After leading Filippo Berio to become the No. 1 brand for olive oil, pesto and vinegar in more than 20 countries across Central and Eastern Europe and in Russia, Dusan Kaljevic hopes to work his magic again in the US where this month he assumed the position...
As noted in the opening session of the IFT FIRST conference in Chicago last week, the food that brought us together during the pandemic and which fuels us everyday is in a crisis as climate change intensifies – pushing companies to weave sustainability...
Graza, a new single-origin olive oil brand, is carving out a niche spot in a crowded category with premium extra-virgin olive oil products available at an affordable price point in easy-to-use squeeze bottles, a packaging first for the category, said...
AB 535, a California bill that would have prohibited any reference to California on olive oil bottles that did not contain 100% California-sourced olive oil, has been amended such that supporters and opponents say they can both live with it.
California’s olive oil producers are clashing over proposed state legislation on olive oil labeling that supporters say is essential to ensure consumers are not being misled, and critics say is a blatant attempt to restrict competition.
New data from SPINS shows that avocado oil has continued to gain traction with US consumers, with sales in natural and conventional channels combined growing 24% in the year to March 22, 2020 on top of 28% growth the previous year, while coconut oil sales...
US retail sales of olive oil slumped 7.1% in December 2019 vs December 2018 as tariffs on imported packaged Spanish olive oil imposed as part of the Airbus dispute prompted a significant drop-off in promotional activity, Nielsen data* shows. Unit sales...
The Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program has released a bulletin on olive oil adulteration that shows that the issue, though widely acknowledged, continues to plague the market.
After a grim 2018/19 harvest due to poor weather, the 2019/2020 olive oil crop in California is expected to match the ‘bumper’ harvest of 2017/18, says the California Olive Oil Council.*
If the term ‘extra virgin olive oil’ is to have any meaning for US shoppers, the FDA needs to come up with a standard of identity – and enforce it – argues a citizen’s petition filed this week by the American Olive Oil Producers Association (AOOPA) and...
As a 15-year-long dispute between the US and the EU over subsidies paid to European aircraft suppliers comes to a head, importers warn retaliatory tariffs on a host of products from the EU could wreak havoc on the specialty foods market, potentially doubling...
Turkey wants to ramp up olive oil business with the US – already its biggest export destination – and sees a future in single-source, premium varietals rather than bulk. But can it spark enough interest?
A $35 million infusion in California Olive Ranch not only will help the company double its acreage and create more jobs, but it will help the US become a significant player on the global stage for olive oil production, according to the company.
California producers have made great strides in olive oil but there’s still a way to go to before we become significant in the market, says industry executive.
'This is the end of the beverage category as we knew it'
As the beverage sector continues to evolve, categories are blurring more than ever. Bottled water can either be left on the sidelines as ‘the boring choice’ – or it can embrace this new era of beverages.
Israeli ingredient supplier Frutarom Health has launched a line of extracts that offer fortification possibilities for food and beverage manufacturers.
With the launch of two new Wish-Bone lines, Pinnacle Foods hopes to reinvigorate the salad dressing aisle in the struggling center-store by enticing back consumers who left to make their own dressing or to buy refrigerated options they perceive as fresher.
Olive oil’s already healthy image just got a boost – and so too could sales soon – thanks to the American Heart Association giving the ingredient its blessing to use its widely recognized Heart-Check Food mark on labels.
Vegetables that are deep-fried in extra virgin olive oil contain more healthy phenols and antioxidants than raw or boiled vegetables - important properties that reduce the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes, Spanish researches have found.
Award winning Australian olive oil manufacturer Cobram Estate in February will extend its reach into the competitive US market, which it says suffers a dearth of high quality, extra virgin olive oils.
For years the nutrition bar category was mostly limited to sweet flavors, but now that is changing, thanks in part to Mediterra – a pioneer in making savory snack bars.
Consumer feedback on Solazyme’s new high-oleic algae oil reveals high acceptance levels, with 98% of healthy oil purchasers sent samples for at-home testing reporting it had a ‘pleasant or no aftertaste’, 87% agreeing it had a ‘cleaner taste than other...
'70% of the products labeled as extra virgin olive oil are not extra virgin at all'
Claims that much of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) sold in US supermarkets is not ‘extra virgin’ at all are hardly new. But the fact that many retail buyers are effectively turning a blind eye to such widespread fraud is immensely frustrating for companies...
