ArteOliva - Kosher Certified by KLBD - Goes on Tetra Brik

ArteOliva – Kosher Certified by KLBD – Goes on Tetra Brik

16 July 2012

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a natural and healthy food, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and polyphenols that provide multiple benefits to our health. Vitamin E and tocopherol (helped by polyphenols) is the main defence our body has against free radicals which are responsible for diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis and aging.

Research has demonstrated that Vitamin E has significant properties offering prevention against lung, urine and prostate cancer. It is also effective in patients with coronary disease. Studying the influence of the supply of vitamin E or placebo, the results were dramatic: there was a 77% reduction in nonfatal myocardial infarctions in the group receiving vitamin E for an average period of 510 days.

The above is just an example that serves to illustrate the importance of vitamin E and polyphenols to our health, both present in extra virgin olive oil. However, it is necessary to consider: What happens to oil when exposed to light for several months? Does the type of container affect the possible alteration of the beneficial properties of the oil?

The answer is that light is recognised as the greatest enemy of oil. Rancidity reactions are catalyzed by light and can cause; bleaching of oil, formation of secondary oxidation compounds (increased K value 270), alteration of taste and smell and reduced vitamin E and polyphenols.

There are numerous studies supporting the devastating effect of light on the oil. In this sense we can quote the classic investigations made some years ago by the Instituto de la Grasa (Seville) with different types of containers between those which were plastic, glass, opaque glass, cans and Tetra Brik, in room temperature and with exposure to daylight. The results showed that after three months, only oils packaged in Tetra Brik preserved its vitamin E almost intact, the oils packaged in glass or polyethylene showed losses of around 50%.

More recently, studies published in 2002 by Mary Tasioula in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry detailed how the light causes a loss of 30% in the vitamin E content in virgin olive oil after two months if you bottled in transparent containers.

Finally, in a paper presented by members of the Institute of Fats and Derivatives of Seville in the VIII Conference on Organic Farming it was demonstrated that after only 30 days of exposure to oil packed in clear glass at 30 ° C with an illumination of 3568 lux, there was a loss of over 60% of vitamin E for both organic and conventional oils.

In view of the previous mentioned studies, we can establish an average loss in vitamin E, between 30% and 40% for the exposure of olive oil for two months in the light of a supermarket. For the oil to maintain all of its features until it reaches the customer’s table, ArteOliva – recently certified as kosher by KLBD, adding more value to their already high quality standards – has adopted the following recommendation: “Consume extra virgin olive oil packed in a way that protects its contribution to your health i.e. in a can, Tetra Brik or Tetra Prisma”, and as the company’s directors say: ” ArteOliva: a well kept treasure”.

For export enquiries, contact Mr Rafael Guardeno on +34 957 649 027.