“Beyond Organic, Beyond Extra Virgin” — Back to our Roots and Forward to the Future
The Conference Exploring Agro-Ecology and High Phenolic EVOO
Fresh on the heels of the latest olive oil fraud ring broken in Italy is the news that due to poor harvests because of weather and disease in the Mediterranean (down 40%), olive oil prices will increase 20% this year. All of this is wrapped in the growing body of research that extols the many virtues of high phenolic extra virgin olive oil as a health-protective superfood.
Now, as spring approaches, the many olive oil competitions are shouting out about the best! The Best! The Best! But what exactly is the best and how do olive growers produce it consistently and how do they assure the health conscious consumer that what they are paying for is the quality they a looking for. Demographically the health conscious individual is also most likely to be concerned about how food is grown. What are consumers really looking for in natural healthy foods?
This coming conference, Beyond Organic, Beyond Extra Virgin, hosted at the University of Cyprus May 6 and 7, 2017 will address just that.
The concept was born of the startling discovery of the olive oil with the highest ever-measured phenolic content. As it happens, it was produced on a farm that due to harsh conditions and a clear vision toward sustainability is a model for permaculture or agro-ecology. Further, the oil was produced from an olive variety, Kalamon, usually known as a table olive, but because of drought was not plump enough for that and the farmer decided to press it for oil and voilà, the healthiest olive oil in the world.
The Aristoleo® Awards 2017 for high phenolic EVOO and Olives by variety will be presented during this conference giving the winning participants a chance to meet and exchange information and experiences.
Beyond Organic is the exploration of how to grow and protect crops in sustainable ways to mitigate the rigors of disease or harsh weather conditions that can decimate a crop, driving prices up and more often than not driving growers to reach out for more invasive measures of production like chemical insecticides, fertilizers and farming methods that weaken the tree and the soil creating ever more sensitive harvests.
Agro-ecology, as proven in the model Atsas Farm, in Cyprus, illustrates how working with nature not only reduces labour costs but increases the natural protection of the trees from disease and insects which in turn increases the tree’s vitality and the health of it’s fruit. Whether one believes or denies global warming, an eye on the future of food is looking for ways to make the most of the land, coaxing rich crops from harsh conditions increasing arable terrain.
Beyond Extra Virgin delves into the growing category of health protective olive oil that is identified for its phenolic content. It is the phenols in olive oil that offer the extraordinary health benefits that are being researched in both clinical and human trials with astounding results in the potential prevention and/or treatment of such diseases as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type II Diabetes and even cancer.
This category was introduced with the EU health labeling regulation stating that olive oils with polyphenols (many phenols) greater than 250mg/kg can put a health claim on its label as it is know to reduce LDL oxidation contributing to heart health and stroke prevention. The high phenolic olive oils that have been produced through concerted effort and testing of varieties and methods are measuring over 1000mg/kg and 2000mg/kg. To wit, Atsas Farm’s extraordinary crop measured over 3600mg/kg! These olive oils are indeed nutraceutical.
Greater understanding of varieties, methods and conditions is leading to a broader base of production. Greece is the epicenter of testing and production based on the NMR method of measuring individual phenols discovered by Dr. Prokopios Magiatis and his team of researchers at the University of Athens. But knowledge and innovation know no borders and producers from California to Australia are joining the trend to high phenolic EVOOs.
Embracing this evolution of verifiable health-promoting EVOOs, the EU funded a 3-year, 5-country study, “ARISTOIL Interreg MED Program” to investigate best practices and begin disseminating education to expand the regions that will benefit in producing these extraordinary EVOOs. The scope of this study will be shared during the Beyond Organic, Beyond Extra Virgin Conference.
The two-day agenda will host International speakers such as Dan Flynn from UC Davis, Dr. Prokopios Magiatis and Dr. Eleni Melliou from the Univ. of Athens, John Mancini of Agricola Societa Brezza Tirrena Italia, Marie Reyes from Phytolea Labs LLC, Nicolas Netien of Atsas in Cyprus, Spyros Dafnis The Governor from Corfu, Kostas Peimanidis of EUCAT SA Greece, George Seiragakis of Food Allergen Labs. These and other guest speakers will cover latest medical research for the health benefits of high phenolic olive oil, best practices to produce and maintain this quality, marketing to the health conscious consumer who is looking for natural occurring foods to maintain health and vitality.
Agro-tourism, an increasing trend with the health conscious traveller, is the opportunity to bring consumers closer to growers and nature through gastronomy. This kind of education of the public protects consumers from being victim to fraud and the bling of slick marketing.
Somewhere along these centuries we have lost our compass. If we do a 360 it might be hard not to see a world in peril. Where once we believed food was medicine and medicine, food, we are faced with food fraud, GMOs and the fight to preserve natural seeds. Where once we trusted the gentle wisdom of nature we face a rich world in need of food and water. What is to be done? As much as each individual can. Individuals in a gathering of minds such as this conference, sharing a vision in collaboration, support and knowledge can tip the global axis away from peril and into a future of plenty.
To your health!
Marilyn Harding
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