pdf download

International Olive Council
Chemists’ Meeting
Madrid, Spain 21 – 30 September 2008
RIRDC Publication No. 09/123
RIRDCInnovation for rural Australia

International Olive Council
Chemists’ Meeting
Madrid, Spain 21 – 30 September 2008
by Dr Rod Mailer
August 2009
RIRDC Publication No 09/123
RIRDC Project No. PRJ-003269

© 2009 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
All rights reserved.
ISBN 1 74151 922 5
ISSN 1440-6845
International Olive Council Chemists’ Meeting, Madrid, Spain 21 – 30 September 2008
Publication No. 09/123
Project No. PRJ-003269
The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion
and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in
this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances.
While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct,
the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this publication.
The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the
authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to
any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or
omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the
part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors.
The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication.
This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are
reserved. However, wide dissemination is encouraged. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights
should be addressed to the RIRDC Publications Manager on phone 02 6271 4165.
Researcher Contact Details
Dr Rodney Mailer
Principal Research Scientist (Oils)
Australian Oils Research Laboratory
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
PMB Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
Phone: (02) 6938 1818
Fax: (02) 6938 1809
Email: rod.mailer@dpi.nsw.gov.au
In submitting this report, the researcher has agreed to RIRDC publishing this material in its edited form.
RIRDC Contact Details
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
Level 2, 15 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600
PO Box 4776
KINGSTON ACT 2604
Phone: 02 6271 4100
Fax: 02 6271 4199
Email: rirdc@rirdc.gov.au.
Web: http://www.rirdc.gov.au
Electronically published by RIRDC in August 2009
Print-on-demand by Union Offset Printing, Canberra at www.rirdc.gov.au
or phone 1300 634 313
ii

Acknowledgments
The travel was undertaken to attend the International Olive Council Chemists’ Meeting, at IOC
Headquarters. Additionally I visited the Instituto dl la Grasa, Seville to visit collaborating scientists
including Dr Wenceslao Moreda. The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and the
Australian Olive Association funded the travel.
iii

Contents
Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................................iii
Executive Summary............................................................................................................................... v
Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 1
Benefits ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Recommendations.................................................................................................................................. 6
Detailed Itinerary .................................................................................................................................. 7
iv

Executive Summary
Dr Mailer attended the International Olive Council Chemists’ meeting in Madrid, Spain between 21 st
to 28 th September. The meeting brings together accredited chemists of the International Olive Council
(COI) from many countries throughout the world to discuss trade standards, methods of analysis and
policies to minimise adulteration of olive oil.
The Australian Oils Research Laboratory at Wagga Wagga became accredited by COI in 2001 and
undergoes evaluation each year to ensure its capability to measure the wide range of complex tests
required to determine if olive oil is authentic. The laboratory has maintained accreditation, including
the next 12 months from 1 st November 2008 to 31 st October 2009.
Attendance at the International Olive Council Chemists’ meeting provided several opportunities for
WWAI, NSW DPI, and Dr Mailer. The chemists which attend the meeting have provided information
and support to help the Australian olive industry grow at a rapid rate over recent years. Methods
provided by these chemists have ensured that Australian olive oil passes the scrutiny of regular testing.
Australian olive oil is recognised around the world as a high quality product with considerable
shipments exported to Spain, Italy and the USA in recent years.
Several new and proposed trading standards were discussed including a proposal to reduce the
maximum allowable content of wax in olive oil from 250 ppm to 150 ppm. This change would have
disastrous effects for Australian trade as wax is relatively high in olives grown in warmer climates
such as Australia. Through presentation of scientific data, COI have agreed to hold the changes to this
standard pending further investigation.
New methods submitted at the meeting will see several changes to the way oil is analysed and in the
way oil is tested for sensory analysis by the WWAI sensory panel. These changes are explained
within the report.
Dr Mailer travelled Seville to visit Dr Wenceslao Moreda, Instituto dl la Grasa, who described a new
technique for analysis of DNA in olive oil to determine the presence of other oils. This could
revolutionise the way oils are tested for adulteration in the future. It will also provide information on
the cultivar of olives from which the oil was extracted and information about the source of the olive
oil, an important criteria for global trade.
As President of the International Society for Fats Research (ISF), and chairman of the World Congress
on Fats and Oils Dr Mailer presented information on the venue, program, accommodation and other
relevant items for the Congress which will be held in Sydney in September 2009. Several of the
chemists at COI will attend the Congress in Sydney.
v

