Italian Authority Confiscates Counterfeit Oil Worth Nearly US$1 Million As Mediterranean Diet Gets Popular

Illustration of olive oil. (Wikimedia Commons/Dina Said)

JAKARTA - Authorities in southern Italy uncovered allegations of sale of counterfeit olive oil, confiscating 42 tons of extra virgin oil worth nearly US$1 million.

Seven people are accused of criminal conspiracy, falsification of food ingredients intended for marketing, fraud in public military supplies, and falsification of food for exports, according to a memo sent by Carabinieri, reported by CNN July 21.

The raid, which was carried out two weeks ago in the Puglia area, involved a search warrant for 18 garages and warehouses.

Some of the 42 tons of oil are already packaged and ready to be sold. Authorities confiscated 71 tonnes of the so-called "oil" in plastic tanks, as well as 623 liters of chlorophyll, the extra virgin olive oil component added to lower-valued oil.

They found packaging equipment, a label stating that the oil was "extra viral" even though it was clearly not, and commercial documentation included 1,145 customs stamps under study for counterfeiting, the statement said.

The van, loading equipment, and computers were also confiscated.

Authorities also confiscated 174 bottles of champagne that were allegedly fake and underwent testing.

The investigation began in September with the arrests of 11 people in Italy and Spain, as well as the seizure of 12 barrels containing 260,000 liters of counterfeited olive oil, or non-virgin or extra olive oil.

The case of counterfeited extra virgin olive oil has increased in recent years, due to the popularity of the Mediterranean diet and the impact of climate change, which has greatly reduced production in southern Europe due to a devastating drought, according to the International Olive Council.

In January, officials raided 50 restaurants in Rome and found falsified seed oil as extra virgin olive oil.

Quoted from the New York Cancer & Blood Specialists website, olive oil is part of a "healthy" fat group and an important component of the Mediterranean diet. Many health benefits are associated with polyphenols and oleic acid in them. Extra virgin olive oil contains the most beneficial components. In some observational studies, consumption of olive oil is associated with a lower risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer, prostate, and colorectal, as well as being associated with fewer cancer-induced deaths.

The health benefits also apply to other chronic conditions such as heart disease by increasing blood lipid levels, lowering blood pressure, and managing diabetes by helping control insulin levels.