MEDIA RELEASE 31 July 2008
AOA to develop table olive Code of Practice in conjunction with Food
Standards Australia & New Zealand
In line with the recent development of the olive industry Code of Practice from
the Australian Olive Association (AOA), the AOA Table Olive Subcommittee has
been working with Food Standards Australia & New Zealand (FSANZ) to draft the
Code of Practice specifically for table olives. This Code will adopt the
International Standard for Table Olives from the Codex Alimentarius Commission*.
The Code of Practice for table olives will seek to guarantee the authenticity
and quality of Australian table olives and distinguish them from imported
products. It will also establish Australian standards for the industry to ensure
food safety and high quality.
Jim Smyth from the AOA Table Olive Subcommittee said it is important to
establish Australian standards for table olives to help the industry compete
with imports.
"In Australia, the quality of table olives being produced is as good if not
better than the olives being imported. Although, because it is a relatively
small industry made up of mostly boutique growers, it is limited greatly by the
costs of harvesting," said Smyth.
The table olive Code of Practice will include industry standards for production
that will cover planting, growing, harvesting, transport, processing, packing
and storage.
"The AOA is committed to the entire olive industry and is working with growers
to help find solutions to the issues facing the industry, such as the high cost
of harvesting table olives. We are researching the viability of mechanical
harvesting and automatic colour and quality sorting, so together with the Code
of Practice, we hope to build a strong and sustained olive industry," Smyth
added.
The table olive industry gathers every year for the Australian Table Olive
'Taste Off' competition, which is held in October during the Australian Olive
Expo at the Exhibition Park (EPIC) in Canberra. Only award winners from state
and regional Table Olive shows are invited to enter the 'Taste Off' event.
The Australian Olive Association was founded in 1995 as the industry body to
encourage research and dissemination of information and the sustained
development of a national olive industry in Australia.
More information on the Australian Olive Association is available at
www.australianolives.com.au or
by calling (02) 9863 8735.
* The Codex Alimentarius Commission is the international body established by the
World Health Organisation and the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the
United Nations to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as
codes of practice. The main purposes of the Commission are to protect the health
of consumers, ensure fair trade practices in the food trade, and promote
coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental
and non-governmental organisations.
Released for the Australian Olive Association by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations
(www.drpr.com.au)
For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Joanna Gitsham on (02)
9413 4244.
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