How has this contributed to the olive oil being produced and what is key difference in the olive oils marketed oil from Australia and the Mediterranean?
Olive oil has been in Australian food since European migration began but its rise to prominence has come about since around 1980 when promotion of different diets and cooking styles became popular. In particular since the mid 1990s there have been many ‘Mediterranean’ chefs on television and other media. At the same time general interest in healthier foods led to focus on natural products like olive oil. So the long Mediterranean heritage in Australia probably ‘primed’ the market but the expansion in consumption has happened relatively recently. Oil from Australia is fresh and fruity. Oil imported from the Mediterranean has generally been of lesser quality – there is a perception that they (the Mediterraneans) keep the good stuff at home. Can you please explain the new Code of Practice and its objective? The AOA introduced the Code of Practice to better support quality, authenticity and confidence in the Australian olive industry. The Code is to ensure honesty, integrity and authentici
