Oils is oils
Producers and consumers of olive oil will gather at the 2011 National Conference and Trade Exhibition in Wangaratta today, to discuss issues currently facing the industry, including its relationship with consumers.
Described by Homer as ‘liquid gold’ and worshipped by Mediterranean for centuries, olive oil has had a particularly ‘issue-filled’ year in Australia.
Companies have been accused of misleading consumers, for example, by labeling oils ‘extra virgin’ when they were not.
More recently, the Australian Olive Association (AOA) clashed with Australian supermarkets Coles and Woolworths, which have resisted pressure to sell correctly labeled extra virgin olive oil after Standards Australia introduced new labeling guidelines.
The AOA has also had to fend off accusations that heating olive oil in cooking poses a health risk to consumers.
It is therefore not surprising that the theme for this year’s conference is “Restoring Trust in the Trade of Olive Oil”.
