True Neapolitan pizza is a health elixir” is the claim that Luciano Sorbillo launches after each tasting at the Italia Olivicola stand at Cibus in Parma. In fact, if the ingredients are of high quality, pizza represents not only the maximum expression of Italianness but also of the Mediterranean diet. “We must protect the high quality extra virgin olive oil during cooking, so the oil is placed under the tomato and not on top – explains the Master of Neapolitan Pizza Luciano Sorbillo – the extra virgin from Italian producers, those of Italia Olivicola, it is a mine of different flavors that combine with as many different pizzas, creating surprising combinations.” The collaboration between Molino Signetti, its flours, and Italia Olivicola goes beyond Parma and is ready to embark on further challenges abroad too. Despite the difficulties, cost increases and climate changes, there are in fact those who look to the future with hope, like OPROL Potenza which is in Parma for the marketing of the extra virgin olive oil produced in 2023/24, a year which closed with a peak 90% more production compared to 2022 and 40% more than the 2021 harvest. “There is an olive growing world that does not give up and thanks to cooperation it manages to grow – says Gennaro Sicolo, president of Italia Olivicola – thanks to the technicians who work in the field every day to ensure that the oil is of high quality and healthy, as well as traceable. Now the challenge is represented by marketing, a phase that we have guiltily neglected but I am sure that consumers, especially foreign ones, will be able to recognize and enhance the extra virgin olive oil from Italian territories.” Not just oil, however, table olives were also the protagonists at Cibus, with LE OLIVE DA TABLE DI SICILIA in Catania. A supply chain that is too often forgotten but with Italy producing 79 thousand tonnes destined mainly for the USA, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Kingdom and Canada while the per capita consumption of Italians is estimated by Ismea at around 2 .5 kg/year. And it is precisely in Sicily that there is the oldest denomination of origin (DOP) for table olives in Italy: the “Nocellara del Belìce” registered in 1998. The Nocellara del Belice DOP is characterized by its large size: each fruit weighs 5- 7 g. The pulp is firm and crunchy, the taste is slightly bitter. It is consumed plain as a tasty aperitif, it is also excellent combined with traditional local cheeses, cured meats and vegetables in oil.
