03 Oct

New test to detect color adulteration of green olives

Researchers from the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) have proposed a new procedure for the detection of illegal color additives in green olives.
 

Writing in the academic journal LWT – Food Science and Technology, the Spanish researchers noted that because certain processing techniques alter the color of olives, certain manufacturers add a food colorant during the processing of green olives – “with the aim to conceal such color change and to obtain a green permanent color in the final product."
 
However, the authors noted that European Union regulations do not permit the addition of colorants to table olives, or olive oil.
 
“The present work proposes a procedure for the detection of the color adulteration of green table olives with E-141ii colorant,” said the researchers, led by María Roca from CSIC.
 
They added that the fraudulent addition of E-141ii is determined by analysing solutions of the food or packaging to test for of peaks identified as copper chlorophyllin complexes – which are compounds completely foreign to the natural pigment profile of green olives.
 
 

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03 Oct

Pakistani Government to promote olive cultivation

 

SIALKOT: A plan has been prepared for promoting olive cultivation in Punjab and Azad Kashmir to boost olive oil production and help curb edible oil import bill, official sources told APP on Saturday.
 

The agriculture department of the Small and Medium Enterprises Authority (SMEDA) Punjab, was conducting awareness and training programmes to facilitate potential growers, they said.
 
The authorities were focusing on the districts of Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Jehlum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal and Khushab for olive cultivation, as recommended in the research report of the Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, they said.
 
Olive cultivation in Pakistan would require planting new saplings imported from the leading olive growing countries of the world or grafting the available wild varieties, sources said.
 
Sources said that olive cultivation would not require replacing other crops. Olive growing would boost local production of olive oil and help curb import bill of edible oil.
 
Source [Click Here]

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02 Oct

All about olives at Silverdale farm

 

Ambrosia Olive Farm owners Dawn and Steve Skarmoutsos brought their passion for olive growing from Greece.
What does Ambrosia Olive Farm produce?
The organic farm is family-run by my husband Steve and I, and we produce table olives, preserved and marinated olives, olive oil and olive-based skincare products named Eleon Cosmetics that include creams, eye gel and serum. But we are not restricted to just olives. We also have a vineyard where we grow grapes to make shiraz and chardonnay and we have pickles and a number of fruits trees such as figs, lemons, mandarins and a vegetable patch.
 
Why an olive farm?
We started it in 1997 because my husband’s family had an olive farm in Greece so when we came here we started growing them here too.
 
What is the best method for growing quality olives?
You have to look after the trees and prune them each year and make sure they’re watered when needed. Our olives are hand-picked from the trees so there is no machinery used as they tend to bruise the olive, which can spoil the fruit and character. Olives are then pressed within hours of picking while they are still fresh.
 
What do you like most about running an olive farm?
We’re out in the fresh air, we grow our own vegetables. We live here too so we have lots of space, it’s freedom and living the country life.
 
How can someone buy your products?
We are at Warwick Produce Market every Saturday, at Picton Produce Market on the first Sunday of each month. Otherwise, people can come to the farm at 100 Eltons Rd, Silverdale, or buy online at ambrosiaolivefarm.com.au. Details: Steve 0408 250 560.
 
Source [Click Here]

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02 Oct

Palestinian ‘olive trees uprooted’ in West Bank

NABLUS, Palestinian Territories — Israeli settlers invaded Palestinian olive groves in the West Bank on Saturday and uprooted 200 trees, Palestinian witnesses said.

The settlers from Yitzhar, near the northern city of Nablus, attacked the groves around the villages of Hawwara and Ein Nabus, the sources said.

Late on Wednesday, dozens of Palestinian olive trees were destroyed in an attack near the city of Hebron in what local residents called an act of revenge carried out by settlers.

The Israeli military confirmed that "about 40" trees were burnt and uprooted in the village of Shuweikeh, south of Hebron.
 
 
 

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02 Oct

Hernando County couple hoping olive business takes root

As they wound through the Italian countryside in January, Cambren Davis and Deirdre Rizzo were struck by the picture postcard images all around them.

A seed of an idea was growing as they took in the landscape. Everywhere, they saw lush olive trees. Whenever they stopped to eat, there were olives on the table.
They started to think about how similar the weather seemed to be to Florida and discussed how they could take home with them some of what they had experienced. That's when the research started.
 
 

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