Olivegrower & Processor September 2017 by Sandra Noke

2017 Conference looks to the future

2017 September

Harvest report: TAS & NZ Pruning Determining shelf life Biosecurity: preparing for Xf

Contents

In this issue... Incorporating Australian Olive Industry Journal Published by the Australian Olive Association Ltd Publisher Australian Olive Association Executive Editor Greg Seymour ceo@australianolives.com.au Managing Editor Gerri Nelligan wordsync@bigpond.com Advertising Sherilynn LeFeuvre sherilynn.lefeuvre@bigpond.com

September 2017 Issue 105

News New industry-owned focus for Olivegrower publications

CEO covers more ground

China Project update

Olive Oil Sensory Master Course

Join the Australian International Olive Awards celebrations

Mapping Australia’s food future

October deadline for Hunter Olive Show entries

It’s ‘real news’: sat fat (in coconut oil) increases heart risk

Harvest report Tasmania 16

Production Sandra Noke ogproduction@sandynoke.com

New Zealand

Subscriptions A one-year subscription (four issues) is: Aust $44 (AOA member discount rate $40), NZ $56 and OS $60 and includes a copy of the annual Australian and New Zealand Olive Industry Directory. Visit www.olivebiz.com.au to subscribe.

Turning brown to green

2017 Conference 2017 Conference: consolidation and innovation for a positive future

Circulation sherilynn.lefeuvre@bigpond.com Contributions Articles and other contributions are welcome and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Photographs are best received as high resolution jpg files via email, and as separate attachments not embedded. Printing Lane Print & Post Adelaide

THE LATEST UPDATES ON R&D WITHIN THE OLIVE INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER 2017

Welcome

New Zealand

PO Box 174, Coomandook SA 5261 Australia Phone +618 8573 6545 Website www.olivebiz.com.au ISSN 1448-5486 Conditions The opinions expressed in Olivegrower & Processor are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated. All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. All material in Olivegrower & Processor is copyright © Australian Olive Association Ltd. All rights reserved.No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the published will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

R&D Insights is a new insert to keep you up to date with the latest levy-funded R&D projects within the Australian olive industry, which happen under the Hort Innovation Olive Fund. It will also include info on other research and resources to help the industry remain strong and vibrant.

Entries up for 2017 NZ EVOO awards

Back to basics

Focus Grove Project October Field Days What is the olive levy?

Australian Olive Association ABN 57 072 977 489

Pruning

Here, olive levy funds are invested into industry-specific research programs alongside financial contributions from the Australian Government.

Olive Fund page at www.horticulture. com.au/grower-focus/olive. It is the role of the SIAP to provide advice on potential investment opportunities, always being guided by the industry’s Strategic Investment Plan (read on for more on this). Project ideas are filtered and shaped into full proposals by Hort Innovation based on SIAP advice and to ensure that they align with strategic priorities. If a concept proposal is successful, a Request for Proposal document is drafted and Hort Innovation notifies prospective service providers using a limited or open procurement process, depending on the project requirements. Prospective service providers then have a bid period in which they can submit their response. After the bid period has ended, Hort Innovation convenes an evaluation panel to review the responses and then Hort Innovation works to contract the service provider it approves to continued on pg2 undertake the work.

The Coonalpyn grove three years on Agricultural levies are set by the Australian Government at the request of industry in order to collectively fund R&D, biosecurity, residue testing and, in some cases, marketing programs.

Separately, Plant Health Australia (PHA) manages certain plant health programs on behalf of industry (using a $0.10 per tonne component of the levy).

Pests & Diseases In 2015/16 total olive R&D levy receipts were approximately $332,000.

Xylella fastidiosa: what do we know and are we ready Who manages the olive levy?

The olive levy is collected by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, which is also responsible for administration and disbursement of levies on behalf of agricultural industries.

To help ensure R&D investment decisions are balanced and prioritised by the current needs of the industry, Hort Innovation has established an olive Strategic Investment Advisory Panel (SIAP). The SIAP is skills-based and comprises levy-paying growers, processors and technical experts. The make-up of the current SIAP can be found on Hort Innovation’s

Olive business The investment of R&D funds ($3 per tonne) is managed by Hort Innovation, the not-for-profit, growerowned Research and Development Corporation (RDC) for Australia’s $9.5 billion horticulture industry.

R&D – Determining shelf life

Profile

Have your say! To submit a project idea, visit: www.horticulture.com.au/concept-proposal-form

Olive waste – trash or treasure? Part 3 CIC_105025_R&DINSIGHTS-SEP17_06.indd 1

42 25/8/17 5:26 pm

Charlie Pancerzewski, Far North New Zealand Olive Oil

Olives & Health Health Round-up

What’s On Calendar of events

Advertiser’s index

Cover: Don’t miss our preview of the 2017 National Olive Conference, being held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on October 10-11. The premiere event on the olive industry calendar, this year’s program looks firmly towards the future via consolidation and innovation. Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 3

News

AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND

NATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE OLIVE INDUSTRY

NATIONAL OLIVE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE

Greg Seymour AND EXHIBITION ExecutiveTRADE Publisher, OG&P Communications Platform 2011

New industry-owned focus for Olivegrower publications WANGARATTA VICTORIA – TUESDAY 25TH AND WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2011

As announced in the previous edition, on 16 June this year the Australian Olive Association (AOA) acquired the Olivegrower & Processor (OG&P) mastheads from Ryan Media. I have previously made mention of the fact that the AOA’s internal and external communications program was going through some changes. My exploration of the organisation when I took over as CEO identified clearly that, while industry communication has to date been okay, it needs to go to another level if the AOA is to fulfil the leadership role that many believe it should embrace. The acquisition of the OG&P publications aims to facilitate that improvement.

The other significant aspect of the new arrangement is that the profits generated by the business will be reinvested in projects to support the ongoing development of the Australian olive industry.

“Restoring Trust in the Trade of Olive Oil”

Key assets The key assets include the hardcopy Olivegrower & Processor magazine, the Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) e-newsletter, the OliveBiz website, and the annual Olive Industry Directory. Together they form a multi-format suite of dedicated publications, whichwww.australianolives.com.au the industry has grown to trust and rely on for its news and information. Business as usual The assets were purchased as a going concern and it will be business as usual with the AOA as the new owners. Gerri Nelligan, the highly respected editor of both the quarterly magazine and the weekly e-newsletter, continues to play that hands-on role and has also taken on the role of Managing Editor of all the masthead publications. Increased industry support The acquisition is great news for the olive industry in Australia, and great news for readers, advertisers and sponsors. The AOA will be investing in several initiatives to increase circulation, including additional content to interest growers, an evolving new look and, importantly, a concerted subscription drive encompassing all stakeholders in the industry.

