Carapelli Spa and Deoleo, through the words of CEO Pierluigi Tosato, denounce the proliferation of fake news regarding the Italian olive oil sector, through the publication on the web of articles and comments tendentiously false and defamatory. News that has been recently spread from fake news sites and then resumed by newspapers and blogs, reporting incorrect or manipulated information that explicitly refers to different brands of olive oil.
Quality and food safety
Here to follow, the statement released by Deoleo Group: Dear and esteemed consumers, you may have recently come across fake and defamatory online articles, which refer to different brands of olive oil. The information on which these articles are based results from a study conducted in 2010 at the University of California Davis Olive Center. This study was completely discredited by the IOC, the International Olive Council, through numerous press releases, as the methodology used was not in line with the IOC standards. The study was further discredited when neutral tasters tried to repeat the tests, without obtaining any positive results. Moreover, some recent articles published online give an extravagant report that olive oils have been blended with other vegetable oils, and that these can cause negative effects on health. The North American Olive Oil Association has contacted the people held responsible for the diffusion of this false and erroneous news, requiring them to modify the original texts. It is guaranteed that, as the world’s number one olive oil company, we possess all the highest quality standards, but also safety, and transparency towards the whole sector, and that these values are a fundamental pillar for our company. Our olive oil is perfectly in line with all the strictest standards set by the International Olive Council (IOC) and the European Union, which set the only recognized and legally binding testing methodologies. Moreover, every batch of our olive oil is subjected to chemical and sensory tests before and after bottling. In addition to this, all our products and processes meet the highest food safety standards and comply with all regulations. Indeed, they have won the most important certifications in this sector (ISO 9001, IFS, BRC, FDA for US exports, CSQA). In 2017 alone, we have gained global recognition for the quality of our products, winning 2 gold medals and 10 silver medals for many important international oil competitions. We are currently using legal means to strongly defend our company’s and brands’ reputation, considering this choice a clear commitment to transparency in front of consumers. Deoleo reserves the right to take any action that can legally be taken against those who continue to disseminate such fake and defamatory articles and share them on the Internet and on social media.