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AUG. SEP. 2019 XIV of production, storage and administration of ice for food use. “We are also preparing procedures in collaboration with UNI and ISO,” continues Stucchi, “to give simple and rational instructions to follow.” The operational checklist proposed by INGA is divided into 4 areas (food safety management system, control of self-production of ice, good hygiene practices and product control). For each of them, it foresees a series of questions (about forty in all) that every food operator should ask himself in order to ensure maximum safety for his customers, even in the consumption of ice. The second, more specific part, starts from the questions concerning the healthiness and drinkability of the water, the state of the pipes, the treatments to be carried out on the water. It also includes questions about the management of the ice production plant, the procedures for sanitising, handling and storage of ice. The third part focuses on the risk management system and contains questions on the calibration and maintenance of ice production equipment. The last part deals with the product: analytical plan of water and ice, possible corrective measures... In addition, INGA has prepared a ‘Manual of Good Hygiene Practice’ for the production of food ice, dedicated to the in-depth study of the hygienic and food safety aspects related to the industrial production of packaged ice and the production of food ice for own use. This Manual has been accepted and approved by the Ministry of Health, which published it in the Official Gazette in 2015 and sent it to Brussels for its implementation at EU level. The Manual represents a useful guideline for the bodies in charge of food safety control (NAS, Provincial Analysis Laboratories, ASL) and a shared reference for the companies that produce packaged food ice and for the businesses that produce it: restaurants, bars, pubs, etc... THE ALTERNATIVE: INDUSTRIAL ICE For those who do not want to contend with the procedures and risks associated with the self- production of ice, the alternative is to buy the ready-made ice that is now also found in the frozen food counters in the retail sector. Industrial ice is managed in the same way as any other food: production follows a HACCP plan and operators can take the Manual of Good Hygiene Practice as a reference in the section dedicated to them. The ice must also be labelled and contain the mandatory indications: expiry date, place of production... “Our association,” concludes Stucchi, “gathers together the producers in this sector. Our goal is to spread the culture of ice. For now, it is seen as a commodity, we would like to push the brands in this sector, but it is a path that takes time.” INGA has also provided a detailed check list for industrial manufacturers to ensure the health of the product. THE ICE MARKET The packaged food ice market is worth $4 billion and, in some countries of the world, is already highly developed. At European level, the market is estimated to be worth 500 million euros. Spain has the largest share of the market, around 140 million euros, with an annual consumption of 400 million kilos. Italy is the country with the highest growth potential with an estimated market of between 150 and 200 million euros (I.P.I.A. and E.P.I.A International data and the European Packaged Ice Association). Between 2015 to 2018 the sector grew by 200% and it is estimated that, in a few years, Italy could count a consumption of more than 500,000 tons of ice per year. In the Ho.Re.Ca. channel, in bars, restaurants and discos, annual consumption (self-produced) is estimated at about 180,000,000 kilos. ______________________________ BOX Brief biography Silvano Allambra was born in Milan on May 3, 1952. He attended the Faculty of Economics at the State University of Milan. He entered the catering sector at the age of 24. Supporting his father in his work, in the family business, a pasta factory, he deepened his relationship with a supplier, Ferrarini. From salesman for the famous brand to the move to Ugolotti Zuarina of Langhirano was quick. He arrived at Panino Giusto thanks to a friend. Today Allambra has a stake in this Spa and is a director of Gruppo Sapori Italiani. ______________________________ AT PAGE 50 IN THE PANTRY Salad bar, cherry or ribbed... Here’s the king tomato Impossible to do without it! It is one of the protagonists of Mediterranean cuisine and an excellence of the made in Italy: the tomato, in its many varieties, remains among the most requested and consumed vegetables in the restaurant, regardless of whether it is processed or fresh By Maddalena Baldini In Italy, the tomato harvest, according to Coldiretti’s data for 2018, is an estimated production of about 4,750,000 tons. Certainly a large quantity but one that has showed a lower yield per hectare than in previous years, a decrease due to several factors such as drought problems and an increase in imports of the product from foreign countries. Tomato cultivation is another of the excellences of Made in Italy: an important sector with a supply chain of about 7,000 agricultural companies, over 100 processing companies and more than 10,000 workers, with the addition of 2 billion euros of tomato products exported worldwide. With this data in hand, it can be deduced that, and with good reason, Italy is the top European producer with an annual supply of around 5.5 million tons, also dominating from the point of view of processing and MAGAZINE