The specifications concerning Pomodoro di Pachino IGP classify and protect four different types of tomato, with different peculiarities and destined to different markets.
“Round Smooth”
It is small and round, dark green, unique because of its very marked flavour. It is very appreciated by the consumers beyond the Alps. Its fruits have a consistency without equal.
“Bunch”
It is either bunched or stoned and can be either green or red. It is round, smooth, with a bright and attractive colour, and a very dark green collar. Its weight changes in conformity with the saltiness of the soil.
“Ribbed”
It is a big fruit, very attractive from an aesthetical viewpoint, with marked ribs, and a very dark and bright green colour. This typology achieved the preference of home market, replacing during the winter (optimum time for the production of this typology) the round one ideal for salad. The ribbed tomato highlights its better characteristics if it is cultivated in soils whose saltiness is very high.
“Cherry”
It is characteristic because of its appearance of a ‘cherry’ on a herring-bone bunch with round, small fruits with an excellent colour and high brix grade.
How to recognize it 
The trademark of Pomodoro di Pachino IGP represents the picture of the island of Sicily with a circle in its outermost point, where the production zone is located. Its shape is a rhomb with rounded dark green corners, including an internal round pale yellow profile, with light green outlines. The geometric figure is cut down by the white writing “Pomodoro di Pachino” included in a rectangular black stripe. At the bottom of the trademark, the IGP writing in pale yellow is present. It appears in the packages alongside with the UE sign according to the CEE rules no. 1726/98 of July 22nd 1998.
The use of this trademark is controlled by the Consortium. Pomodoro di Pachino IGP must be packed by using new packages, disposable, of different typologies, acknowledged by the laws in force, that do not exceed 10 kilo net weight. A fastener (guarantee seal) must be put on every package. It must prevent from extracting the contents without breaking it. On this fastener the trademark of Pomodoro di Pachino IGP, as well the UE identifier of IGP and writing ‘Guaranteed by Ministry of Alimentary Agricultural and Forester Politics according art. 10 of Reg. (CE) 510/2006’ must be written.
The open package is admitted only if the single fruits are identified by means of adhesive labels with the characteristic mark of IGP; as for the typology of bunch tomatoes, instead of adhesive labels, clips with the characteristic mark of IGP are accepted; anyway, the packaging must be labelled. The contents of every packaging and packet must be homogeneous and include tomatoes of the same variety or typology of fruits, grade, and calibre. In addition, the fruits must be homogeneous as for their ripeness and colour.
The Pachino in cooking
One of the peculiarities of Pomodoro di Pachino IGP is its conservation time, that exceeds the one of other varieties of tomatoes. In order to taste it at its best the ideal is to eat it raw. However, it can be used in cooking, for flavouring, exalting, and decorating the plates of Mediterranean cooking. When it is fresh, it is a very good ingredient in mixed salads, cold pastas, and for flavouring minestrones and first courses. It is perfect on pizza. Ancient Sicilian traditions contemplate to dry tomatoes and conserve them in extra-virgin olive oil. This way it is used in appetizers and on canapés, in pastes, with boiled meats, and for preparing rolls and sandwiches.
