There is a great variety of edible oils , from different botanical sources, with very different nutritional values . Among these, olive oil is widely recognized as the one with the best nutritional value , mainly due to the combination of its fatty acid component and the presence of antioxidant molecules .
Extra virgin olive oil is the premium commercial category among olive oils. To belong to it, EVO oils must respect various chemical and sensory legal limits including the absence of sensory defects, to confirm their authenticity. EVO oils can also be certified mainly with regard to geographical origin, through DOP and IGP .
Until now, there has been a lack of product certification schemes based on nutritional standards for EVO oil , despite the fact that the latter is widely recognized in the scientific community as a nutraceutical food . A nutraceutical food is usually defined as a natural product capable of providing additional health benefits beyond those provided by known macro and micro nutrients , including the prevention of a disease through the reduction of disease risk factors, and remaining between Food and Drug.
In general, any element that contains antioxidant molecules and is in a low oxidative state has a nutraceutical effect on human health. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has authorised a list of health claims that includes both two health claims related to substances that are also present in EVO oil (i.e. tocopherols and unsaturated fatty acids) and a specific health claim for substances present only in EVO oil (i.e. secoiridoid phenolic compounds).
However, the above European health claims are still poorly used by EVOO producers and bottlers, as they are supposedly not clearly understandable for the consumer.
A specific classification system that gives an overall nutritional score for an EVO oil is necessary to develop certification schemes that add value to the product and communicate information that is easy to understand for consumers .
This is what IQO does. Together with the University of Florence , it has developed an algorithm capable of giving importance to both all the main nutraceutical compounds and to the sensitivity of the oil to oxidation phenomena during shelf-life .
This is what the IQO Nutritional Certification for EVO Oil is about. IQO certifies the nutritional value of superior quality EVO oil , helps the producer to enhance their product towards the final consumer , who will be able to make daily choices of absolute quality, in total awareness and trust . IQO certifies the nutritional value of EVO oil, through a supply chain organized down to the smallest details and in a completely digital way. With its IQO Nutritional Certification for EVO Oil , IQO avails itself of the collaboration of first-level partners , leaders in the field of IT , chemical analysis and legal assistance , to offer our certified producers the highest communication standards always updated in all fields .
Thanks to the IQO stamp placed on each bottle , the consumer can immediately understand, by reading the IQO score reported, the quality of the nutritional profile of the EVO oil contained in that bottle. Furthermore, through the QR code or the serial number present on each label , he can immediately access the IQO nutritional certificate issued to the EVO oil contained in that bottle, complete with the IQO score and many other nutritional and chemical information relating to the product in question.
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