- A three-year agreement that, based on Italian culinary traditions, focuses on quality-oriented research, promoting a healthy diet, respecting the environment, and reducing food waste
- The real novelty will be the pizzas with dough made 100% with sourdough and San Marzano PDO tomatoes, offered in the onboard pizzerias under the new Pummid'Oro brand
A project based on a three-year cooperation to promote sustainable food on board the ships of the fleet is the content of the agreement announced today by Costa Cruises (www.costacruceros.es) and the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo (www.unisg.it).
Starting with Mediterranean and Italian culinary traditions, a distinctive feature of what Costa has been offering for the last 67 years, the project seeks to develop research that, by improving the taste of good food, focuses on quality, respect for the environment, increasing awareness of healthy eating and reducing food waste.
Thanks to this agreement, Costa and UNISG will begin working together on the re-evaluation of some of the food preparation processes on board and the selection of products and suppliers based on sustainability factors, providing passengers with information that improves their awareness of the importance and value of food, and offering training for Costa staff at UNISG.
“Food and nutrition are key aspects of people’s lives and fundamental factors when choosing a cruise,” says Neil Palomba, CEO of Costa Cruises. “Our company has always maintained the highest standards in this area, offering the best of Italy on board our ships. Now, we want to go a step further and look to the future. The agreement announced today will allow us to highlight the importance of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, giving our passengers the pleasure of enjoying food that is ‘good’ in every sense: for the palate, for a healthy and balanced diet, for personal well-being, and for the environment. It will be another journey within the journey we already offer to those who choose to spend their holidays with Costa.”
Silvio Barbero, Vice President of the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG), adds: “We are delighted to offer UNISG's expertise to a project focused on innovation in such a specific sector as Costa Cruises. These collaborative efforts will allow us, through our holistic approach, to impact food production and service models and can serve as a foundation for future reflection, replicating similar experiences and creating new challenges for the sector. UNISG's research, and our branch dedicated to innovation and relationships with companies in particular, are specializing in supporting real-world projects that generate changes in both methods and consumption. We are very optimistic about what the future holds.”
The first result of this important project is the introduction of pizzas prepared exclusively with sourdough, which will be available from December 5th aboard the Costa Diadema, the fleet's flagship, and subsequently on other ships. To present this culinary innovation to passengers, the Italian company has created a new brand, Pummid'oro, which will become a hallmark of the onboard pizzerias.
The entire batch will be made with sourdough, making it more natural, easier to digest, and with excellent nutritional content. Thanks to UNISG's consulting services, Costa has acquired a sourdough starter from an Italian company to optimize the onboard management of this meal.
Even the flour suppliers will be exclusively Italian. In addition to type 00 flour, a blend of flours rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, selenium, and many other vitamins and nutrients will also be used. San Marzano PDO tomatoes will be the main ingredient in the pizzas offered on board, staying true to Italian tradition, along with some special variations skillfully created by Riccardo Bellaera, Costa's Head Pastry Chef and Baker, together with the UNISG team.
There will also be a specific training program for pizzaioli , taught by educators from a UNISG program in Pollenzo, for whom the theoretical part on preparing pizza with sourdough will be presented through lessons on chemical, microbiological and food technologies.