Objectives
The Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute has worked closely with the edible oil industry over several
years. The Australian Oils Research Laboratory has carried out numerous research studies on olive oil
and has played a significant part in the development of the olive industry in Australia. In this process,
the Laboratory has become specialised for olive oil and other oil analyses, with international
accreditation from the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS), The International Olive Council
(IOC), International Standards Organisation (ISO) and the National Australian Testing Association
(NATA). In more recent years the laboratory has become the leading research and commercial testing
laboratory in Australia for olive oil.
1. The objective of travelling to Madrid Spain was to attend the International Olive Council
(COI) Chemists’ meeting at the COI headquarters. Dr Mailer was invited to Madrid by the
Olive Council specifically as a result of ongoing discussions concerning international olive oil
standards and non-compliance of regional olive oils. Australia is currently disputing several
of these standards with COI and Codex Alimentarius.
2. As President of the International Society for Fats Research (ISF), Dr Mailer discussed the ISF
Congress to be held in Sydney in September 2009 with several potential delegates, sponsors
and the COI executive.
3. Following the COI Meeting, Dr Mailer visited the Instituto dl la Grasa, Seville where he had
the opportunity to meet with Dr Wenceslao Moreda. Dr Moreda is a leading world expert on
olive oil quality and also has a program to develop DNA markers for cultivar and quality
traits. Dr Moreda will attend the World Congress on Oils and Fats to be held in Sydney in
September 2009 as an invited speaker.
RIRDC and the AOA met the costs of travel.
1

Members of the International Olive Council Chemists. At the head of the table is Mercedes Fernández
Albaladejo, Chef de l’Unité de Chimie Oléicole et d’Élaboration des Normes on the left and José
Ignacio Clavero, Direction Générale Agriculture, Commission européenne on the right.
2

Benefits
Dr Mailer has developed a laboratory accredited by COI to test for adulteration in olive oil. The
members of the COI Chemists’ committee have been central to the development of Australia’s
expertise and the current ability of the chemists and sensory panel operating in Wagga Wagga. The
members have invited Australian chemists to their laboratories in Seville, Madrid, Milan and Udine to
assist with training on evaluating olive oil.
Dr Mailer held discussions with research scientists from Spain, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria,
Greece, USA, Syria, Turkey and France on issues concerning international standards and problems
many countries have in meeting those standards. The meeting concentrated on analytical methods
used to identify adulteration but which some countries see as trade barriers on exporters attempting to
sell olive oil into Europe.
Australia has continued to negotiate with international organisations such as the European
Community, AOCS, ISO and COI to change established standards for olive oil which have been based
for many years on oil produced in Mediterranean countries. The Wagga AORL was the first to find
that Australian olive oil, grown under our unique environmental conditions, is different in many
aspects to oils from the Northern Hemisphere. Dr Mailer has been invited to travel to Codex
Alimentarius meetings in London, UK by Codex Australia on three separate occasions since 2003.
Although Australia supports standards which identify cases of adulteration and fraud in genuine olive
oil, the standards currently work against Australian producers. This has been likened to regulations
imposed on the wine industry in previous years. The presentations by scientists from around the world
have illustrated that this is not only an Australian phenomenon but an issue for many countries.
The next meeting of the International Olive Council will be held in May 2009. Prior to that will be the
Codex Alimentarius meeting in Malaysia in February 2009. The COI are anxious to establish methods
for olive oil which can be acceptable by Codex. However, Australia and other southern hemisphere
countries are interested in making sure the standards are suitable for oil produced in all countries and
not designed around European product.
Matters arising from the COI meeting
1. Perhaps the most critical part of the discussion of the COI Chemists was the proposal to
reduce the maximum allowable wax content in extra virgin olive oil from the current level of
250 ppm to only 150 ppm. Australia and Argentina have both shown that olives grown under
relatively higher temperatures or dry environments create oil with wax levels above 200 ppm.
The proposed standard would create further trade difficulties for Australian and Argentinean
oil being traded on global markets. Data was submitted to COI by Dr Mailer on behalf of
Australia and Argentina. Dr Miriani from Stazione Sperimentale per lo Studio, Milan, Italy
suggested that some of the components being analysed as wax in the Australian laboratory are
not actually wax. Dr Mailer explained that the method used to measure wax was the COI
method and if this method measures something other than wax, the method must be changed
before the limits are changed. The proposal is under discussion.
2. Chemicals for sensory analysis: In carrying out sensory analysis of olive oil, ie tasting and
smelling, it is necessary to train the tasting panel to the different attributes and defects that
occur in olive oil. These standards are difficult to obtain and to maintain as the standards
change with time. Dr Ramon Aparicio outlined a series of chemical standards which he has
developed which can imitate olive oils with particular defects. These will be invaluable in
training the WWAI sensory panel.
3

