Visiting Domo Pistachio
Yes, this time we invite you to take a virtual tour through Domo Pistachio with us. We are delighted to show you that what we say about “from the field to your hands” is real participating in all the pistachio processes: from the cultivation to the customer. Almost, almost until the exquisite flavor of a good pistachio, that is to say a Domo Pistachio, reaches your taste.
The fields and cultivation at Domo Pistachio
We are going to start the tour, through the hectares of land dedicated to the cultivation of our pistachios trees; that with care and passion we manage to harvest every season.
We will walk through the wonderful fields of La Mancha and admire the beauty of the pistachio trees. Now is the best time for seeing them as their maturation phase has passed and they begin to open up. It is now and until October when we will collect the pistachio nuts. Our work these months is really intense!
Did you know…
… a pistachio tree needs seven to ten years to begin to bear nut fruit? You have to take great care of them to reach that time!
… our crops are in La Mancha where it is the best conditions for their needs:
- Cold hours (between 700 and 2000 hours).
- Hours of heat (not less than 3000 hours).
- Cold winter but no late frost.
- Long, dry and hot summer.
- Deep and limestone soil.
In addition, 90% of the crops are organic, which means that care and dedication are further increased due that we do not use herbicide and insecticide pesticides.
Welcome to the processing plant
Once the pistachios are collected (differentiated and separated the conventional ones from the ecological ones) the next phase begins in the Processing Plant. We have two processing plant areas with more than 3000 m2.
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Reception and dump:
Farmer partners bring their consignments and these are meticulously received. They turn over and the identification process begins.
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Waste separation:
Pistachio is separated from what is not worth it (leaves, branches, soil, shells …).
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Low temperature drying:
At Domo Pistachio we apply linear drying in which the pistachio does not withstand excessive loads. By performing with a limited flow of product, less friction is achieved and more efficient and shock-free drying. Our pistachios without stains and without traces of polishing in their shell, presents a great neatness.
At this time, a sample is taken for humidity and performance control.
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Separation of open and closed mouth pistachios:
It is here when the already opened pistachios are rescued naturally. With those that have been kept closed, they will be shelling for obtaining pistachio kernels. The shelled pistachio is the perfect for food and/or cosmetic industry.
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Calibration:
Now it’s time to measure them. Our most common sizes are:
- Large: 18-20 grains per ounce.
- Medium 20-22 grains per ounce.
- Small 23-25 grains per ounce.
And exceptionally, depending on the season, we have a 16/17 caliber. One Ounce is equivalent to 28,3495 grams.
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Mechanical selection of clean pistachios:
The number of clean pistachios is quite high in our production thanks to the drying process we use. Here an optical machine makes a selection.
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Manual selection of clean pistachio:
Fine work is done by a number of people, who with their good eye and experience only leave an aesthetically flawless final product.
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Weighing, packaging and labeling:
Depending on the type of pistachio
- Naturally open In shell Pistachio(Eco/BIO and conventional)
- Mechanically opened In shell Pistachio(Eco/BIO and conventional).
- Roasted and salted In shell Pistachio (Eco/BIO and conventional).
- Shelled/Kernels (Eco/BIO and conventional).
It is weighed, packaged and labeled to complete our clients’ orders. Right after this process samples are taken for analysis.
Storage, Distribution and … enjoy them!
They are stored at a temperature slightly below 6ºC and it is prepared for distribution or it is prepared so that the client picks up the order that he has requested.
Quality controls throughout the process.
At Domo Pistachio we subject each batch to exhaustive quality controls to comply with the certifications we have and to be consistent with our commitment to maintaining a high level of quality. This requires us to incorporate controls and daily inspections in each and every one of our routine processes, thus being able to guarantee total and absolute traceability in each batch.
Here we end the visit. A job well done and proud to seal it with our name.
What if we say goodbye tasting some pistachios with the drink you like the most? We can’t think of a better way to tell you until next month! You will also find us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.