“Are we really offering all the necessary tools to our children to give them a taste for the world around them, to teach them to appreciate its flavor and to cultivate their appetite for life?”
We believe that it is not enough to teach the children what is right and what is wrong, but also how does it work? Especially when it comes to taste which is the most personal matter.
The mission of the Olive Kids Awards is to educate children to understand taste with olive oil as a tasting tool: “understanding what they taste should be a child’s right”.
Olive Kids Awards proposes an educational approach upstream of food education based on taste-sensory education . For how can we appreciate a good product if it is not linked to the experience of taste, to pleasure and displeasure? Taste sensation is a daily functional exercise already in utero (from the 4 month of gestation).
With the OLIVE KIDS AWARDS our goal is to empower the children from an early age and to help them to tame their own taste.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The competition is open to children from 5 to 12.
To participate, they receive a special notebook (french or english) created by The OLIVE KIDS AWARDS with informations, instructions and score sheets:
How to produce Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Where is produced EVOO in the northern hemisphere? or southern depending on the edition.
What is taste and how does it work: retro + ortho olfaction
How to taste olive oil?
Score sheet with scoring retro + ortho olfaction + description
Samples (12 to 18) + disposable glasses.
They shall score all the samples (we recommend not more that 3 per day) and taste twice the best scored samples to give their N°1, N°2, N°3 and COUP DE COEUR.
This year, thanks to our jury member idea Issa, we asked the children to guess the country of origin in the list of the participating countries.
The New edition of Olio Nuovo Days’ Ethical Awards
Chaired by Fil Bucchino, and in partnership with Abandoned Grove.
Today’s consumer is concerned not only with the quality of the product but also respect for the environment and people.
The contribution of olive oil producers to a better future matters. Many of them are a changemakers committed to significantly impacting and contributing to a more sustainable future in the olive oil sector.
This is why Olio Nuovo Days’ Ethical Award and Abandoned Grove will pay tribute to the work of those producers and give the Ethical Prize to one producer.
For their amazing work to support its employees to achieve a primary or high school level with dedicated program available at ZUCCARDI’s Farm in partnership with the local institutions.
Miguel ZUCCARDI:
“The company’s actions for employees are based on the company’s guiding values. (..) Women in management and leadership positions. In addition, it has a children facility and a flexible maternity program so that mothers can continue to exercise their professional careers.
Training is promoted with schools in the area to help young people enter the labour market. Also, the employees of the company can finish their studies and encourage the community to continue with their secondary and primary education. In terms of education, 62 employees of our company graduated from secondary school in 2022 after three years of study. The kindergartens on two of our farms have a total of 80 children participating in the program”.
For their great support to Women and seeking for excellence.
Francisco GARCIA (co-founder of puertas de Guarilihue):
“Gender equality is very important and we have applied it to our employees, both in terms of decent pay, flexible working hours and incentives for their work. Our objective is to seek to be an EVOO of excellence and to remain in that position, something that we have been able to achieve and maintain during the last 5 years, through recognition in Chile (Guia Oliva) and abroad (Argentina, Italy, Spain, France, Greece)”.
For their commitment to sustainability, with carbon balance and inventory of fauna.
Alexandre MARCHETTI:
“half of our 1000 hectares are protected areas. We carry out an inventory of fauna, we make use of the MIP, integrated control of pests and diseases to reduce the application of unnecessary products, we carry out the manufacture of organic compounds inside the farm, the carbon inventory.
We have guidelines and norms of conduct, seeking to value the history and culture of the region and local communities. Quality and respect for the consumer, compliance with the law, offering fair wages to employees”.
Organized by the government of ABU DHABI, by the CULTURAL PROGRAMS & HERITAGE FESTIVALS COMMITTEE, the festival will be staging the second edition of the best olive oil competition.
After a successful edition dedicated to the Southern Hemisphere in 2022, Liwa Date Festival & Auction launches the Golden Liwa Olive Oil Competition Northern Hemisphere in 2023.
A jury of renowned olive oil experts will be traveling from all over the world will be gathering in Liwa for this unique in-person competition.
The Liwa Date Festival & Auction is one of the most important events and the largest date festival in the United Arab Emirates.
ORGANISATION & CONTACT
The CULTURAL PROGRAMS & HERITAGE FESTIVALS COMMITTEE of Abu Dhabi has once again entrusted the organization and coordination of the competition to Culture Olive, organizer of Olio Nuovo Days since 2016. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Emmanuelle Dechelette: liwa@culture-olive.org
JURY TEAM LIWA 2023
The first three places will be very generously rewarded:
WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE PART? To showcase your olive oil in the United Arab Emirates to a very select public with a taste for novelties… And probably also for a chance to win one of the three first prizes….