3. DNA Analysis for extraneous oils in olive oil: Dr Wenceslao Moreda, Instituto dl la Grasa,
Seville, described a new technique for analysis of DNA in olive oil to determine the presence
of other oils. The process is under patent application but will be released within coming
months. DNA is well conserved in the oil and the method limit of detection is < 5%.
4. Sensory analysis: Mercedes Fernández Albaladejo, the Chef de l’Unité de Chimie Oléicole et
d’Élaboration des Normes, invited members of the Chemists’ committee to apply to COI to
obtain oil samples for training sensory panels. The oil distributed for evaluation of the panels
would be available for use by panels for training purposes in November, 2008.
5. Mineral oil in olive oil: Professor Lanfranco Conte, Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti,
Universitá di Udine, Udine, Italy described a method to detect mineral oil contamination in
olive oil. This is a serious issue for oil producers where hydraulic oil can leak out of
machinery into oil tanks. The WWAI has had samples sent for analysis previously for mineral
or hydraulic oil contamination. The method is being reviewed.
6. Polyphenolic compounds: A method for the analysis of phenolics in olive oil has been
distributed for ring tests by laboratories who were present at the COI Chemists’ meeting in
April 2008. Polyphenols are one of the most important components in olive oil as they
provide antioxidant qualities as well as contributing to the flavour. Twenty five laboratories
took part comparing colorimetric and HPLC methods. Australia needs to obtain samples from
this study to ensure the accuracy of analysis in Australia.
7. Linolenic acid: A participant from Spain asked the committee what were the outcomes of the
linolenic acid standard which has been rejected by Australia, NZ, Argentina and USA.
Mercedes Fernández Albaladejo explained that the standard was still open with no acceptable
limit for linolenic acid. She explained that COI saw a limit of >1.0% a problem in countries
where the average level was 0.6%. This would allow olive oil in those countries to be
adulterated with canola oil without being detected. She insisted that if the level be allowed to
exceed 1.0%, other parameters should be reduced to ensure the oil was authentic. The
proposal from COI is that the standards for stigmastidiene be reduced from 0.15% to 0.10%
and campesterol reduced from 4.0% to 3.5% for oils where linolenic exceeds 1.0%.
Note: The level of campesterol in Australia’s main cultivars exceeds 4.5% and therefore the
proposal by COI is completely unacceptable to Australia.
Sr. D. Arturo Cert Ventula, Instituo de la Grasa, Seville agreed that irrigated olives, or those
harvested early, could contain high levels of linolenic acid.
8. Campesterol: Australia is finding high levels of campesterol, particularly in cv Barnea. Dr
Miriani suggested that the components we are finding are artifacts. He referred to results from
Argentina in which high levels of 5-Avenesterol is an indicator of refined oil. Dr Mailer
explained that the Argentinean results did not represent Australian oils in which the oil is
extracted directly from fruit using a Spanish Arbencor extractor. These samples contained 4.5
– 5.5% campesterol.
9. Dr Mailer asked the COI Chemists’ committee what should be done about olive oil found in
Australia which was adulterated. He asked if COI continues to take samples from the market
in Australia for testing. COI explained that samples have been taken regularly but no
problems have been found. Dr Mailer explained that a sample of Paese Mio olive oil had been
4

