The members of the Operational Group (O.G.) FENOLIVA ‘Evolution during the campaign of the physicochemical and sensory composition of olive oils produced in the Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs) of ‘Sierra de Segura’, ‘Poniente de Granada’, ‘Estepa’ and ‘Sierra Mágina” have met this week at the University of Jaén to hold their first face-to-face meeting with the aim of designing new strategies.
This is an innovative project that seeks to establish the physicochemical and sensory profile of olive oils and their evolution with the maturity index in the PDOs and focuses on the composition of minor components beneficial to health, such as phenolic compounds and tocopherols, improving their extractability through innovations in the production process that will increase the quality and differentiating characteristics of the product, adapting to the demands of the sector.
With FENOLIVA, a guide will be created to promote innovations in olive oil mills in line with the ‘Andalusian Circular Bioeconomy Strategy‘, the process of separating oils in the final stages of production will be improved and a useful monitoring system will be set up for the members involved in the project. Furthermore, the aim is to determine the evolution of volatile compounds, which are susceptible to oxidation, and their relationship with the sensory profile, and to introduce technological innovations in the production process that will lead to an increase in the concentrations of beneficial compounds.
Advice to olive oil mills to implement innovations in extractability, technological support to the sector as a monitoring tool to promote innovation and sustainability, as well as the dissemination of innovations through the Regulatory Councils to the entire sector are some of the expected results.
O.G. FENOLIVA project ‘Evolution during the campaign of the physico-chemical and sensory composition of olive oils produced in the PDOs of ‘Sierra de Segura’, ‘Poniente de Granada’, ‘Estepa’ and ‘Sierra Mágina’. Introduction of technological innovations in the extraction process that increase the concentration of minor healthy components’ is made up of the CeiA3 Consortium, the University of Jaén, through the Bioprocesses TEP-138 group belonging to the University Institute of Research on Olive Grove and Olive Oils (INUO), the Regulatory Council of the D. O. ‘Sierra Segura’, the Regulatory Council of the D.O. ‘Poniente de Granada’, the Regulatory Council of the D.O. ‘Estepa’ and the Regulatory Council of the D.O. ‘Sierra Mágina‘; and Certióleo Food Guarantee Foundation, as a collaborating member.
Final resolution of Operational Groups
The Directorate General for Industries, Innovation and Agri-Food Chain has recently published the final decision on the granting of subsidies under the order of 7 July 2020, which approves the regulatory bases for the granting of subsidies, on a competitive basis aimed at the operation of AEI Operational Groups in the field of agricultural productivity and sustainability for the implementation of pilot projects and the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies in the agricultural, food and forestry sectors, within the framework of the Rural Development Programme of Andalusia 2014-2022, including the aid contemplated in the integrated territorial investment 2014-2022 in the province of Cadiz, called by the order of 22 December 2022.
The project is financed with European Agricultural Funds for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Andalusian Regional Government in the call for the operation of Regional Operational Groups of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP AGRI) 2020.
