H2020 - OLEUM

The OLEUM project will generate innovative, more effective and harmonized analytical solutions to detect and fight the mostcommon and emerging frauds and to verify the overall quality of olive oils (OOs). By a core group of 20 partners from 15countries OLEUM will undertake RESEARCH ACTIVITIES based on the development of IMPROVED and NEWANALYTICAL METHODS by targeted and omics approaches with the aim: i) to detect new markers of the soft deodorizationprocess; ii) to discover illegal blends between OOs and other vegetable oils; iii) to control OO quality (e.g. freshness); iv) toimprove the organoleptic assessment with a Quantitative Panel Test, based on current official methods, and supported bytailored reference materials for better calibration of the sensory panels coupled with rapid screening tools to facilitate thework of the panelists. The most promising OLEUM solutions will be subjected to VALIDATION in conformity withinternationally agreed standards by peer laboratories. OLEUM will recreate a realistic “deodorization scenario” by producingtailored, soft deodorized OOs by lab-scale and up-scaled pilot plants to apply analytical solutions to known samples.Substantial KNOWLEDGE and TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER activities will be envisaged to aid in implementation of: a) aweb-based easily-accessible, scalable and constantly updated OLEUM DATABANK, containing all the information fromOLEUM research and other reliable international sources, will be available for download data and spectra and to helpachieve satisfactory harmonization of analytical approaches among control laboratories; b) the OLEUM NETWORK ofrelevant OOs stakeholders to maximize the impact of proposed analytical solutions. Finally, a robust dissemination strategyby the OLEUM project aimed at effectively sharing results with all stakeholders in the OO supply chain has the potential toimprove consumer and market confidence, and preserve the image of OOs on a global scale.