American Olive Oil Producers Take on the World
The health benefits of olive oil are well established. Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oils— particularly extra virgin (EVOO)—carry large amounts of antioxidant compounds with anti-inflammatory properties and are reported to have several disease preventative characteristics. A staple of the renowned Mediterranean diet, olives and olive oils have been produced since pre-biblical times. U.S. growers have found olive growing and oil production as a new source of revenue.
The basic procedure for making olive oil has remained the same: harvest the olives at the right time, crush them into paste, separate the solids from the liquid, and further separate the water from the oil. The method of extraction has a distinct effect on the flavor and ultimate quality of the olive oil. The mechanical process has undergone numerous changes and refinements that have increased both productivity and quality. In the U.S., growers have adapted new harvesting techniques learned from wine producers, transitioning from traditional canopy-based planting to high density hedgerows that improve harvesting times.
While the Spanish brought the first olive trees to California 300 years ago, olive growing and olive oil production have recently increased in the United States as consumer demand for olive oil has increased. Outside of the European Union, the U.S. is the largest consumer of olive oils. Presently, olive oil is produced by 45 mills in nine states with production volume around 48,000 acres of olive trees.
A Unified Voice in Olive Oil Production
The American Olive Oil Producers Association was founded in 2012 to provide a unified voice for producers and their state associates or policies to create a fair global olive oil market with effective, uniform standards and no artificial barriers to trade. While U.S. production is much smaller than European regions—particularly Spain, which accounts for about 45% of worldwide olive oil production--U.S. producers are keen to protect their domestic brands. With buy American, farm-to-table, and craft producer movements, consumers look for domestic labels for quality and value. However, at present, only 5% of olive oil consumed in the U.S. is domestically grown.
Currently there are no worldwide standards for olive oil. The International Olive Council (IOC) has set standards for its members, but the predominantly European council does not include the United States, Australia, Chili or other international producers. Which leads to an essential question: How can a consumer determine the value of a product absent certifiable standards, particularly for EVOO?
Labeling and Grading is a Consumer Challenge
"Buying quality extra virgin olive oil is hard, but not because there aren't quality products on supermarket shelves. It's because there are just no rules to stop bad actors from misrepresenting what they're selling,” Adam Englehardt, Chairman of the American Olive Oil Producers Association has told the press.
Annual Meeting of the American Olive Oil Producers Association
Eurofins participated in this year's annual member meeting of the AOOPA, jointly hosted by the Olive Oil Council of California (OOCC). “Eurofins is a well-recognized name among oil labs and producers around the world,” said Tim Heagy, Senior Business Development Director who participated with AOOPA and OOCA members. “This was our first meeting with the California group. And they are taking the lead in grading and labeling certification standards for olive oils.”
There are two forms of analysis that olive oil must undergo in order to be certified extra virgin; chemical analysis and sensory analysis. California has been taking the lead in setting standards for its olive oils with a mandatory testing program governed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Here, samples are sent to accredited third-party laboratories such as Eurofins for sensory and chemical analysis. Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories is certified for olive oil testing by both the OOCC and the IOC. “We are the first U.S. lab to be IOC accredited,” said Tim.
Eurofins Leads the Way in Edible Oil Analysis
Eurofins is a leading OOCC and IOC lab for purity testing including sterol composition, stigmastadienes, waxes, FAMES and FAEEs, ECN24 and tocopherols--all critical factors in oil grading and quality. An AOCS approved lab for chemical and sensory analysis, the lab includes specialized storage capability for olive oil and has considerable experience with commercial oils and fats.
“A lot of producers, particularly the large ones, have some basic testing capabilities.” Tim said. “But they turn to us for more extensive testing and problem solving, training, and to help with traceability and fraud issues. Studies have shown that there is a good deal of misrepresentation among brands. The fact that Eurofins is entirely an independent organization lends credibility to our services and reputation.”
As national and international standards for olive oils converge to help consumers make better choices, and to help producers protect their brands and markets, Eurofins will continue to play a central role with both U.S. and international olive oil producers.
To learn more about our olive oil testing capabilities click here.
