneering the use of glass as a reflective sur- face: they used a technique known as silvering, an early form of what would evolve into modern mirror-making techniques. Roman silvering involved the use of a tin-mer- cury amalgam or other met- als as the reflective layer. Over time, these methods evolved, eventually leading to t h e u s e o f s i l v e r , w h i c h offered better reflectivity and durability. Significant advancements in glass mirror production emerged during the Islamic G o l d e n A g e , w i t h I s l a m i c scholars and artisans in the Middle East developing new techniques for creating glass mirrors. This included the use of molten glass and metal to create a smoother and more uniform reflective surface. The city of Venice became a key center for high-quality mirror production during the 11th century when Murano glassmakers revolutionized mirror making. They created cristallo, a remarkably clear g l a s s t h a t s i g n i f i c a n t l y e n h a n c e d t h e c l a r i t y a n d reflectivity of mirrors, and i m p r o v e d t h e s i l v e r i n g process by applying a tin foil s h e e t o v e r t h e g l a s s , t h e n adding mercury to create a reflective layer, and finally sealing it with another glass layer for improved durability. These innovations not only advanced the quality of mir- rors but also laid the founda- tion for the techniques used in modern mirror production and marked a significant leap in the craft of mirror-making. An old fashioned mirror. Modern mirrors as we know them have been developed through centuries with the contribution of both Ancient Rome and Venice (Photo: Yury Asotov/Dreamstime) The iconic blue label of Cirio tomato sauce (Photo: Cineberg Ug/Dreamstime) F r o m R o m e t o V e n i c e : t h e creation of the perfect mirror Cirio Conserve: a staple in every pantry

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