NARC, olive syndicate warn public of adulterated oil

AMMAN — As the olive season approaches, the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) and the Olive Oil Producers and Mill Owners Syndicate are advising citizens against buying untested olive oil from unlicenced sources.

Director General of NARC Nizar Haddad noted that the centre has several labs distributed around various governorates, which provide free-of-charge olive oil testing services for both consumers and producers. 

“These labs conduct adulteration, acidity and sensorial analysis tests, determining whether the olive is extra virgin, virgin or unviable for human consumption.  It then provides an official certificate containing all test results as well as the names of the lab and the oil producer,” he told The Jordan Times, advising citizens to buy oil from known and trusted sources.

NARC also organises the National Olive Festival Exhibition every year, which aims to support low-income farmers and promote local olive products. 

During the festival, there will also be an olive oil testing lab run by NARC’s technicians and researchers who will be preforming tests to prevent adulteration and determine the exact quality of the oil being sold, Haddad said.  

NARC will also be placing a QR code label on each tested oil container to “facilitate traceability”. When a person takes a photo of this code, it will send them to a webpage that contains all the information usually put on certificates issued by the centre, he added, noting that the lab will also provide free certificates of quality for producers who plan to export olive oil. 

Last year, roughly 232 tonnes of oil were sold during the 10-day festival, which is set to kick off on November 24 this year, according to Haddad.

He also pointed out the importance of countering adulteration to maintain the reputation of Jordanian olive oil.

“NARC is trying to reinforce the historical value of Jordan’s olive trees and products through the research it regularly conducts, which has proven that the Kingdom’s olive oil is of the highest quality,” he added.

A paper recently issued by NARC shows that Jordan is home to one of the oldest olive tree genotypes in the Mediterranean region, known as “Mehras”, which is distinguished by its ability to adapt to harsh environments and produce high-quality olive oil, Haddad continued. 

This year’s olive oil season, which begins on October 15, is expected to yield 26,000 tonnes of oil, the Olive Oil Producer and Mill Owners Syndicate Spokesperson Mahmoud Al Omari told The Jordan Times.

He also pointed out the importance of increasing penalties on food adulteration to protect consumers, also stressing the role of the media in raising public awareness.