Extra virgin olive oil is good for the heart. It might seem like a captivating commercial paid for by some multinational in the sector to win over new consumers, but instead it is the message launched in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration. The strict American agency that deals with controls on drugs and food products has in fact invited to indicate on the packaging of oils containing at least 70% oleic acid that their consumption brings cardiovascular benefits, as it replaces saturated fat harmful to the heart.
A health certificate, the one released to the product that symbolizes the Mediterranean diet and the main condiment of Made in Italy cuisine, which can give a further boost to the success already achieved in recent years on international markets, among which the North American one stands out (exports for 300 million euros in period January-August 2018) given the growing attention that consumers tend to attribute to the food-health relationship in their choices
Furthermore, the authoritativeness of the source of this message should help to dispel some shadows that the system of the infamous red light labels risks casting, for reasons opposite to those now referred to by the US agency, also on extra virgin olive oil. the green gold of Italian agriculture
The Food and Drug Administration's initiative was welcomed with satisfaction by the Italian olive growers' associations.“A significant recognition for Italian extra virgin olive oil which has percentages of oleic acid well above the level indicated by the FDA – explains David Granieri, president of Unaprol, the most important association of Italian olive growers – Ours is a unique product in terms of quality, biodiversity and safety which unfortunately has to fight not only against counterfeiting and speculation, but also against attacks by countries that adopt punitive tax policies or misleading and penalizing traffic light labeling systems for consumers”.
Good news also comes from the front of declared war on traffic light labels against which Italy has also lined up: in recent days the decision of some of the major multinationals operating in the food sector, including Coca Cola and Unilever, was announced to abandon the project of using the same system on their products traffic light adopted in England.
A system that could jeopardize the future of some of the most famous PDO Italian cheeses and cured meats, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma Ham. But the basket of products with the red sticker could end up, incredible to say (at least for us laymen), even the same extra virgin olive oil. But now, with his Food and Drug Administration-issued passport in his pocket, this "common sense attack" should be thwarted.
