During the 25 years between the 1990/91 and 2015/16 seasons, world consumption of table olives increased 2.8 times. In 2015/16, the world’s top ten consumers were Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, the United States, Spain, Syria, Italy, Brazil, Iran, France and Russia. Looking at the countries in the European Union, we find that table olive consumption has risen by 70.6 pc

An exhibition devoted to the “gentle mothers of oil”, as poet Vivian Lamarque defined olives in her celebrated acrostic published in “L'Aria dei Messapi”. The pictures taken by Fabio Lazzari depict fourteen varieties olive trees that are native to Apulia, a region in southern Italy

Many are the types of olives lining the supermarket shelves or on sale in the stands and stalls of country markets. They come in all shapes and sizes: cured, uncured, dehydrated, dried, black and so-called special olives

Extra virgin olive oil is “fatter” than seed oils. Or heavier and therefore less digestible. Or even: olive oil that has passed its expiry date is bad for our health. These are just some of the many myths and misconceptions revolving around our precious olive juice. Here are some useful tips and interesting facts to shed some light on this topic

Panellists aren’t machines and are therefore prone to bias, but despite this, sensory evaluation is a cornerstone of oil assessment. Giuseppe Di Lecce, one of the most respected specialists in this field, describes the most common psychological and physiological factors influencing sensory verdicts

Expertise. What happens when we bring our olives to the mill to extract their precious juice? Do we know what the various steps in the process are? What happens exactly throughout the stages of washing and defoliation, milling and malaxation, extraction and separation and what is the role of temperature in these processes? All we need to know.

How do olive processing techniques affect oil quality and storability? This topic demands the greatest attention. Producing quality is not enough. It is also necessary to preserve it

Expertise. Various problems may arise. How do we deal with them? Troubleshooting depends on the plant and machinery installed. Whom should we contact? It is always best to ask the manufacturer to send an expert over

Umbrian Pdo olive oil is a guarantee. The certification allows us to know its precise origins and guarantee its quality according to clearlydefined methods of production. An entire region, with its olive groves and its oil mills, is united in the name of Pdo. It’s an identity which branches out into five distinct geographical areas showing its distinctiveness. Umbrian Pdo olive oil is also a community of people attempting to get the best out of a fruit which is a precious and wholesome raw matter

The 2015 olive harvest in Carpino, a town in northern Apulia, Italy. A vision made of images. The farmers pick swiftly. Nobody can say that this year, there are no olives.

Italian oil has always been in great favour throughout the entire history of human civilization, but now the time has come for a new set of rules. Oleologist (oil specialist) Mr. Luigi Caricato has drafted a charter, underlining how any time can mark a new beginning for the Italian extra virgin olive oil producers. History consists of continuous steps forward, and these “Ten Commandments” define the roadmap for all future developments in this sector.

Much has been said about how our knowledge of extra virgin olive oils has increased among its consumers, and consequently, how we are now able to discern their true quality. But is it really so? Perhaps only in part

Choose A Flavour. Technical guide on the use of registered extra virgin olive oils. Sensory analysis is carried out by a “test panel”, i.e. an official tasting group of specialists qualified in using approved methods. A test panel is an essential tool for both checking oil quality highlighting the uniqueness of the end product

Expertise. How to manage vegetation water? Their direct application on agricultural lands brings positive effects but negative too. What to do? The aerobic treatments seem to be a solution. Up to now it has been tested a number of microorganisms, used in pure culture or pool cultivation. Also the composting represents a further useful strategy

Alicia Suarez, from the Department of Flemish Art at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, is currently investigating the history of international trade between Flanders and other countries. Below is a picture by a 17th-century Flemish artist, depicting a plateful of olives. Of what variety?