A phenolic compound known as oleocanthal can selectively kill cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells intact, say researchers, who suggest their novel findings may explain why olive oil is linked to decreased cancer risk.
Recent acquisitions in the natural space—Bolthouse Farms and Plum Organic—were among the bright spots in a disappointing quarterly earnings report for Campbell Soup Company. The development points to changing sales patterns within the United States overall.
Corn oil may have significantly greater effects on blood cholesterol levels than extra virgin olive oil, due in part to the natural cholesterol-blocking ability of plant sterols, according to new research from Biofortis, the clinical research arm of Merieux-NutriSciences.
While extra virgin olive oil is currently basking in positive PR in the wake of the recent PREDIMED study on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, canola’s nutritional credentials also received a boost this month after new research suggested it can...
Special edition: New trends in heart healthy foods
A growing body of science unraveling exactly why olives are so healthy - coupled with a new wave of olive-polyphenol ingredients targeting food and beverage makers - is prompting a resurgence of interest in one of the oldest ‘heart-friendly’ foods in...
Special edition: New trends in heart healthy foods
All olive oils are not created equal, claims one firm hoping to shake up the ultra-traditional olive oil market with a new polyphenol-packed product. But it’s not just about the difference between extra-virgin and refined varieties.
Foods produced with olive oil or olive oil aromas in place of other oils or fats could help consumers feel fuller for longer, according to new research.
Dispatches from the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition
People following an energy unrestricted plant-based diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts can reduce their risk of a major cardiovascular event by 30% compared with people following a purely low-fat diet, according to a “landmark” new...
There is a huge untapped opportunity to drive growth in the US chilled prepared food market with innovative new products offering freshness and convenience, says Bolthouse Farms.
Californian co-operative Sunsweet Growers has tied up with olive polyphenols expert CreAgri to develop a new range of juices containing Hidrox, a potent anti-inflammatory ingredient from olive juice.
The creators of OliveHeart, a novel polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil claimed to help reduce oxidized LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol - a key risk factor for atherosclerosis - are promising to turn the ultra-traditional olive oil market on its head.
A suite of novel functional food and beverage concepts containing Hidrox - a potent anti-inflammatory ingredient from olive juice - is being developed by California-based CreAgri as it seeks to build on its success in the dietary supplements arena.
Consuming a Western-style diet, rich in saturated fats, may increase markers of inflammation, but Mediterranean-style diets may be beneficial, according to new research.
Spanish researchers have shown that virgin olive oil (VOO) extracts can benefit heart and circulation health by reducing platelet aggregation in a study conducted on rats.
An initiative to promote the Mediterranean style of eating amongst
US households has gathered speed as the science supporting the diet
continues to stream through.
Enriching edible oils with tomato peel may enhance their
bioavailability and upgrade their quality by increasing beta
carotene and lycopene content and inducing better thermal
stability, say researchers
The potential health benefits of olives will be the focus of
researchers at the first university-based olive research and
education center in North America based at the University of
California, Davis.
Companies whose products form part of the much-vaunted
Mediterranean diet have joined forces to promote the benefits of
healthy, European-style eating to US consumers.
Agri-business giant Cargill has engaged in a joint venture with
Spain's largest olive oil producer, Hojiblanca, to source, trade
and supply customers worldwide with private label and bulk olive
oil.
Moderate intake of olive oil, a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet,
was successful in reducing the blood pressure of healthy men who
don't usually eat a Med-type diet, suggests a new study.
Food professionals and culinary experts from around the world are
today gathering in the southern Italian region of Puglia for six
days of seminars, symposia and product tasting in an effort to
understand and promote the health benefits...
Lard, the animal fat with a poor health image, could be stabilised
by adding antioxidants from olive oil milling waste, boosting the
shelf-life and adding nutritional value, says a study from Italy.
Fundamental research from the US suggests that an enzyme could
convert sugars in the presence of olive oil to form 'nano
organogels' - potentially leading to novel delivery systems for
food preservatives, flavours, and bioactive...
The health benefits associated with olive oil together with an
increased interest in Mediterranean foods have contributed to the
growth of an "invigorated" market for the product in the US,
according to a new report.
