+33 680 38 14 46
OP Unionberg : 500 producers of bergamot oranges joined together
Italy
Thursday 19 July 2007
Producers of bergamot oranges from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy, joined together and created the "OP Unionberg". This OP (Producers Organisation) counts about 500 producers of bergamot oranges located in an area of 60 Kms between the cities of Reggio Calabria and Locri, in the province of Reggio Calabria. They all cultivate the bergamot orange DOP. Its production amounts to over 200.000 quintals transformed in essential oil.
The bergamot orange, which is a cross between the pear lemon and the Seville orange or grapefruit, was discovered in 1600, it was mainly produced to extract the essential oil from its aromatic peel, for perfumery. Louis XIV himself used the essence of bergamot diluted with water to freshen up. It became famous in 1705 when added to the composition of the original "Eau de Cologne". It's still utilized nowadays in perfumery as a fixative of different perfume fragances. The essence utilized for the fabrication of cosmetics, candies ( Bergamote de Nancy) is also used for pharmaceuticals. A Veronese laboratory in collaboration with the universities of Messina (Sicily) and Cosenza (Calabria) created a product which has the particularity to lower cholesterol and fat. The bergamot orange is also studied as part of the research against Aids.
The bergamot orange, which is a cross between the pear lemon and the Seville orange or grapefruit, was discovered in 1600, it was mainly produced to extract the essential oil from its aromatic peel, for perfumery. Louis XIV himself used the essence of bergamot diluted with water to freshen up. It became famous in 1705 when added to the composition of the original "Eau de Cologne". It's still utilized nowadays in perfumery as a fixative of different perfume fragances. The essence utilized for the fabrication of cosmetics, candies ( Bergamote de Nancy) is also used for pharmaceuticals. A Veronese laboratory in collaboration with the universities of Messina (Sicily) and Cosenza (Calabria) created a product which has the particularity to lower cholesterol and fat. The bergamot orange is also studied as part of the research against Aids.
