Italian extra virgin olive oil or designation of origin outlawed for too low sterols or oleic acid, problems that involve hundreds of companies and which need an urgent resolution. On the occasion of SOL, the 28th International Olive Oil Trade Show, ongoing until 17 April at Veronafiere, not only alarms but also possible solutions.
In 2021/22, the International Olive Council (IOC) has launched a study on total and individual sterols, with priority on the former, currently in the third and final year. For the final year, samples must be received by 25 April 2024 to be analyzed by laboratories recognized by the COI.
“The results will be presented at the next expert meeting in September 2024 and the conclusions will be presented at the next October meeting and the November session of the Council of Members – said Yousra Antit, head of the Olive Chemistry Department of the International Olive Council – The impact of climate change on the compositional variations of olive varieties has required a continuous analysis of multi-year data conducted by the COI to grasp the real dimension of this problem.”
The sterol problem, which involves two of the most important Italian production regions such as Puglia and Sicily, is therefore in the process of being resolved but others are emerging forcefully, such as oleic acid. It is the most important fatty acid in olive oil, famous above all for its nutritional and health-promoting qualities but the heat in summer and autumn causes its content in the oil to lower.
“In some regions of the world the problem is already present so much so that the Codex Alimentarius has lowered the limit to 53%, compared to that of the COI to 55% – stated Angelo Faberi, chemical expert of the COI and head of the inspectors of the Italian Fraud Repression – in Italy we are still above 70% but we must ask ourselves the problem of the next few years, with climates that are becoming increasingly tropical in the Mediterranean basin.”
If for Italian extra virgin olive oil the problem is futuristic, it is instead present for oil with a designation of origin (Dop/Igp), which has more stringent limits which are already exceeded in some years.
“Scientific research is focusing a lot on the effect of climate change also in the olive growing sector – explains Mauro Rosati, director of Origin Italia which collects national PDOs/PGIs – but often this research is not able to be applied at company level. It is time to address the issue in a more coordinated manner, with a technical table at the level of the Ministry of Agricultural Policies and Agri-Food Sovereignty.”
A proposal immediately accepted by Elio Menta, president of the oil millers of FOA Italia and by Tommaso Loiodice, president of the olive producers of Unapol.
“The oil millers have a strong connection with their territory and experience its changing fortunes – said Elio Menta – it is not enough for us to press the olives, we want to press olives from traditional cultivars, which express the identity of the territory. Obviously we must address the issue of climate change without barriers or sides, to solve the problems of our oil mills, which are the thread of oil that unites production and consumption.”
“Climate change is looming, the heat of the last few days risks blocking the pruning of olive trees in Southern Italy, with potential negative production repercussions – says Tommaso Loiodice – the issue of climate change must be addressed in an organic way, also in terms of emerging plant diseases. Due to Xylella we had to include Leccino and FS17 in Salento but the results are not as expected. It is also time to step back from our respective affiliations and provide practical solutions to farmers.”
And the International Olive Council is also ready to do its part: “The continuous updating of parameters based on scientific evidence is a priority for the COI, with the Executive Secretariat committed to finding scientifically rigorous solutions approved by experts.” concluded Yousra Antit.
Tags: COI study sterols extra virgin olive oil concluded