WHO CAN ENTER THIS COMPETITION?
This very exclusive competition is reserved for olive oils from the last season, produced in the northern hemisphere and having won at least one gold medal in a competition this year (a proof of the award has to be provided).
REGISTRATION FEE
The entry fee is 110 euros, with the option of entering 1, 2 or 3 references for a single brand (each reference entered must be able to prove a gold medal).
HOW MANY BOTTLES SHOULD YOU PROVIDE? Each entry has to provide 6 bottles of 0.5L to Abu Dhabi no later than September 14, 2023. The address will be communicated after acceptance of your file.
From condiment to super food: high-phenolic olive oil is a growing trend
Polyphenols make up only two per cent of the total mass of olive oil. But these magic compounds are what make extra virgin olive oil an elixir. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that fight disease-causing free radicals. Numerous studies have scientifically proven the many health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, in particular its beneficial effects on cardiovascular health and cognitive function. It also lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and reduces inflammation in the body. Thanks to these health-boosting powers, olive oil is much more than a condiment, it’s a healthy food. And it’s in high demand.
Some of the olive varieties known to have a particularly high polyphenol content include Coratina from Italy, Picual and Conicabra from Spain, Istrska Belica/Istarska Bjelica (Istrian White) from Slovenia and Croatia, Koroneiki from Greece, Chetoui from Tunisia, and Aglandau from France, to name only a few.
In the EU, a high phenolic oil is defined as one with at least 250mg of polyphenols per kilogram of olive oil. According to a 2012 EU regulation, the producers of olive oils containing “at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g of olive oil” can label their oils with the following health claim: “Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress.”
The rise in interest in high-phenolic olive oils is also reflected in the health claim award category being added to international competitions in recent years. A Health Claim prize is one of the three awards which will be presented at Olio Nuovo Days 2023, the other two being Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Best Pressed-Infused Olive Oil.
“This authorised health claim has encouraged growers to try to analyse and evaluate the polyphenol content of their oils, so in the last decade the interest of growers and consumers in olive oils with high polyphenol content is increasing,” confirms olive oil expert Milena Bučar Miklavčič of the Institute for Oliveculture in Koper, Slovenia. “As we know that pungency and bitterness are not favoured by consumers and that olive oils with high polyphenol content are mostly inharmonious, it very useful to have a health claim category at competitions.”
250mg of polyphenols per kilogram is modest when compared to the analysis results achieved by olive growers producing oil from high-phenolic varieties. Christine Cheylan, a French olive oil consultant for Domaine de Leos who also runs her own mill in Provence, has seen phenolic levels over 600 for her Aglandau oil. “Though it’s a variety that’s much appreciated for its taste, it’s only those who know about olive oil, the insiders, who are interested in polyphenol content,” she says. “Olive oil is still perceived as a condiment and is not considered for its medicinal virtues.”
Meanwhile in other parts of Europe, awareness of olive oil’s superfood status is growing. Producer and scientist Danijel Stojković Kukulin of Terra Centuria in Slovenia, describes a ‘movement’ that he first initiated because of his own appreciation of olive oil rich in polyphenols. “At the beginning there were very few people asking for high phenolic olive oils, but because of education of potential consumers, marketing and promotion, and scientific papers confirming the many benefits of high phenolic olive oil, many are asking specifically for this kind of extra virgin olive oil.”
This experience is echoed by producer Davor Dubokovič of Monte Rosso in Croatia: “The decision to promote extra virgin olive oil as a healthy option is not simply a marketing strategy, but rather a recognition of its long-standing medicinal properties,” he says. “While initially demand for high phenolic olive oil was low, education, marketing, and scientific research have led to a greater understanding and appreciation for its many benefits, resulting in more people specifically requesting this type of extra virgin olive oil.”
With an eye on increasing levels of health-boosting phenolic compounds in their olive oil, over the past few years producers have been working at adjusting harvest times and adapting production methods. “The final numbers and composition of polyphenols in olive oil are greatly affected by the decisions of a producer,” says Kukulin. “Choosing the best varieties to produce this kind of oil is the first step. The second important decision is when and how to harvest the olives. Generally it is better to harvest the olives very early when they are still unripe. Also the olives should not be damaged and processed immediately after harvest.”
