The Australian Olive Association is urging consumers to choose extra virgin olive oil carrying the Certified Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil® logo after retail testing found quality failures in many imported products.
The logo is part of the OliveCare® Code of Practice and is authorised for each product and harvest only after testing confirms the oil is authentic EVOO and meets the Australian Standard.
GMC member and Australia’s largest vertically integrated olive farmer and marketer of premium EVOO, Cobram Estate, has long sought to raise consumer awareness about imported oils that fail chemistry parameters and show rancidity, among other defects.
AOA CEO Michael Southan said the logo helped shoppers identify locally grown and processed products which are harvested and pressed quickly, helping retain freshness, quality and health benefits.
Certification gives shoppers visible assurance on shelf, while supporting growers and a fair marketplace by holding brands and distributors to consistent standards. Southan said: “We want people to know they can have confidence in an extra virgin olive oil that carries the Certified Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil® logo.”