Dedicated team One of our first initiatives as the new owners was the appointment of the new OG&P team and I’d like to introduce the other members: • Sherilynn LeFeuvre is the new OG&P sales manager, dedicated to looking after our advertisers, sponsors and subscribers; • Sandra Noke is our production manager, using her design and technical skills to create the publications in their various formats; • AOA EO Lisa Rowntree sorts out the admin side of things, and disseminates the e-communications; • I back the team up as Executive Publisher. Industry-owned focus It brings an exciting time for the Australian olive industry. Olivegrower & Processor, Friday Olive Extracts and the OliveBiz website will continue to bring subscribers the latest news, commentary and information on the issues that matter most, but with a new industry-owned focus. We will also continue to provide advertisers with the best opportunity to reach and communicate with industry members across Australia, New Zealand and our wider subscriber base, meeting – and we hope improving on - the service and consideration provided in the past. And as YOUR industry publication providers, we welcome your ideas about what we should be doing differently or better. The OG&P team looks forward to your ongoing support as we work together to continue to grow the olive industry in Australia.

Contact the OG&P Communications team:

Editorial: Gerri Nelligan – wordsync@bigpond.com Advertising and subscriptions: Sheri Le Feuvre - sherilynn.lefeuvre@bigpond.com Sponsorship: Greg Seymour – ceo@australianolives.com.au AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND

NATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE OLIVE INDUSTRY

NATIONAL OLIVE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE AND

TRADE EXHIBITION 2011

4 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105 TH

News

AOA CEO Greg Seymour’s tour of the WA industry included a visit to the historic grove at the New Norcia monastery during the recent bumper harvest.

CEO covers more ground Over the past three months AOA CEO Greg Seymour has continued his visits to regional growing areas across the country, connecting with Association and other industry members at various events and meetings. A whirlwind tour of WA operations included a visit to the historic grove at the New Norcia monastery, planted on its establishment in 1846. It’s been a long-running success, with a recorded oil yield in 1896 of 90 litres from just five tonnes of fruit. That’s an impressive 18% yield, especially given the production method: the fruit was crushed using the monastery’s large flour mill stone, turned on its side and pulled over the olives by horse. The 2017 harvest was the largest ever recorded, with 1,778 litres produced from 8,484 kilos of fruit, picked by volunteers over a two week period (and processed in a little more high-tech manner!). Seymour visited during the picking and was treated to a tour and a special monastery cellar tasting, including the newly pressed oils. He was impressed, and encouraged grove supervisor Nigel Cooper to enter this year’s oil in the Perth Royal Show. We’ll let you know how they go in the December edition – a test of Seymour’s oil tasting skills! The New Norcia team were also impressed, spreading news of Seymour’s visit on behalf of the AOA in their most recent newsletter. Other activities included the Goulburn Strathbogie Olive Growers Association (GSOGA) post-harvest lunch in July, where Seymour spoke about his experiences to date as CEO and responded to queries about the Association and its activities raised by GSOGA members. He also built on those oil tasting skills, joining in an appraisal of the members’ assembled new seasons oils. Feedback from members and industry is a crucial element of Seymour’s plan for an increasingly inclusive and successful national association, so if you’ve got a concern, a suggestion or a query, get in touch. Contact Greg via email at: ceo@australianolives.com.au or mob: 0476 760 160. Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 5

News

China Project update ID:UD3M04NJ4Z

Chris Mercer, Program co-ordinator, The Olive Route 2

Co-ordinator Chris Mercer continues our quarterly updates on The Olive Route, an industry levy-funded project facilitating extra virgin olive oil exports to China.

Striving for excellence Alert readers will recall that The Olive Route strives for excellence at every step of the ‘journey of the juice’ from the olive grove to the customer. Not only excellence but additionally we look for creative and innovative ways to imbibe ‘bestness’ and brilliance into the impeccable delivery of Australia’s magnificent EVOO (and other natural products) to discerning Chinese customers. Part of this effort lies in maximising the joy of the customers’ buying experience. We were privileged to be able to investigate this as part of the levy sponsored research project OL14003: Essential work to facilitate increased exports to China, removing roadblocks and establishing competitive advantages. Our findings were summarised in a dedicated chapter of the resultant Export Handbook and reflected continuously throughout. And so to packaging I issued an instruction to Jeff Gillan, our brave but argumentative creative director: “When our customers open their packages I want them to get the same stone spine shudder as when they first hear Tina Turner belt into River Deep, Mountain High. Characteristically, he ignored my excesses but he did come up with some halfway decent artwork for the packaging. The packaging construction itself was based on the Auspost Wine Shippers which I have admired for a long time. I like the energy absorbing rims; I like the rugged material; I like the way the shipper encloses the inserts; I like the adaptability and construction; and I like the price. So I copied them. Well I am in China! The creative process I won’t describe the agonies of bringing the packaging to fruition. I won’t describe the three weeks it took to design the carton interlock so that it didn’t interfere with the flow of the artwork; nor the months of torment spent trying to design universal inserts; nor Jenny’s driving as she took me to obscure corners of Guangdong to meet manufacturers (not) capable of original thought. No, I won’t describe the early mornings throwing the prototypes against the walls of coffee shops. The result I will describe (briefly) just three of the many fabulous things about the packaging that we have finally come up with. Firstly, the packaging is so rugged that it can be dropped out of aeroplanes (we are in China); secondly, the outer shipper and inner cartons are predominantly white, but when you open the carton there is a resplendent blaze of yellow, like the opening of a flower or the bright glory of Australian sunshine breaking through the clouds; and thirdly, when the bottle of EVOO is taken out of the pack, a message is revealed in calligraphic

Mercer describes “peeling through the white layers of the packaging to reach the blazing yellow core” as “reminiscent not only of the opening of olive blossom but also Australian sunshine breaking through the clouds”. Evocative marketing indeed!

Chinese script, saying, “Now you can enjoy real extra virgin olive oil”. No exclamation mark, just a statement of fact. “When I was a little girl, I had a rag doll…”

Shared opportunity The AOA is proud to offer this postal packaging to members. The brave (and not argumentative) Sandy will be applying our “Everyday” branding to the pack, and members will just need to agree to a simple license agreement to be able to place their orders. Because I have so far failed in my quest for the universal mounting system, we have to provide dedicated inserts for the various available bottles, so if you are interested, dear reader, please let Lisa know which bottles you are shipping so that we can make sure we have the inserts available. “And it gets stronger … Everyday”! A Western Australian grower and EVOO producer, Chris Mercer is the president of Olives WA and a member of the AOA board. Any levy payers interested in joining the pioneers along The Olive Route, including becoming Australian Authentic shareholders, can contact him via chris@au-thentic.net for more information. AOA members wanting to access the specialized postal packaging can register their interest with Lisa Rowntree via secretariat@australianolives.com.au.

