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Forty arrested in new 'fake' olive oil scam



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Published Date: 22 April 2008
By Nick Pisa
FRESH doubts over the quality of Italian products were raised yesterday after 40 people were arrested and more than 25,000 litres of suspect olive oil seized.
The arrests came only a month after scares over mozzarella production and adulterated wine caused demand to plummet.

The olive oil crackdown is the second in less than six weeks – there was a similar operation in March, when 23 people were arrest
ed in a £35 million raid.

In the latest operation, seven olive oil plants were impounded and some 40 people arrested in nine provinces in southern and northern Italy, including Naples, Bari and Milan.

Police had been watching the plants for two years, and the suspects are accused of adding chlorophyll to sunflower and soya bean oil, and selling it as extra virgin olive oil in Italy and abroad. TV news footage showed police scientists demonstrating the process and the cheap oil turning a darker, greenish colour, like that of the traditional extra virgin olive oil.

The authorities said they had blocked "huge" shipments of the doctored oil to the United States and Germany.

The consumer rights association ADUC said the case would add to consumer doubts about top Italian products, after scares over mozzarella and wine.





The full article contains 213 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 21 April 2008 9:50 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Iain's,

Barcelona 22/04/2008 10:09:52
It has been common knowledge for years here in Spain that Spanish oil is exported to Italy and sold as Italian.

Now this!

Obviously those who swear by Italian oil do not know what they are talking about let alone know what the are consuming.

Buy good Spanish oil and take no risks!

2

TimW1234,

Ottawa, Canada 22/04/2008 11:40:31
I agree with Number 1.

Buy GOOD Spanish olive oil and avoid this tampering of goods in Italy.

Them Italians will do anything to make a buck or pound.
3

Yane,

22/04/2008 13:10:40
But it wouldn't taste like olive oil so how do they get away with it?
4

John Blackley,

Florida 22/04/2008 15:24:15
I would like to know what company name the operation used and what brand name(s) the oil was sold under. A little helpful journalism, please, Scotsman?

#3 Yane - much of the fake olive oil, it seems, has been sold to the United States where - such is the passion for 'EVOO' that many consumers wouldn't know true extra-virgin olive oil if forced to drink it by the litre.
5

Kelvino,

NY 22/04/2008 18:43:42
I have been a huge fan of Spanish olive oil for many years and have fully expected that the apparent glut of Italian "EVOO" was an illusion. . . . or a scam.
I love the "creative" nature of Italian businesses and
the fact that American sheep kept buying the trendy
bogus olive oil ! Very Fellini !

How could a product that barely showed itself become the only oil available in most US supermarkets ? What happened to the ever-present "Pure Olive Oil ?"
"EVOO!" ( plus some filtered grass clippings !)
6

Yane,

22/04/2008 23:11:38
#4 That is sad JB.
Hey — Lovely Americans. This isn't trendy, it's just a wee tip.
Buy some bread that you like (somthn cooked with yeast – not that stuff with a raising agent) that has a bit of flavour (flavor). I like sour dough bread. Break off a bit & dip it in dark green olive oil & then a wee bit balsamic vinegar.
Then you'll learn the taste of olive oil. You may even get fussy - like people do with wine! (I'm not fussy with wine — just so long as it doesn't rip out the back of ma throat.)
If you can't get the oil from Europe mibbee you should buy it from Australia. Then again maybe no — we might not have enough. ;)
7

Nick G.,

Austin 23/04/2008 13:43:28
It took four comments for a story on Italian criminals to become a soapbox for anti-Americanism. Did you know the oil was headed to Germany, too? Or do you only read the local paper?

And thanks for the snacking tip, Yane. I look forward to more culinary guidance from the land of haggis and deep-fried Mars bars.
8

Yane,

24/04/2008 09:24:17
#7 I'm in Melbourne, Australia. I can't believe it! How can you see this as anti- Americanism? I even said 'lovely Americans'.
There's something really weird going on....

 

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