The processing stage is also vital when it comes to preserving polyphenol content, according to Cheylan, the French producer and miller. “We press olives picked during the day on that same night to avoid fermentation and not lose phenolic content,” she says. “When it comes to the pressing process, to preserve the polyphenols you have to avoid adding too much water. Water is generally added in the mixing tanks, some add it to avoid jamming at the level of the grinder, and also at the decantation at the final centrifuge stage. The less water you add, the more polyphenols you preserve. When it comes to settings, there is no specific setting but of course you have to avoid heat, this is vital.”
Finally, storage is essential when it comes to high-phenolic olive oils which lose their beneficial properties quickly if exposed to heat, light and air. “The storage and bottling conditions are very important to maintain the polyphenol content of the olive oil,” confirms Dubokovič. “Exposure to light, high temperature and air can cause oxidation and degradation of polyphenols, so it’s essential to store the oil in a dark, cool and sealed container. We also use noble gas argon when filling olive oil on our filling line for each bottle separately. With this, we make a cover that additionally protects the olive oil from oxidation.”
Judging high-phenolic olive oils: more than a numbers game
Olive oils entered into the Health Claim award category at Olio Nuovo Days are required to have a certificate of chemical analysis based on the standard recognised by the European Union which reveals the level of phenolic content. However, numbers are not the only factor taken into consideration when judging a high-phenolic olive oil.
“When we are judging high-phenolic olive oils, we are first of all checking to see if there are no defects,” says Kostas Liris, Olio Nuovo Days jury chairman. “And then we give points based on the phenolic compounds and of the taste. If it’s a quality oil, it should have no defect and it should have the highest possible phenolic compounds.”
The entry deadline for the Olio Nuovo Days competition is February 10th, 2023. For more information contact north@olio-nuovo.com
To join the Olio Nuovo Days Masterclass on March 24th, register your interest by contacting Olio Nuovo Days at north@olio-nuovo.com
Olio Nuovo Days 2023 welcomes the world’s best olive oils to Paris
Pastry Chef Francois PERRET
The world’s best olive oils are coming to Paris again this March during the 7th edition of Olio Nuovo Days. The Ritz-Escoffier School at the iconic Ritz Paris on place Vendôme will be the prestigious venue for this international olive oil competition taking place from March 22nd to 24th.
Presiding over the competition is chef François Perret of The Ritz Paris, who along with an international jury of professional tasters, will select the very best olive oils in three different categories. A special design prize will also be awarded to the olive oil with the best packaging design.
Olive oils from around the world entered into the competition will be judged for their excellence through a sensory analysis, with the jury selecting finalists for the prize of Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as well as the Best Pressed-Infused Olive Oil category. The third award, Health Claim, will go to the olive oils with high levels of phenolic compounds, measured through a chemical analysis, combined with a balanced taste.
Pastry Chef François Perret of The Ritz Paris is Olio Nuovo Days competition chairman
“As competition chairman, I see this as a great opportunity to learn about and taste a variety of different olive oils,” says chef Perret. “Of course it’s also above all an opportunity to give recognition to the ‘artisans of flavour’ – the professionals producing olive oil with an artisanal approach.”
Named World’s Best Restaurant Pastry Chef in 2019, chef Perret has worked in some of the best kitchens in Paris and is author of French Pastry at the Ritz Paris. He also appeared in a Netflix series, The Chef in a Truck, where his mission was to reinterpret American desserts with a French accent.
Always up for a challenge, Perret is tasked with designing an original recipe using the winning olive oil of Olio Nuovo Days 2023. “I love to experiment with olive oil,” he says of the challenge. “There’s lots you can do with it. The wonderful thing about discovering new olive oils is that they give ideas and provide inspiration.”
A unique synergy between professional tasters and culinary experts
What’s unique about Olio Nuovo Days is the synergy between experienced tasters and professional chefs. While a professional taster can accurately identify the attributes of an olive oil, it is ultimately the chef who works with it as part of their culinary palette. Though it’s a somewhat new approach to olive oil competitions, it’s one that makes perfect sense.
The chef’s creation inspired by the winning olive oil at Olio Nuovo Days is always much anticipated by the olive oil loving public. At the 2017 edition, pastry chef William Lamagnère created a Tarte Tatin enhanced by the flavours of the competition’s top olive oil. This creation then became his signature dessert which he presented at the final of Le Meilleur Pâtissier (The Best Pastry Chef), the French culinary reality show.
An international competition of the world’s best olive oils
Closely accompanying the competition chairman is jury chairman, Kostas Liris, an oleologist, agronomist, olive oil producer, and master miller. Liris keeps a close eye on the competition rules and chooses the jury members, among other tasks. “It’s important for us to have tasters from different countries and backgrounds,” he says. “Every olive oil deserves an equal opportunity to achieve the correct score. It’s important to have a final result that’s representative.”
