The Australian Olive Association (AOA) has commenced a process with Standards Australia to develop a new Australian Standard for olive oil that the industry says will have a major impact on Australian olive oil producers as well as importers.
Once published, the Australian Standard for olive oil will provide a guarantee for consumers and olive oil producers alike. It is aimed to protect consumers against fraudulent or misleading labelling of olive oil, guarantee the quality of oil purchased and provide both government and non-government agencies with a tool to control unscrupulous operators.
AOA president, Paul Miller, who has been named chair of the newly formed Standards Australia Committee said the move would help to clarify the confusion that exists around olive oil.
“There’s currently no mandatory Standard in Australia for olive oil,” he said, “There are international standards but what people don’t realise is that they aren’t all the exactly the same and can be confusing for consumers because they don’t deal with older or refined oils.
“Australian extra virgin olive oil is among the best in the world, with 95 per cent of olive oil produced here being extra virgin. While much of what is on sale is true to label, the new Standard will authenticate those excellent products and also detect any blended, refined or diluted Australian or imported oil that is masquerading as extra virgin olive oil.”
It’s expected the Draft Standard will be open for a nine-week public comment period later this year.
