Introduction to the fourth OLEUM newsletter

OLEUM – we are approaching the end to this exciting adventure!

 

OLEUM is near to the end of project. Now it is time to tell!

 

I am really pleased to inform you that many goals of the project have been reached thanks to the precious teamwork and efforts from all the involved partners.

 

Based on the project proposal and considering the information on common and emerging fraud cases in the olive oil sector summarized in a recently delivered report, OLEUM has developed many innovative and revised analytical methods for assuring quality and authenticity of olive oils (OOs). Now it is time for four of them to be fully validated (see A revised method for determination of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in virgin olive oils and Increasing Consumer Confidence: The case of the health claim for “polyphenols” of virgin olive oil).

 

About 200 candidate members were invited to join the OLEUM Network and 62 members are now onboard. OLEUM will undertake to increase the number of members and the recruitment of laboratories inside and outside Europe interested to participate in the trials. A sustainability plan will be also defined for the future maintenance and development of the OLEUM Network.

 

The OLEUM Databank in a ready-to-use beta version was launched and is in course of testing.

 

An infographic designed on the consumer’s needs to recognize a good quality extra virgin olive oil was realized and a video presenting the project is now ready

 

We have successfully presented the project results at about 40 conferences and events all over the world; future conferences and other events are also hosting presentations of OLEUM outcomes. To maximize the impact of this newsletter, it is available in six languages (French, Greek, German, English, Italian and Spanish), thanks to some of the partners’ collaboration.

 

The OLEUM Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Board is continuously providing its contribution and precious advice to the project.

Whether you are an institutional or a private quality control laboratory, an OO production or distribution company, or a company that wants to propose its instruments and analytical tools to be tested, I warmly invite you to follow the project website (http://www.oleumproject.eu) and to send any requests for information or to join the OLEUM Network by sending an e-mail to oleum@unibo.it.

 

Tullia Gallina Toschi (tullia.gallinatoschi@unibo.it), Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL) - Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, OLEUM Project Coordinator