6 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

6 reasons why you should attend

Learn from the industry’s best

Connect… with peers and friends

Applaud… your colleagues as

and brightest. Conference sessions offer insightful information on relevant topics such as latest R&D, marketing and production stats, trends in food, nutrition, health and the future of robotics in agriculture.

you haven’t seen in a while. The National Olive Industry Conference is the largest and most important olive event in Australia and is a must for growers.

they receive awards at the Australian International Olive Awards Gala Presentation Dinner to be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre Tuesday 10th October 2017.

Meet… people who supply goods

Brainstorm… share knowledge

Explore… the beautiful city of

and services to the Olive Industry. The exhibition Hall is the place to check out new products and learn about innovative ideas. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to spend some extra time with you showcasing their wares in the new theatrette.

and pool ideas. Your voice matters and we encourage you to ask questions. A dedicated “Grower Panel” will be available on Tuesday afternoon to provide suggestions on how to increase production, process olive fruit, store olive oil and manage pests and diseases.

Adelaide and discover a treasure trove of spectacular places to eat. Don’t forget to visit the iconic Adelaide Central Markets. Adelaide is affordable, central, easy to navigate and a whole lot of fun, so get on line and order your tickets.

www.nationaloliveconference.com.au

News

Olive Oil Sensory Master Course An Olive Oil Sensory Master Course is being held in Geelong on 10-11 November 2017, run by the IRTA and Modern Olives. Presented by university professor Dr Agustí Romero, a member of the official olive oil taste panel of Catalonia (Spain), and sensory expert and head of the Modern Olives Laboratory Service Claudia Guillaume, the course has been designed to enable participants to: • learn more about negative and positive attributes, focussing on both identification and intensity scoring; • gain a better understanding of the relationship between fruit handling, milling and oil management on final quality; and • gain a better understanding of chemical analysis and panel test results, for better informed strategies for olive oil trading.

Program Day 1 (9 am – 4 pm) • Program and goals/about IRTA olive R&D and Modern Olives • Preliminary sample for verification • Evaluation skills to discriminate between extra virgin, virgin and lampante oils • The origin of defects • Introducing main defects (rancid, winey, fusty, frozen, muddy and musty) • Tasting of samples to discuss winey, fusty and musty

Sensory chemist and head of the Modern Olives Laboratory Service Claudia Guillaume will present the course together with Spanish expert professor Dr Agustí Romero.

• Rancidity and shelf life • Tasting of samples to discuss fresh, tired and rancid oils • Growing factors affecting oil quality • Questions. Day 2 (9 am – 2:30 pm) • Processing factors affecting quality • Tasting of samples to discuss muddy and cross-contamination defects • Tasting of samples to discuss freshness against frozen and woody defects • Blind test on identification of main attributes • The origin of positive attributes • Increasing intensities for bitterness • Introducing astringency

• Tasting of samples (Spanish and Australian Picual and Arbequina) to discuss fruity, bitter and pungent attributes and their relationship to the growing region • Questions and conclusions. If you are an olive oil taster and want/need more training in determining negative and positive attributes, this course is for you. Cost for the two-day course is $250 and places are limited. For more information or to register, email Claudia Guillaume at c.guillaume@modernolives.com.au.

Join the Australian International Olive Awards celebrations Entries have now closed for the inaugural Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), Australia’s first and only global olive competition. Replacing the AOA’s annual Australian National Olive Competition, the AIOA includes oil and table olive entries from both northern and southern hemisphere producers. Entries from each are being judged separately, however all gold medal oils will vie for the coveted Best EVOO of Show award, making for an exciting competition. Who will beat the best from Australia and the rest of the world? Be there as the winners are announced at the 2017 AIOA Presentation Dinner, being held as part of the National Olive Industry Conference on Tuesday, 10 October at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The event will feature a menu created from seasonal South Australian ingredients – enjoyed, no doubt, with the competitive spirit of entrants from far and wide. The Awards Dinner is a great chance to relax, catch up and make new friends – and maybe celebrate a win or two of your own!

AOA member? Dinner tickets are discounted for AOA members as another benefit of your membership. Simply use the member discount code THANKYOUDINNER when you place your order to apply the special price of $100 (normally $120) per guest.

8 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Purchase tickets at: www.nationaloliveconference.com.au Good luck to all entrants – and see you at the celebrations!

News - Business

Mapping Australia’s food future July saw the release of the CSIRO Food & Agribusiness Roadmap, charting a course for future success in the sector via products, technology and innovation to drive new economic growth. Developed in collaboration with Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), the Roadmap seeks to assist Australian food and agribusinesses grow and enter new global markets. Increasing the share of food processing undertaken onshore and better differentiating Australian food products are major themes.

Strengths Australian innovation and scientific expertise are listed among our strengths, along with our reputation as a trusted supplier of sustainable, authentic, healthy, high quality and consistent products. These, along with the ability to produce the customised and niche products increasingly demanded by consumers - particularly among the growing Asian middle class – are seen as “putting Australia in the box seat to take advantage of the many emerging export opportunities”. Key growth areas The Roadmap outlines value-adding opportunities for Australian products in key growth areas including health and wellbeing, premium convenience foods and sustainability-driven products that reduce waste or use less resources. Five key enablers for these

Projections and trends Major trends noted in the report include: less predictable growing conditions, more connected global value chains and customers who demand healthier, more convenient and traceable foods. Up to 4.5% annual growth in markets for naturally healthy (US$291 billion) and organic products (US $45 billion) is expected by 2021. Meanwhile, value-adding is increasing, accounting for 60% of food export growth in 2013-2016.

opportunities are explored in the Roadmap: traceability and provenance, food safety and biosecurity, market intelligence and access, collaboration and knowledge sharing, and skills. The Roadmap also calls for improved collaboration and knowledge sharing to generate scale, efficiency and agility across rapidly changing value chains and markets, to meet the sector’s challenge “to identify new products, services and business models that arise from the emerging needs of tomorrow’s global customers”.

Olive industry opportunities A number of the opportunities for growth identified in the report are particularly relevant to the olive industry. Products for health and wellbeing: providing specific health benefits above and beyond basic nutrition, and targeting consumers who are either health conscious or have specific medical/ dietary needs. The ageing population and rising affluence across Asia will see these regions increasingly experience chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity and age-related cognitive decline, many of which can be treated and/or prevented through nutrition. Nutritionally literate consumers seeking high quality, fresh and healthy foods that improve general health and wellbeing are also an increasing demographic. The report notes that products which target the

What is MS-Bio?

MS-Bio is derived from specially selected natural plants. It contains 20 different trace elements, which can be used as a seed dressing, on cuttings or a foliar spray on all plants, soils, vegetables, turf, vines, pastures and crops etc. What did MS-Bio do in 2015 and 2016? MS-Bio was used as a foliar spray on wheat, barley, lupin, canola, turf, pasture, fruits and vegetables, and got beneficial results like below: Increased microbe acivity Increased growth, germination Increased drought tolerance Repaired water repellent soils

Helped reduce the hard pan in soils Helped harden plant against frost damage Strengthened root systems

Are you interested in MS-Bio’s trial? If you have some questions or are interested in using MS-Bio, you can call Mick Stronach at 0447 394 068 or email him at mickstronach@gmail.com Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 9

News - Business to more discretionary spending. Convenience and sensory experiences are also in growing demand. Oils are listed among the traditional luxury products identified in the report, particularly within Asian markets, and product presentation was highlighted as particularly important for the gift-giving culture in key Asian export markets.