Among the eminent membersof the juryare olive oil experts Marcelo Scofano from Rio, Brazil, and Sonda Laroussi from Sfax, Tunisia, along with French culinary experts: Eugénie Béziat, Head Chef at L’Espadon at The Ritz Paris, Ludovic Depie, coffee expert at Nespresso France; Gaël Clavière, the Pastry Chef of the French Prime Minister; and Nicolas Cloiseau, creative director of La Maison du Chocolat.
The international team of professional tasters will already start their work in early March during the first stage of the judging process when they’ll each be working remotely, tasting and grading samples identified by only a number. Based on the points awarded during this first stage, a selection of olive oils will be shortlisted. Then during the event in Paris on the 22nd and 23rd of March, the final tasting will be underway at the Ritz Paris in the presence of the competition chairman and members of the jury.
The winning olive oils of Olio Nuovo Days 2023 will be unveiled on March 24th.
A chance to taste the award-winning olive oils of Olio Nuovo Days 2023
The extraordinary flavours of the winning olive oils at Olio Nuovo Days 2023 will not only be reserved for the jury. A select group of Paris chefs will be invited to a private tasting of samples of the top olive oils in each category.
As for those curious to learn about olive oil and taste the winning entries from around the world, they’re welcome to join the master class on March 24th led by the competition’s panel leaders in English and French.
The entry deadline for the Olio Nuovo Days competition for the olive oil producers is February 10th, 2023.
To join the Masterclass on March 24th, register your interest by contacting Olio Nuovo Days at north@olio-nuovo.com .
OLIVE KIDS AWARDS is a new competition designed by OND team to award the producers attending OLIO NUOVO DAYS. The first edition will be held on October 2020 with children from 5 to 12 tasting the same EVOO as the adults (Southern Hemisphere EVOO). The tasting will take place at home under the supervision of an adult for 10 sessions. The kids final selection of 3 favourites EVOO will count to give the medals. Each child will have to explain his selection to the adult who will record it.
OLIVE KIDS AWARDS has a multiple objective Educational, By comparing the tastes of a single product, extra virgin olive oil, the children develop their taste options and their appetite for knowledge. By understanding that the term olive oil can reveal several gustatory realities, the child is likely to develop his or her critical and gastronomic sense… and gastronomic sense.
Create a moment of family complicity, An opportunity to create an exchange with the parents on an extra-familial project by opening up new taste perspectives. It seems that the more children are confronted with a diversity of tastes, the more likely they are to like them.
Giving them self-confidence, The objective is to give the children the assurance that their opinion will really count since they, and they alone, will award the medals of this contest like no other…
For producers, of olive oil and more generally for brands specializing in children’s food products, it is an opportunity to better understand their true taste which is often reduced to attractive packaging.
RESULTS on October 2020.
emmanuelle@culture-olive.org
NOUVEAU CONCOURS OLIVE KIDS AWARDS
OLIVE KIDS AWARDS est un nouveau concours qui récompensera les producteurs participant aux OLIO NUOVO DAYS.
La première édition est réservée aux enfants de 5 à 12 ans. Les enfants goûteront les huiles d’olive qui ont participé au dernier concours OLIO NUOVO DAYS Hémisphère Sud présidé par le Chef Eric Briffard.
La dégustation aura lieu à domicile sous la supervision d’un adulte pendant 10 séances.
L’objectif de ce concours dont les prix sont décernés par des enfants est multiple :
Éducatif,
En comparant les goûts d’un produit unique, l’huile d’olive, l’enfant développe son catalogue gustatif et son appétit de connaissance.
En comprenant que le terme huile d’olive peut révéler plusieurs réalités gustatives, l’enfant est susceptible de développer son sens critique… et gastronomique.
Créer un moment de complicité familiale,
Une opportunité de créer un échange avec les parents sur un projet extra-familial en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives gustatives. Il semble que plus les enfants sont mis face à une diversité de goûts, plus ils sont susceptibles de les aimer.
Donner confiance en soi,
L’objectif est de donner aux enfants l’assurance que leur avis va vraiment compter puisque c’est eux, et eux seuls qui décerneront les médailles de ce concours pas comme les autres…
Pour les producteurs,
d’huile d’olive et plus généralement pour les marques spécialisées dans les produits alimentaires pour les enfants, c’est une opportunité de mieux comprendre leur véritable goût qui est souvent réduit à un emballage attractif.
