Cento D.O.P. VS Certified San Marzano

[wheelman]

i found these last night.  i haven't tried this brand before but i noticed the DOP. it also has the crop date (2009) which i don't remember seeing before.  i was buying DOP Centos up until about a month ago at WF.  they only have Certified now.

[matermark]

There are 7991 members that have never posted a single message.

How do you know if the label is a real stamp or not. Are they supposed to look like the stamp on the can Matt posted?

As for the members, don't you find that post somewhat anonymous and "perfectly timed?"

As for the bold print above:

See the first post of the first page of this thread, it shows the Cento can and the stamp they use for D.O.P.

Are you suggesting that a very large well known company with office in NJ would EVEN CONSIDER faking labels?

Are you suggesting that someone faked out Cento? Or someone sold fakes to supermarkets? Or that supermarkets are doing it?

If you want, I can try to take a pic of my cento DOP cans showing their serial #s, but they look just like the first post's pic's #s. The #s are far apart yet bought from the same store.

[BrickStoneOven]

Are you suggesting that a very large well known company with office in NJ would EVEN CONSIDER faking labels?

Are you suggesting that someone faked out Cento? Or someone sold fakes to supermarkets? Or that supermarkets are doing it?

If you want, I can try to take a pic of my cento DOP cans showing their serial #s, but they look just like the first post's pic's #s. The #s are far apart yet bought from the same store.

IDK if your being sarcastic or not sinces it's the internet and tone is lost in translation. I was just asking a normal question how your supposed to know if it's a real stamp or not. I checked the LaRegina DOP can I have and it looks like the stamp on the Cento can and the one Matt posted. There is another one that I got from Whole Foods called Famosa and they have the stamp as well.

[matermark]

IDK if your being sarcastic or not sinces it's the internet and tone is lost in translation. I was just asking a normal question how your supposed to know if it's a real stamp or not. I checked the LaRegina DOP can I have and it looks like the stamp on the Cento can and the one Matt posted. There is another one that I got from Whole Foods called Famosa and they have the stamp as well.

All the DOP cans I've seen look to be authentic. Even the Serial #s seem to be... almost.... stamped in, like embossed.

I'm not the person who suggested faked DOP cans, I didn't think that at all. I thought someone here says if you are eating them and they are not great then they are bogus (that's not a quote but you get what I mean.) There's a lot of advertising and pushing SM tomatoes going on in this thread!

I don't know why Cento went to a label that only says CERTIFIED. I can understand why they are putting the same SM tomatoes in cans marked ROA and giving you 25% more product at 32% off though.

[chickenparm]

Folks I have tried out 2 cento cans,one is a regular Cento puree,and the other is the Cento san marzano certified peeled tomatoes.(28 oz cans)

Both are very good products,and taste great. That said,I'm curious as to every things thats been said so far,Is the one can,the certified peeled tomatoes, grown and packed from Italy or are you guys thinking its the label trying to sell something more than it is?

This is the same  28 oz can that was shown in the pictures earlier on this thread,no DOP or serial,just says certified on the front of the label.

Its not a huge deal to me,because I'm not going to buy it just because it has a fancy label,or came from a certain place.I go by taste and how easily I can buy something.I'm just curious because I want to know what they actually taste like from over there,to compare it to stuff here.If this is the real deal,then thats great,I can use that for a reference.

Also,That link to the TITINA's cans looks promising so far as well.


 

[FeCheF]

I havent opened the "certified" cans i bought yet, but i can tell you that as a chili head, I dont even care for the "D.O.P. certified" Cento's. So far the best canned tomatoes i have found with very low acidity has been Wegmans brand D.O.P. San Marzano's. And also Pomi brand in the box are pretty good for not being even labeled as San Marzano's.

[matermark]

Where in WNY are you?

[chickenparm]

Fechef,

When I drained the Cento certified SM peeled tomatoes,all the puree juice that was drained out,tasted like a really good tomato soup,if that makes any sense to you.I'm not sure how to describe it here,but that is the best way.Its was very tomatoe-y tasting in juice form.I always taste the juice or whatever gets drained out to the bowl and then see how the tomatoes taste as well.Kinda of a learning process to see what hits the spot and what not with different brands before cooking with them.

Most of the other brands,when I drain them the juice is kinda bland or bitter.I do know,different cans uses different methods to store them inside.

This can does say, SM puree,basil leaf and salt,while others may not similar ingredients.Im happy with it and will try and buy some more in the future if I can locate it locally.

Will try the other brands you folks listed someday as well.Always looking to try new brands and tomatoes.

