The “AZIENDA AGRICOLA CHIESA” (SME) is a family-run farming enterprise. Its initial activities were the cereals production and the beef cattle farming. For zootechnical feeding we use, in addition to cereals, several agro-industrial by-products, including the tomato peels.

1. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
The “AZIENDA AGRICOLA CHIESA” (SME) is a family-run farming enterprise.
Its initial activities were the cereals production and the beef cattle farming.
For zootechnical feeding we use, in addition to cereals, several agro-industrial
by-products, including the tomato peels.
Tomato
peels

2. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
The main productive
activity in the last 8 years
has been the production
of electricity from
renewable sources.
For biogas production we
use the same by-products
as for the cattle and
during this anaerobic
fermentation they are
completely decomposed
except for the tomato
peels.

3. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
Given the ineffectiveness of the tomato peels in the fermentation process we have used the
collaboration of SSICA in order to add value to this material.
Our Participation in BIOCOPAC project allowed us to patent a method to extract the cutin
from the peels, upstream our use, that doesn’t change the properties of the product and
that however allows its use.
Digester
Tomato peels
Tomato peelsDigested

4. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
The extraction method founded
has created the necessity to
industrialize the process to have
a sustainable and marketable
product.
Our Participation at BIOCOPAC PLUS project took shape with the physical realization
of the demonstrative plant for cutin extraction at our farm.

5. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
At our farming enterprise it has been found the
area where build the demonstrative plant.
The works to realize this plant started last
summer.
In this picture we can see the structure before the
transformation.

6. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
WORK IN PROGRESS

7. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio

8. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio
SYSTEM COMPONENTS

9. Sustainable chemistry from tomato skins
at Azienda Agricola Virginio Chiesa
Az. Agr.
Chiesa Virginio