ID:UD3M04NJ4Z

prevention of illness represent an even larger market than ‘treatment’ products. High growth is expected for emerging Asian markets including Vietnam, India and Indonesia (all 13%) as well as the established Chinese market (8%). And we’re well situated to benefit from the growth, the report says, as: “With a strong standards-based regulatory regime, clear legislation around the substantiation of health claims and a global reputation for safe products, Australia possesses the high levels of trust required for F&A products consumed for health and wellbeing outcomes”. Free-from and natural foods: middle and high-income consumers are looking for as few ingredients as possible aside from what they are buying the product for, leading to higher demand for organic, preservative-free, sugar-free and free from trans fats products. Fortified and functional: whole products designed to provide a specific health benefit above and beyond basic nutrition. Sustainability: reducing inputs and waste, and re-use of waste products into value-added products. One opportunity specifically listed is the “Extraction of nutraceutical ingredients from plant waste …”, along with “Extraction of immunity boosting compounds”, with an example of the relevant emerging technologies of “Separation science and technology for extraction of bio-actives and functional ingredients from food loss and side streams of food processing”. Ring a bell? Bio-active extraction is covered in detail in our three-part series

2 Overseas markets are demanding increased traceability and authenticated provenance claims like those provided by the high-tech labels used by export consortium Australian Authentic.

“Olive waste – trash or treasure?” in the March, June and this edition of Olivegrower & Processor. “Premium interactions”: high quality and luxury products for the high-end market. The rising Asian middle-class is predicted to drive a sharp increase in spending on high-end food products, with higher disposable incomes leading

Traceability and provenance Rising product fraud and increasing requirements from overseas customers for authenticity and transparency are driving the demand for increased traceability and authenticated provenance claims. The report identifies traceability systems as providing “the opportunity for Australian agribusinesses not only to effectively leverage the nation’s clean and green reputation, but also to build a strong image of being environmentally sustainable and socially responsible. Australian businesses will need to invest in both virtual and physical technologies that provide greater transparency around product origin, production inputs, suppliers, processing materials, transport and distribution”. It also identifies olive oil among the industries with the highest need for viable traceability solutions, due to the high level of product fraud. Opportunities galore for our industry it seems, and plenty to ponder on. For more information, download the full report from the CSIRO website: www.csiro.com.au – Do business/ Futures/Our publications.

October deadline for Hunter Olive Show entries The 17th edition of Hunter Olive Show is being held this year and is once again set to be a competitive event, with a good range of quality entries already submitted across all competition categories - oils, table olives, and tapenades. It’s an affordable show, offering great value for money and quality feedback which exhibitors can use to improve their products and practices – and you’ve still got time to enter.

Key dates • entries due Friday, 6 October 2017 for all categories • judging on Saturday, 28 October • presentations on Tuesday, 14 November at Adina Vineyard and Olive Grove, Lovedale.

How to enter The entry form and information are available on the Hunter Olive Association website: www.hunterolives.asn.au and entries should be delivered to: The Steward, The Hunter Valley Olive Show, C/- Adina Vineyard and Olive Grove, 492 Lovedale Rd, Lovedale, NSW 2325. More information: www.hunterolives.asn.au.

10 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

News-Health

It’s ‘real news’: sat fat (in coconut oil) increases heart risk Next time someone tries to tell you that coconut oil is good for you, share this with them. If you want a healthy heart, swap out the coconut oil. That’s the stand-out message of a Presidential Advisory Statement (PAS) released in July by the American Heart Association (AHA), the peak association for heart health in the USA, which concluded that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. Created to guide healthcare professionals in their recommendations to patients, Presidential Advisory Statements are based on guidelines and position papers issued by government and health organisations. They are deemed highly credible by both the scientific community and healthcare professionals working within evidence-based practice. The coconut con The “Presidential Advisory Statement on dietary fats and Cardiovascular Disease” was prompted by a well-publicised 2014 study which concluded that the amount of dietary and saturated fat did not increase the risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is the main type of fat in coconut oil, so its producers and marketers have since used this research to help promote the purported health benefits of coconut oil. And it worked. The statement cites a recent survey which found that 72% of Americans think coconut oil is a healthy food. Only 37% of nutritionists agree, however, with the disparity largely credited to the coconut oil industry’s highly successful media marketing activities. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the PAS on dietary fats has now prompted a significant backlash against coconut oil in the media – not just in the US but globally – with medical and health professionals embracing the opportunity to dispel the myth of coconut oil as a healthy food.

Monounaturated Fat 6% Polyunaturated Fat 2%

Coconut Oil 82%

Saturated Fat 14% Polyunaturated Fat 10%

Olive Oil 73% The comparison of fat content in the two oils makes choosing EVOO a ‘no brainer’, particularly in terms of heart health.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 11

News - Health

Coconut oil and LDL The PAS looks specifically at coconut oil, particularly its effect on raising LDL cholesterol in comparison to other vegetable oils. A review of seven trials comparing coconut oil with high monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils found that coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol in every case, and “significantly” in six. Notably, one trial found that there was also a significant increase in LDL cholesterol associated with coconut oil consumption when compared with comparative olive oil consumption. So while noting an absence of trials comparing the direct effects on CVD of coconut oil and other dietary oils, the statement’s authors concluded that coconut oil has definitively been proven to increase LDL cholesterol, a documented cause of cardiovascular disease. And it doesn’t have any of EVOO’s myriad positive health effects. They therefore had enough evidence to say we shouldn’t be eating it, and did so. The science ‘behind’ the myth The Olive Oil Times recently asked the question we’ve all been wondering: “How did coconut oil get its reputation for being healthy in the first place?” And they found the answer. It seems it’s largely based on research published in 2003 by US nutrition scientist Marie-Pierre St Ong, comparing consumption of medium-chain triglyceride oil and olive oil. St Onge found that medium-chain triglyceride oil resulted in greater weight loss, with no increased risk of cardiovascular disease. So, given that coconut oil is a prolific source of medium-chain triglyceride, it’s since been promoted as a healthy food – and particularly a healthy fat. You can see some logic in the argument. Except that St Onge used 100% medium-chain triglyceride in her research and only 13-14% of the fat in coconut oil is medium-chain triglycerides, which skews the whole equation. As St Onge told the Olive Oil Times: “I don’t want to make it seem like I think that coconut oil has this health benefit because of my research. I know that sometimes I see my research being quoted supporting the health benefits of coconut oil. I haven’t done coconut oil research so I can’t myself speak to the effects of it, only to the specific fatty acids that are found in largest amounts in coconut oil.”