[FeCheF]

Fechef,

When I drained the Cento certified SM peeled tomatoes,all the puree juice that was drained out,tasted like a really good tomato soup,if that makes any sense to you.
Will try the other brands you folks listed someday as well.Always looking to try new brands and tomatoes.

To me a good tomato soup is on the sweet side, with natural sugar taste, and no acidic or bitter taste.My favorite tomato soup is progresso tomato and basil.I may have to open a can of these cento certified SM's and taste for myself.

Im the same way about trying new brands.Every time i go to a grocery store i go down the tomato isle to see what brands of SM's they have.Just yesterday i went to a east coast supermarket chain called redners and bought a can of Rosa D.O.P. SM's but they were not as good as Wegmans D.O.P. SM's.

[foolishpoolish]

Cento

It seems that Cento imports at least some of its tomatoes from a company known as La Regina di San Marzano di Antonio Romano based in Salerno. Their website is here: http://www.lareginadisanmarzano.com/sito/home.htm

Their corporate video features their processing plant ( http://www.lareginadisanmarzano.com/sito/aziendaok.htm ). Its appearance seems to match the photos shown on Cento's own Facebook entries from Sept. 2010:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=463288001943&set=a.210621131943
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=465187951943&set=a.210621131943
(requires Facebook log in)

Here is information from a shipment dated November 18 2010 from La Regina di San Marzano to Alanric Food Distributors at "100 Cento Blvd Thorofare NJ", the same address as Cento Fine Foods:
http://panjiva.com/La-Regina-Di-San-Marzano-Di-Antonio-Romano-S-R-L/1160907
[NOTE: In the future, this url might not lead to information on the correct shipment. This is due to Panjiva continually updating its "free" shipping information]

Alanric Food Distributors are the owners of the Cento trademark:
https://www.trademarkia.com/cento-85194412.html

Other info regarding San Marzano tomatoes below...

European Union

•   1996 Application for PDO Status: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/documentDisplay.html?chkDocument=2618_1_en
•   In the same year, the official EU journal recognised Pomodoro S. Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino as a registered PDO: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31996R1263:EN:NOT  This is also referred to as "Regulation EC 1263-96" by the "Consortium" (see later)
•   Application for amendments to the PDO specifications (included changes to labelling) was submitted in 2003. Publication of this application in 2010: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2010:073:0042:0048:EN:PDF

Consortium

The Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese Nocerino DOP is perhaps the better known "face" of the San Marzano tomato. The Consoritum website provides the following PDO-related information:
•   Regulation: http://www.consorziopomodorosanmarzanodop.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=76&lang=en
•   Geographical Area: http://www.consorziopomodorosanmarzanodop.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=46&Itemid=77&lang=en
•   As mentioned earlier, "Regulation EC 1263-96": http://www.consorziopomodorosanmarzanodop.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106&Itemid=81&lang=en

IS.ME.CERT

The aforementioned Consortium is NOT the authority/controlling body responsible for certification. In this regard, it is aided by the Istituto Meditteraneo di Certificazione Agroalimentare  or IS.ME.CERT for short. The IS.ME.CERT documentation regarding Pomodoro San Marzano, including various registration forms and details of certification costs, can be found here: http://www.ismecert.com/modulisticapomodoro.htm

[foolishpoolish]

Crap I gave the wrong URL for the shipping information.
Adjusting accordingly if I can. Please understand that Panjiva updates as new shipments come in.

edit: OK Updated

[matermark]

To me a good tomato soup is on the sweet side, with natural sugar taste, and no acidic or bitter taste.My favorite tomato soup is progresso tomato and basil.I may have to open a can of these cento certified SM's and taste for myself.

Im the same way about trying new brands.Every time i go to a grocery store i go down the tomato isle to see what brands of SM's they have.Just yesterday i went to a east coast supermarket chain called redners and bought a can of Rosa D.O.P. SM's but they were not as good as Wegmans D.O.P. SM's.

Where abouts are you FeCheF?

[matermark]

GREAT WORK foolishpoolish!

[foolishpoolish]

GREAT WORK foolishpoolish!

heh thanks!

FWIW Last year, I tried both Cento "Italian" and Cento DOPs (at least that's what they were labelled at the time!) and found the DOPs to be somewhat more metallic tasting. That aside, I'm not sure I could tell much of a difference in taste.

BTW did anyone else see this on the "Consortium" website?

"to promote genetic improvements and provide for preservation and the conservation of the germ-plasma of the ecotypes of autochthonous tomatoes as well as their selection; to take all the initiatives aimed at perfecting and improving the agro-industrial processing of the product;"

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting it, but doesn't "genetic improvement" and "conservation of the germ-plasma" seem something of a conflict?

