The olive tree in ancient Athens was safeguarded by strict laws, highlighting its role as a sentinel of Athenian prosperity and identity. In the 6th century BC, the revered legislator Solon, credited with laying the foundations of Athenian democracy, enacted statutes specifically designed to protect these vital trees. He recognized that the future of Athens…
Oleacein, a phenolic compound found in extra virgin olive oil, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-atherosclerotic properties that can significantly impact human health. Research shows that oleacein is one of the most abundant and chemically active phenolics in virgin olive oils, with the potential to improve metabolic health, protect the brain, and reduce inflammation in the…
The growing potential of integrating olive heritage with tourism has grown exponentially in recent years. Several Mediterranean countries, particularly islands, have recognized how this value chain generates significant benefits in rural regions, opening other destinations in areas that, until recently, were considered less favourable for conventional tourism. Developing a tourism model based on olive groves,…
An exhibition at the Collège de France in Paris, a five-century-old public institution of higher education, research and debate, presented archaeological discoveries and objects from several French museums, including the Louvre’s Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities, from the Archaic period to the fourth century CE. “Wines, oils and perfumes: an archaeological voyage around the…
Between 2014 and 2024, Spanish designer Jorge Penadés has been tirelessly researching the olive oil production systems of his birthplace in Andalucía. His decade-long research revealed that in this region – responsible for 20-25 per cent of global production and 80 per cent of Spain’s output – a significant amount of centuries-old native wood is…
In Greece, the reduced olive oil prices at origin are not reflected in the retail market, as consumers continue to dig deep into their pockets when buying olive oil in supermarkets and grocery stores. Producer prices for extra virgin olive oil in the country have almost halved this year, ranging from €4.80 per kilogram in…
Did you know olive oil can go off? In fact, some experts say the best-quality kind should be used within months of purchase. And much to my horror, I recently learned that the worst place to store the stuff is beside the hob, where it’s exposed to lots of heat and light. Still, there’s been…
The olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) is the most significant olive grove pest in the Mediterranean region and worldwide. The damage is caused by its larvae, which feed on the olive fruit, causing significant quantitative and qualitative losses in fruit and oil. Each year, the pest accounts for more than 30 percent of the destruction…
The price of olive oil isn’t what it used to be. Recent droughts and floods across Europe have devastated thousands of once-reliable groves, leaving farmers with fewer crops and consumers with higher prices. Looking to capitalize on the crisis, fraudsters have since polluted the European market with tainted, adulterated olive oil. In the first quarter…
Few foods can compete with olive oil. Its salubrious properties have turned it into one of the most recognisable symbols of healthy living as well as a sign of tacit resistance to the industrialisation of food and loss of authentic flavours. Its rich history, stretching back to the Greeks, Egyptians and Babylonians, plays an enormous…