The basics The PAS in discussion is a 25-page document with over 130 references, and a lot of it involves complex nutritional and medical science. So here’s a run-down of some of the most significant facts and findings on dietary fat and heart health: • Saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. Eating a diet high in saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol in the blood, which is linked to clogged arteries and increased risk of heart-related conditions. • Replacing saturated fat with Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) and/or Monounsaturated fat (MUFA) reduces the risk of heart disease. • Coconut oil contains 82% saturated fat. That’s the same as palm oil (long acknowledged as extremely unhealthy) and much more than butter (63%), beef fat (50%) and pork lard (39%). It has just 2% PUFA and 6% MUFA. • Olive oil contains 14% saturated fat, along with 10% PUFA and 73% MUFA. That’s a total of 83% ‘good’ fats when we’re talking heart health.

cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease and lung disease. It’s compelling information, particularly as the report looks only at the various fats, not the whole foods in which they are contained. And extra virgin olive oil is scientifically-proven to benefit all of the above-mentioned conditions. Add in naturally produced, high in natural antioxidants and free of trans fats and it’s really a no-brainer: when it comes to dietary fats, EVOO undoubtedly is the best choice.

Whole-body benefit And it’s not just the heart that wins from an ‘oil change’. The results analysed in the PAS found that the positive effects of replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat also extended to conditions including

Sources: Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association: Sacks et al. Circulation. 2017;135:00–00. DOI: 10.1161/ CIR.0000000000000510. www.circ.ahajournals.org; www.oliveoiltimes.com.

Postcript: Several critics have subsequently spoken out against the AHA Advisory Statement, questioning the AHA’s methodology and choice of included trials. Among them were the Philippines-based chairman of the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community’s Scientific Advisory Committee for Health who said that “Defective experiments have led to defective guidelines”. Coconut production is an important part of the national economy of the Philippines, which UN figures for 2009 ranked as the world’s largest producer of coconuts.

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Harvest Report

Harvest report: TAS and NZ

ABBOTSHAM

In this edition, we wrap up our annual round-up of the harvest around Australia and New Zealand with an overview from our southernmost growers across Tasmania and New Zealand.

Tasmania Last year’s roller-coaster ride saw Tasmanian growers battle droughts, storms and flooding rains - with a surprisingly good result. This year has again been a difficult one but, once again, the news is not all bad. Cradle Coast Olives, Abbotsham Cradle Coast Olives’ Carol and Tony O’Neil had a pretty good time of it in 2015, with olive-friendly weather bringing bountiful crops and outstanding oil percentages. It was a different story last year, when they battled through drought then floods and major storms to a late harvest of reduced yields. The upside, at least, was extraction rates of 22% and above. The 2017 harvest was once again a difficult one – and without that bonus. “We started off with a warm summer/ autumn that quickly turned to one of our coldest seasons for quite a while. Likewise it was initially a dry winter and we’re now catching-up water wise,” Tony said. “And it’s interesting to note that relatively hard frosts this season have resulted in significant dessication of fruit but little damage per se.” That’s not the only anomaly this season, with fruit set surprisingly low for the conditions. “Generally flowering was excellent but fruit set was poor and some groves exhibited exceptional numbers of shot berries, with no clearly discernible reasons,” Tony said. “Manzanillo was a non-event for many growers, with insufficient fruit for picking.” Not surprisingly, therefore, fruit quantity is “generally down, with a couple of exceptions, by as much as 30%.”

… relatively hard frosts this season have resulted in significant dessication of fruit but little damage per se. - Tony O’Neil, Cradle Coast Olives Harvest timing, Tony said, followed last year’s delayed pattern – but actual fruit ripening was another puzzle this year. “Harvest for the majority of growers commenced two to three weeks later than usual, starting in the first week in May for East Coast growers, and wasn’t completed until mid/late-August in the north-west,” he said. “But even then the fruit was obviously not as ripe as usual for the commencement of pressing. The colour was good but the oil accumulation was down considerably compared with fruit of similar appearance last season.” The drier conditions of the past two years also meant good news in terms of pests and disease – but again that changed this year, as did the story with oil yields. “Obviously citrus scale has galloped in a few groves, with a significant amount of sooty mould evident on presentation for pressing,” Tony said. “And initial yields were down considerably from last season, although as the season progressed we found they were returning to par. Late in the season the median was 13.8% but that was being skewed to some extent by some very over-ripe fruit. Until then it was closer to 12.5%.” So finally to the oils themselves, which

16 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

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Tony said have also seen a change in character this year. “The oils are generally nicely balanced but the polyphenol count is obviously down considerably. Maybe the chemistry is not as ‘intense ‘as usual,” he said. “But there are some beautiful mild/ medium oils that will give the awards a bit of a shake!” More information: www.cradlecoastolives.com.au. Ashbolt Farm, New Norfolk Anne and Bob Ashbolt and their neighbours also had a good year in 2015, with kind weather offsetting inconsistent cropping to produce above-average yields. The 2016 olive harvest year was a complete change, with “a veritable smorgasbord of weather conditions” creating a haphazard result across the region. Those who did crop, however, had bountiful yields of both fruit and oil. This year, Anne tells us, they’ve once again been constantly surprised. “The 2017 season provided a continuum of weird and wonderful weather conditions across southern Tasmania and again highlights the many micro climatic regions within this tiny island. It also added a new set of seasonal experiences for growers to come to terms with, and the implications these conditions can have on their individual groves. “Autumn was pleasantly mild and Jack Frost didn’t make his traditional early May appearance (when frosts can cause so much havoc after warmer April days). In fact, there was only a sprinkling of light frosts in June and July, which was a welcome reprieve. “But sighs of relief were offset by other complexities. Unlike last year’s exceptionally long wet winter, this year saw rainfall close to, if not at, record lows.

