U.S. to crack down on smearing of olive oil's reputation
U.S. to crack down on smearing of olive oil's reputation
A lack of federal rules has made the nation the dumping ground for cheap, adulterated and even dangerous oils. The USDA wants to make sure people who buy 'extra virgin' oil get what they pay for.
Al Seib / Los Angeles Times
The federal government has become serious about virginity — at least when it comes to olive oil.
Propelled by complaints about slippery food purveyors selling low-end product as high-end goods, or olive oils being doctored with cheaper canola, safflower or peanut oils, the U.S. Department of Agriculture this fall will roll out new standards to help ensure that consumers buying "100% extra virgin" olive oil get what they pay for.
Propelled by complaints about slippery food purveyors selling low-end product as high-end goods, or olive oils being doctored with cheaper canola, safflower or peanut oils, the U.S. Department of Agriculture this fall will roll out new standards to help ensure that consumers buying "100% extra virgin" olive oil get what they pay for.
Demand for the greenish-gold oil is surging in American kitchens. Consumers here sopped up 79 million gallons in 2008 — up from 47 million gallons a decade earlier. And according to a trade group, consumers annually spend about $720 million on the stuff at supermarkets. But a lack of strict standards means the U.S. is awash in low-quality, adulterated and even dangerous oils that have made some consumers ill, according to experts. The new rules are voluntary — not mandatory — so the prospect of more slick shenanigans continues.
Connecticut investigators tested dozens of bottles of olive oil from store shelves a few years ago after local producers and consumers complained that there was something fishy — or perhaps nutty — going on. They were right. "People were getting sick and thinking, 'It must be the poultry that I fried up in the olive oil last night,' or that it was a type of bread that had been exposed to nuts in the bakery," said Jerry Farrell Jr., commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Early this year, his team returned to the market aisles after hearing rumbles of more sly shortcuts. "It took a while for people to identify that the oil itself is the thing that was making them sick," Farrell said. Many industry officials agree that "extra virgin" olive oil is essentially oil that is cold-processed to prevent degradation of aromatic compounds and has higher levels of healthy fats and antioxidants. It also has relatively low acidity levels, 0.8 grams per 100 grams or less, according to the International Olive Council in Madrid, whose product standards the USDA rules are generally based upon. Federal law bars a company from not disclosing on the label that it is selling a blend of oils. But the practice of labeling lower-quality olive oil as top-end — and charging a premium for it — is technically legal in the U.S.
Connecticut investigators tested dozens of bottles of olive oil from store shelves a few years ago after local producers and consumers complained that there was something fishy — or perhaps nutty — going on. They were right. "People were getting sick and thinking, 'It must be the poultry that I fried up in the olive oil last night,' or that it was a type of bread that had been exposed to nuts in the bakery," said Jerry Farrell Jr., commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Early this year, his team returned to the market aisles after hearing rumbles of more sly shortcuts. "It took a while for people to identify that the oil itself is the thing that was making them sick," Farrell said. Many industry officials agree that "extra virgin" olive oil is essentially oil that is cold-processed to prevent degradation of aromatic compounds and has higher levels of healthy fats and antioxidants. It also has relatively low acidity levels, 0.8 grams per 100 grams or less, according to the International Olive Council in Madrid, whose product standards the USDA rules are generally based upon. Federal law bars a company from not disclosing on the label that it is selling a blend of oils. But the practice of labeling lower-quality olive oil as top-end — and charging a premium for it — is technically legal in the U.S.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/07/business/la-fi-olive-oil-20100707