[FeCheF]

Where abouts are you FeCheF?

Pennsylvania. About 30 minutes from Philly.

[matermark]

heh thanks!

FWIW Last year, I tried both Cento "Italian" and Cento DOPs (at least that's what they were labelled at the time!) and found the DOPs to be somewhat more metallic tasting. That aside, I'm not sure I could tell much of a difference in taste.

BTW did anyone else see this on the "Consortium" website?

"to promote genetic improvements and provide for preservation and the conservation of the germ-plasma of the ecotypes of autochthonous tomatoes as well as their selection; to take all the initiatives aimed at perfecting and improving the agro-industrial processing of the product;"

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting it, but doesn't "genetic improvement" and "conservation of the germ-plasma" seem something of a conflict?

I agree there's a conflict--at least one or two! I'm still trying to find the original San Marzano tomato. Even the Italian govt only narrowed it down to TWO. In my search, I just discovered that the SM industry suffered from cucumber mosaic virus and Monsanto lent a hand!

In 1992, collaboration was initiated between the Italian Institute for Plant Pathology and
Monsanto in order to produce transgenic tomatoes with resistance to CMV [30]. Field
tests were begun in 1993 and lasted through 1999. No insecticides were applied to ensure
a large aphid population [30]. In 1997, comparisons were made between the best
transgenic lines (four lines were completely virus free) and the conventional lines (90%
disease incidence in 10 weeks) [30]. The yield of the transgenic lines was 66% greater
than the conventional lines [30]. Research confirmed that the agronomic traits of the
transgenic varieties met industry standards for processed tomatoes [34]. Subsequently,
the researchers processed and canned the transgenic tomatoes in order to develop a
protocol for detecting the foreign genes in food. The method resulted in a very sensitive
test, which allowed the detection of transgenes in processed tomato [31]. The researchers
also tested for pollen flow between the transgenic plants and untransformed controls in
two Italian growing regions [32]. No transgenic flow was detected in the two fields [32].
It is estimated that the planting of the transgenic tomato varieties resistant to CMV could
prevent the total loss of the production of San Marzano tomatoes in Campania.

[dellavecchia]

I'm still trying to find the original San Marzano tomato.

According to Gustiamo, “The Miracle of San Gennaro” Tomatoes are genetically confirmed 100% San Marzanos:

http://www.gustiamo.com/cgi-bin/front_end/prodotto?id=37

http://gustiamo.typepad.com/gustiblog/2009/03/100-san-marzano.html

John

[matermark]

According to Gustiamo, “The Miracle of San Gennaro” Tomatoes are genetically confirmed 100% San Marzanos:

http://www.gustiamo.com/cgi-bin/front_end/prodotto?id=37

http://gustiamo.typepad.com/gustiblog/2009/03/100-san-marzano.html

John

Thanks John...

Sabatino Abagnale grows San Marzano tomatoes. But not any kind of tomato. He grows Miracles. He uses his own seeds Smec 20 and makes 2.5 kilos of tomatoes per plant. For you to understand the difference, you must know that everybody else uses the commercial and more prolific C3 seeds which produces 10 kilos of tomatoes per plant, with much tougher skin and easier to work with machines. When harvest time comes, end of august and september, Sabatino personally goes and hand picks his perfectly riped tomatoes once a week.

Now, the cherry on the cake: Sabatino just informed us his Miracolo received the results of the DNA test: 100% san marzano genes!!! No other san marzano tomato can claim such a pedigree. Bravo Sabatino!


How come there are more than one SM?

What is the variety of seeds sold as "San Marzano?"

[matermark]

I did receive an e-mail about the CERTIFIED labels and the answer was they are the same tomatoes, same Sarnese Nocerino growing area, but the new agency appointed for the labels after months of delay the labels didn't meet specs even though they are certified authentic (DOP) for the new crop. I hope I said that correctly. I will perhaps post the exact statement at a later date.

[FeCheF]

I hope I said that correctly. I will perhaps post the exact statement at a later date.

No. I think what you meant to say is "the tomatoes didnt meet specs even though they are certified". And you are welcome for the correction.

BTW...I opened a can of these certified cento's tonight to make pizza sauce and i didnt notice any difference between the D.O.P. label. Still too acidic for my taste.Luckily my recipe calls for a bit of sugar so it balanced out a bit. But as i said i am a chili head, and chili in my opnion should never taste sweet, or acidic, so cento brand will never stock my pantry ever again.