Harvest report With a low rainfall winter following on from an autumn with less than half the long term average, Southern Tasmanian groves were in drought. Biennial yielding added to this and some growers were hit with a double whammy of having heaps of fruit on their trees and half the average rainfall to support them. “As a result, trees initially failed to ripen the heavier crops, and those who harvested at the same period as last year experienced below average oil yields from their abundant but low-fleshed fruit - at least for the first pick or two of their season. “But the season did fill out, and tonnage and oil yields balanced out these earlier disappointments. In fact, this year actually ramped up to be one of the biggest ever. It was an ‘on’ year for everyone, with many growers having their first really big harvest and new growers popping up with olives to press for the first time. “In our grove in the Derwent Valley, harvest was initially a full three weeks later than usual as we waited for oil content to rise. As a result this year’s harvest continued till August! On the positive side, there were only four days

… some growers were hit with a double whammy of heaps of fruit on their trees and half the average rainfall to support them. – Anne Ashcroft, Ashcroft Farm when a few millimetres of rain tickled the sides of the rain gauge, so harvest continued uninterrupted by winter rain. “But picture, if you will, harvest in this southern Tasmanian grove this year: our pickers traipse out into the grove mid-morning to start the day (twinging with envy at their northern peers and their warmer weather), braving day after day of blanket fog which more often than not hangs out till well into the afternoon. As their chilled hands grapple with vibrating harvest rakes, the wet fog blanket makes daytime temperatures feel sub-zero and when the warming rays of sunshine finally peak through at the end

of the day, it is as though they are taunting as to what it might have been minus the pea soup fog! “It is truly a job for the intrepid and I am sure they breathe a sigh of relief when they hand over the last batch of the day to the press. “Fortunately pressing progressed very smoothly again this year - as incremental improvements see the heart and soul of these operations tick happily along. The aromas and colours of the oil it produces are just a delight. “In summary, after a somewhat delayed start, and some peculiarities that saw varietals like Manzanillo wetter than usual, while Frantoio fruit was smaller than usual, most growers saw vastly increased yields overall. Extraction rates were high and the quality of fruit presented was impeccable, and a credit to all growers. “It was a season with a few testing hiccups that saw all growers come to pass with flying colours.” Anne Ashbolt More information: www.ashboltfarm.com.au.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 17

Harvest report

New Zealand The 2016 harvest was a blessing for most New Zealand producers, with ideal weather producing bumper fruit crops in all major growing regions and subsequently flavoursome – if somewhat milder - high-quality oils. This year is quite a different story, with a remarkably cool summer reducing yields by up to 70% in most regions. Salumeria Fontana Olive Press, Auckland The Auckland region’s disappointing 2015 harvest was reversed in 2016, with a gentle growing season producing heavy crops across the board. It meant a long, hard processing season for Salumeria Fontana Olive Press owner Greg Scopas, who pressed increased tonnages every day from April 9 to 14 July. This year, Scopas said, the season was almost as long, but much cooler conditions saw a drastically reduced through-put, and therefore time to experiment a little. “It seemed like a short summer, and not as good as the previous year. I guess looking back it could have been hotter for longer. “We had good flowering and good fruit set but throughout the district it was patchy for a lot of groves. We had plenty of lovely big olives (mainly J5 and Frantoio) - about the same as last season at around six tonnes, so we were happy – but a lot of others didn’t pick or had drastic reductions on the previous season. So across the board we were looking at roughly 30% of our bumper 2016 pressing season. “We started the press mid-April and finished mid-July, so this was a couple of weeks later than the 2016 start up and also again quite a late finish. “Birds were quite a big issue this year, as they were in 2016. A big plus was that we saw very little anthracnose, especially as most of our clients don’t use spray programs. “Yields were generally down but varied from farm to farm as they normally do. The best we got out of Leccino (which we favour harvesting early) was 14%, with J5 and Frantoio floating between 13% and 20%. “A particular point of interest was that the oil pressed right at the end of our season was still very nice quality and full of flavour, whereas in previous years later harvest oils have been disappointing. I

guess this just shows how much things can change from one season to the next. “And there seemed to be no bitterness present this year, whereas 2016 produced a few oils with that wonderful fusion of bitterness and pepperiness simultaneously that was so exciting. I had always disliked oils that were too bitter but when the combination “works” it’s a winner. “So overall I found the oil this year more flavoursome. “We also harvested Souri for the first time this season. What a great tree: not too tall at around 15 years old, pruned only once and yielding 40-plus kg per tree and 16% oil, with very quick pepper and good flavours. “Meanwhile, we continue to refine our Kiwi-made mechanical net, which worked well when short-handed. The tree shaker we used didn’t take enough off so we went back to electric rakes and ground nets, which (I never thought I’d ever say this!) was actually quite enjoyable. It is just so satisfying knowing you have harvested pretty much every last olive! “So all up, it was a slow season for us as processors but still fun, and we had time to experiment with low-temperature lowwater processing, which again produced lots of fab oil. “Until next season, which should be a big one, all the best with that all important pruning.” Greg Scopas More information: www.salumeriafontana.co.nz.

Across the board we were looking at roughly 30% of our bumper 2016 pressing season. – Greg Scopas, Salumeria Fontana Olive Press

Cairnmuir Olives, Bannockburn – Central Otago Cairnmuir Olives’ Steve Clark summed up his equally disappointing 2015 season with: “Who would be a farmer … but like most, we are looking forward to a better season next year.”

18 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Auckland

Luckily that’s what he got, with a gentle, warm growing season providing ideal conditions for ripening and harvesting. Fruit quality was excellent, as was oil flavor, with varietals showing “intense fruitiness, and medium bitterness and pungency”. This year’s report from Steve is, unfortunately, not quite as upbeat. “I started my report on the 2016 harvest with the comment “What a difference a year can make!” In that case the change had been positive. This year’s report could also start with the same comment, but in this case the change has been negative. “The 2017 harvest has to have been the most difficult that we have experienced in our 17 year involvement with olives. Harvesting started a month later than last year, the fruit was small, the crop yield was down and the oil recovery was significantly down on 2016. “Rainfall during the early part of the 2016-17 season was slightly above average. February was very dry, with only two rainy days and 14mm of rainfall, while April was very wet, with more than double its average rainfall. Throughout the growing season the maximum and minimum air temperatures were generally close to the long term averages. “Fortunately there were no air frosts in April when the olives are still vulnerable to frost damage, although air frosts occurred in both May and June. Typically these were in the 0 to -3C range, which caused only minor frost damage. “While the average maximum and minimum air temperatures in December and January were close to the long term averages, anecdotally these months have been described as unusually cold and impacted other fruit crops as well as olives. The weather during this period may have been instrumental in keeping

Harvest report

…we just didn’t get the heat units into the fruit, and the ground temperatures weren’t high enough to help the nutrient uptake. - Roger Armstrong, Beulah Olives

black scale at bay: the previous season had seen heavy infestation of black scale on some groves, but it wasn’t in evidence this season. “Pollination occurred in late December, which is later than usual by a week to 10 days. In our own case fruit set was very variable, with both Frantoio and Leccino ranging from very heavy crops on some trees to others with virtually no crop at all. Other growers had a similar experience. Overall the crop load was reduced, and generally the fruit was small and not particularly fleshy. This has been blamed on the colder weather through December and January. “The quality of the fruit presented for pressing was variable across both Frantoio and Leccino. While some fruit was excellent - plump and with near optimum moisture content - the majority of fruit was small, with not a lot of flesh, and slightly dehydrated. “Because of the risk of frost damage, Central Otago growers pick relatively unripe fruit and thereby take a hit on oil recovery. Oil recovery this year was well down on last year, ranging from 6.8% to 10.6% by weight and averaging 9.2% overall. The previous year averaged 11.6% overall. As is to be expected, there was considerable variation from grove to grove. “By and large the quality of the oils this season has been good. A number of oils have already been submitted for chemical and sensory assessment and all of them so far have qualified as extra virgin.” Steve Clark More information: www. cairnmuirolives.co.nz. Tasman Bay Olives, Nelson A favourable growing season in 2015 saw variable crop yields across the Nelson region - from record to none and the longer, later harvest brought above-average oil yields and beautifully flavoured, high quality oils. The good weather was repeated in 2016 but without the crop variability, making for what Tasman Bay Olives’ Roger Armstrong

