The Fascinating History of Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia Risso & Poiteau), the Exclusive Essence of Calabria: A Review

Abstract

Abstract:The bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau), a citrus fruit growing almost exclusively in the South Italy, is considered the "prince of citrus" for its storical role in the perfume industry due to its essential oil, a product in great demand of a pleasant and refreshing scent. Recently, analgesic, anxiolytic, neuroprotective consistent effects have been ascribed to bergamot essential oil when it is used in aromatherapy, for the relief of pain and symptoms associated with stress-induced anxiety and depression. Moreover, today, bergamot fruit due to a considerable abundance and variety of nutraceutical compounds which are present in its juice, is becoming increasingly important also in the food, pharmaceutical and confectionery industries. In this review, it is discussed that the literature on C. bergamia, focusing on the several studies performed with the experimental data, and recently accumulated, may form the rational basis for further development.

Bergamot Oil: Botany, Production, Pharmacology

“…Bergamot seems to have originated quite late in the phylogeny of the Citrus clade and was unknown to ancient authors. Some sources claim that the hybrid was originated directly in Calabria, or at least in the southern part of Italy [27], while others state that the hybrid first appearance was outside Italy (either in the Antilles or in Greece or the Canary Islands) and that it was brought to Calabria only later [22]. One source hypothesizes that the hybrid was brought to Italy by Columbus via the Spaniard city of Berga, which inspired the fruit name, Bergamot [22].…”

“…One source hypothesizes that the hybrid was brought to Italy by Columbus via the Spaniard city of Berga, which inspired the fruit name, Bergamot [22]. A more solid hypothesis for the name origin is that the term "Bergamot" may derive from the Turkish word "beg-a-mudi" which means "pears of the Prince", due to its certain resemblance to Bergamot pears [27]. The plant is an interspecific hybrid, and this is testified by the high percentage of heterozygosity [22] and has been clustered with Bitter Orange [23].…”

“…The Bergamot tree possibly originated as a seedling in southern Italy but, until the mid-sixteenth century, it was known only as an ornamental plant in Tuscany. It was first officially mentioned as an "aurantium stellatum et roseum" by Ferrari in 1646 in his "Hesperides sive de malorum aureorum cultura et usu", and first described in 1708 by Volkamer as "gloria limonum fructus inter omnes nobilissimus" in his "Nurnbergische Hesperides", where the importance of its essence was first reported [27].…”

“…It became famous in France by 1686, thanks to Francis Procopius, as the source of a precious perfume ingredient, named "Bergamot water". It was also introduced in 1676 in Cologne by Paolo Feminis, who used it to create the famous Cologne water (eau de cologne), commercialised by his son-in-law, Gian Maria Farina [27].…”

“…This notoriety greatly stimulated the demand for the EO, and as a consequence in 1750 Nicola Parisi planted, in Reggio Calabria, the first Bergamot orchard (Rada Giunchi Estate). From there, then cultivation expanded around the city of Reggio Calabria and along the Straits of the Messina area [27]. The tree seems to be very sensitive to pedoclimatic conditions and hence cultivation was and is mainly limited to the region of Calabria [22].…”