sent to Prof. Conte for testing which contained pomace and canola oils. José Ignacio Clavero,
Direction Générale Agriculture, Commission européenne, thanked Dr Mailer for his
information and asked that details of oils which did not comply with COI standards should be
reported to the European Commission. All details should be reported to the Australian Olive
Oil Association (AOOA).
10. Codex Alimentarius meeting: Mercedes Fernández Albaladejo spoke with Dr Mailer at the
conclusion of the meeting and asked that some conclusions be reached with Australia and COI
prior to the next Codex meeting in February 2009 in Malayasia. Previous meetings have been
congested with arguments about linolenic acid and COI considers it important to discuss these
issues prior to the meeting. This has been reported to the President of the AOA and with
Codex Australia. Discussions will be held with Codex Australia in the near future to identify
the minimum acceptable standards to ensure global trade is not disadvantaged.
5

Recommendations
Australia needs to ensure that Codex Alimentarius do not allow standards to be established that
discriminate against Australian products. This will be done by working with Codex Australia and
COI, with the add of scientific data to ensure authentic olive oil is considered when setting maximum
limits.
The Australian Oils Research Laboratory (AORL) is considered a centre of excellence for work carried
out on oil research and for expertise on factors related to oil quality. It is significant that organisations
such as Codex Australia utilise this expertise in matters of national significance. The staff within the
AORL need to be part of international research discussions with DAFF, Codex, COI and others to
maintain the position as Australia’s leading oil quality facility.
Participation in international organisations such as ISO and Codex Alimentarius is important to
Australian agriculture. Standards and regulations imposed by these organisations determine the
acceptability of Australian product into world markets. Until the appointment of Dr Mailer to the ISO
Fats and Oils committee in 2007 Australia had no member and no input into ISO trading standards.
Since then several amendments have been made which advantage Australia.
6

Detailed Itinerary
Name:
Dr Rodney J. Mailer
Dates: 21 September 2008 to 30 September 2008
Date Day Depart Arrive
21 September 08 Sunday Wagga Wagga Sydney
22 September 08 Monday London/Madrid
26 September 08 Friday Madrid Seville
28 September 08 Sunday Seville London
30 September 08 Tuesday Sydney
30 September 08 Tuesday Sydney Wagga Wagga
7

International Olive Council
Chemists’ Meeting
Madrid, Spain 21 – 30 September 2008
RIRDC Publication No. 09/123
The International Olive Council Chemists’ meeting brings
together accredited chemists of the International Olive
Council (COI) from many countries throughout the world
to discuss trade standards, methods of analysis and policies to
minimise adulteration of olive oil.
Attendance at the International Olive Council Chemists’
meeting provided several opportunities. The chemists which
attend the meeting have provided information and support
to help the Australian olive industry grow at a rapid rate
over recent years. Methods provided by these chemists have
ensured that Australian olive oil passes the scrutiny of regular
testing.
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
(RIRDC) manages and funds priority research and translates
results into practical outcomes for industry.
Our business is about developing a more profitable, dynamic
and sustainable rural sector. Most of the information we
produce can be downloaded for free or purchased from our
website: www.rirdc.gov.au, or by phoning 1300 634 313 (local
call charge applies).
Most RIRDC books can be freely downloaded
or purchased from www.rirdc.gov.au or by
phoning 1300 634 313 (local call charge
applies).
www.rirdc.gov.au
Contact RIRDC:
Level 2
15 National Circuit
Barton ACT 2600
PO Box 4776
Kingston ACT 2604
Ph: 02 6271 4100
Fax: 02 6271 4199
Email: rirdc@rirdc.gov.au
web: www.rirdc.gov.au