Nelson

Bannockburn

described as an “excellent” result: bumper crops of high quality fruit and even more of those flavoursome oils. This year, unfortunately, is a different story altogether, with changeable weather patterns writing the first chapter. “We had quite a wet spring, then summer was reasonably normal rainfall wise – just cold,” Armstrong said. “Actually, summer didn’t really arrive - we had a maximum of 24 and averaged 22-24. So we just didn’t get the heat units into the fruit, and the ground temperatures weren’t high enough to help the nutrient uptake. That’s totally out of the ordinary for us. “We also had late maturing because we didn’t get the ripening messages of cold nights and hot days – although that is site-specific. The later Leccino is as ripe as it usually would be, but the cooler blocks on the lower sites did struggle to get maturity this year. “Then after a bit of rain in late-summer/ early-autumn it dried up, resulting in probably the driest harvest we’ve ever had here in Nelson. The rest of the country has drowned recently but Nelson is tucked in nicely and it just passes us by.” So while the season seemed to start as usual, Armstrong said, things simply didn’t progress well. “Flower and fruit set were pretty average. I don’t think anything

particularly startling happened; everything just felt very poor,” he said. “Crop wise, from what I’ve seen around Nelson it’s half the volume on average. We contract for growers and we processed just over half of what we did last year. Oil yield was also down, as low as 5%, but then we had some at 17% as well. And it sat pretty flat: we saw the 17 early on and haven’t seen anything really high this year. We were doing Leccino towards the end and getting 16% there, and that normally sits on about 19%. “I don’t think the oil was there to start with. The fruit was smaller and greener generally, because the right growing conditions just weren’t there. So between the smaller crop and the loss on top of that from the lower oil percentages, oil quantity is way down.” Other than volume, however, the season was pretty much true to form, Armstrong said - as is oil quality, albeit with some slightly different flavor parameters this year. “Harvest timing was a fairly similar program as last year. We started at the beginning of June and finished at the end of July, which is a fairly typical season for us,” he said. “And there’s consistency on the quality side of it. I haven’t had any testing done yet but my gut feeling is that the oil is really coming off well and is potentially a little less mature. It might be a little higher in polyphenols this year – which might be a bit of an upside. “Most of the oils around here are Frantoio and Leccino, which tend to be more robust, but we harvest our own blocks over a longer period of time so we get more complexity. And I definitely think there’s more complexity this year.” So all up, Armstrong said, the region has produced “nice complex oils but not a lot of them”, increasing the challenge of supplying the market. “The market is really growing – we had a big year last and sold everything,” he said. “People are using the product and liking it, and word is getting out. It’s growing itself, and consistently, so the next challenge for us is getting production up. “Luckily, I’d like to think we’d be back to something closer to normal next year. The trees haven’t been stressed by heavy cropping this year, so I’d expect a better crop.” More information: www. olivesnewzealand.com.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 19

Harvesting

Register of small-batch processors – are you listed? Thanks to all the small-batch processors who have contacted us with their details: they’re now on our register, which we reference to connect processors with people wanting to utilise their services. The Olivegrower team regularly receive enquiries from people looking for small-batch processors – both ‘home’ olive growers with a good crop wanting to produce their own oil, and growers with smaller-than-expected grove crops. With that in mind, we’ve put a register together which enables us to connect producers with small crops and processors who can process for them, to the mutual benefit of both. We’d like to include all processors across Australia and New Zealand willing and able to process small batches of olives, preferably individually but also those offering “group” crushings.

If this is you, please send your details to Olivegrower editor Gerri Nelligan, including contact and pricing details, minimum quantities required, and whether you will crush individually or on a “mix and percentage” basis. We’ve got a good list in place already, which we’ve used over the past two harvests to refer growers to processors, but we want to make the register as complete as possible. So if you’re not on

it already, please send us your details so we can add you to the list – it could mean valuable additional work for your business. In particular, we’re keen to hear from small batch processors in South Australia and Queensland. To be included on the register, please email your details to Olivegrower editor Gerri Nelligan at wordsync@bigpond. com.

Turning brown to green What a difference a little rain makes … Regular Olivegrower Harvest Outlook participants Roger and Shirley Harrison of Rash Valley Olives provided the front cover image of our March 2017 edition, showing the combined effects of an unusually hot summer and absent wet season on their grove at Palm Tree, Queensland. When the cover shot was taken in late February, the trees in their grove were “looking great”, although the crop was severely reduced due to moisture stress and an empty dam. Significant, however, was the dramatic contrast between their green foliage and the dry, brown soil beneath and surrounding them – not what we expect from the normally-lush climes of south-east Queensland.

Fast forward six weeks and Cyclone Debbie and the picture is a very different one. While the Harrisons (thankfully) missed out on the brunt of the cyclone and therefore, Roger said, “didn’t get much rain”, the 100mm they did get had a dramatic and immediate effect. It wasn’t enough to start re-filling the dam but it certainly has turned that brown landscape back to green.

Share your images Got any interesting photos of happenings in YOUR grove? We’d love to share them with other Olivegrower & Processor readers. Send details and original images (high resolution, minimum 1MB in size) to Olivegrower editor Gerri Nelligan at wordsync@bigpond.com.

20 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Conference Preview

2017 Conference: consolidation and innovation for a positive future There’s a strong theme running through the program for this year’s National Olive Industry Conference: the future. About getting there in good shape, with healthy groves and increased output, and also the technology that could see our industry change the way we manage our orchards and businesses. Exciting stuff indeed. Organised by the Australian Olive Association (AOA), the 2017 National Olive Industry Conference is being held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Tuesday, October 10-11 and Wednesday, October 11. The premiere event on the industry calendar, the gathering will see growers from across Australia and beyond learn, discuss, explore and share knowledge and ideas to advance the industry. AOA CEO Greg Seymour said the planning focus for this year’s event was for a varied program, covering hands-on issues for growers and producers plus innovations to take the industry forward as it moves back into a growth phase. “The underlying theme is about looking forward, and that reflects what’s happening within our industry currently,” he said. “There’s a nice feeling of optimism out there. We’re seeing a firming in prices and people are thinking about “Where to for the future in the industry?” So we thought it appropriate that the conference cover two particular areas: consolidating the current position in terms of productivity and quality, and our biosecurity – which is an increasingly important issue in recent times. “We also wanted to provide some glimpses of what’s possible in the future.”

Keynote presentations Seymour said those glimpses cover a broad range of topics, from marketing and health trends to innovations in pest management. The program features a number of keynote presentations, including the intriguingly-titled “LOHAS – the biggest market you’ve never heard of”, by Mobium Group Director Nick Bez. “LOHAS stands for ‘Lifestyles of health and sustainability’,” Seymour said. “Personal health is a current megatrend, as is sustainability, so this is a huge market and the people in it spend a lot of money.

What: 2017 Australian National Olive Industry Conference and Trade Exhibition Where: Adelaide Convention Centre - Adelaide, S.A. When: 110-11 October 2017; Opt field day 12 October Program, Registrations and Award Dinner bookings: www.nationaloliveconference.com.au **Note: discount registration for olive levy payers - $315 and AOA members - $275**

“Nick writes the LOHAS report, which is distributed across the world and looks at the megatrends currently driving the consumer market. He’ll talk about those trends, helping people identify the direction they may take with their grove or business into the future – like “Is organic a fly-by-night or should I make the investment?”. “We’ve also got Dr Robert SpoonerHart on recent developments in Integrated Pest Management, looking to how we might manage pest and disease and biosecurity issues via biological controls. And Dr Jane Bowen from the CSIRO kicks off the program, looking at the research hot spots in terms of health and where the trends are going, so we can understand how our product fits and ensure we’re an active part of those movements.

Precision agriculture “Then two of the most exciting presentations are on precision agriculture via remote sensing and robotics. We’ll hear about the application of both of those to tree crops in Australia, so we

can see how easy it may be to extrapolate that to the olive industry. “This is really dynamic stuff and very relevant to our industry. The majority of our growers are small operators and many are not full-time on their properties, and these new technologies can be easily adapted for small and remote operators. They’re systems which can help manage groves efficiently and effectively, and also allow growers to leave and still monitor their orchard in a very detailed way.”

Grove management The popularity of last year’s grove management sessions sees them continue in this year’s program, providing relevant and useful hands-on information to improve quality and efficiency. “While looking to the future, we have to deal with our groves now - and also the production process,” Seymour said. “So we’ll have presentations from consultant Mike Thomsett about the best way to manage your grove, followed by one of our top processors on how to ensure quality through the production

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 21

Conference Preview with more than a dozen providers registered at the time Olivegrower went to print. Offering a wide range of industryspecific products and services, its’s a great chance to discover the best new options for your grove and business needs.

process. Jim Rowntree will also give a thorough explanation of 2 and 3-phase processing options and the importance of speed from the tree to the processor. “Each session will finish with a Round up & Questions segment, where the presenters and other experts will continue the discussion on major themes. Those sessions are all about delegate participation, with an opportunity to ask questions and nut out any lingering queries.”

Marketing Selling our quality EVOO and olive products is another ongoing hurdle, so marketing also takes a front seat in this year’s program. “AOA Code of Practice OliveCare Co-ordinator Peter McFarlane will start off, taking us through the results of the latest National EVOO Market Survey and an update of the Tastebook program,” Seymour said. “Then SA producer Michael Harbison will talk about how growers and regional groups can go about promoting their own products. He’s run some great gigs, attracting hundreds of consumers and giving them a hands-on introduction to local producers and products, so no doubt others will take away some great ideas. “Olivegrower & Processor Editor Gerri Nelligan will follow that up with insight into how to work with the media to promote your brand – for free – and Chris Mercer will give us an update on

2017 National Industry Conference Trade Exhibitors & Sponsors (at time of print) Sponsors Toro - Silver Stainless Engineering - Bronze Horticulture Innovation Exhibitors Braud Constante Imports

the opportunities for exporting via The China Project and Australian Authentic. “There’ll also be a summary of the research on the Everyday consumer education campaign, along with a snapshot of this year’s program and what’s likely to come next year.”

Industry R&D The Conference will highlight grower levy dollars at work, with Hort Innovation and R&D delivery partners presenting results from several key projects (see page 30 of the levy R&D lift-out in this edition). Hort Innovation staff will be available at the trade exhibition during the conference, where growers can also sign up to participate in the Australian olive industry benchmarking program (OL16001). Trade exhibition With the industry again in a growth phase, the trade exhibition is becoming an increasingly important part of the event, providing an opportunity to showcase the latest advancements in products and services. The trade area will this year be adjacent to the conference room, with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea all served in the exhibition space. This will provide maximum interaction with exhibitors throughout the two days, while also ensuring the opportunity for discussion and demonstration outside of break times. This year’s event has been enthusiastically supported by exhibitors, Deltagen Eclipse Enterprises Felco Australia Horticulture Innovation Modern Olives NSW DPI Oil Packaging Service Australian Olive Association Olivegrower & Processor RMCG Tornado

See the updated list of exhibitors and sponsors, along with information about the products and services they offer, on the Conference website: www.nationaloliveconference.com.au 22 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

EVOO & Table Olive Awards A highlight of the Conference program is the annual Awards Presentation Dinner, this year taking on even more significance with the competition’s new status as The Australian International Olive Awards. Being held on the Tuesday evening at the Convention Centre, the event will feature a menu created from seasonal South Australian ingredients – enjoyed, no doubt, with competitive spirit by entrants from New Zealand, Chile, China, Australia and Argentina. They’re all eligible for the coveted Best EVOO of Show award, so it’s set to be a nail-biting evening, and also a great chance to relax, catch up and make new friends. Tickets are discounted for AOA members, so don’t miss out on what’s sure to be a great night. Field day A field day is being offered as an optional event on Thursday, 12 October, following the plenary session program. Organised by Olives South Australia, the day will tour the Fleurieu Peninsula olive and wine growing region, visiting groves, oil processing and bottling facilities, and table olive production. Rounded out with tastings of the region’s high quality wines and lunch at a local winery, it’s a day not to be missed. Look for updated details in the weekly Friday Olive Extracts e-newsletter and AOA member memos. The conference is facilitated through the project National olive industry conference and trade exhibition (OL16010), funded by Hort Innovation using olive R&D levy funds and contributions from the Australian Government, with in-kind support from the Australian Olive Association. Registration discounts: the AOA has introduced a discount on registration fees for olive levy payers and AOA members, as follows: Standard registration: $370; Levy payer: $315 (saving of $55); AOA member $275 (saving of $95). With a wide range of value-priced accommodation in walking distance of the Convention Centre, attending the industry’s big event this year is truly affordable.

THE LATEST UPDATES ON R&D WITHIN THE OLIVE INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER 2017

Welcome

Back to basics What is the olive levy?

The olive levy is payable on olives that are produced in Australia and either sold by the producer, or used by the producer in the production of other goods. The levy rate on olives is $3.10 per tonne. Agricultural levies are set by the Australian Government at the request of industry in order to collectively fund R&D, biosecurity, residue testing and, in some cases, marketing programs. In 2015/16 total olive R&D levy receipts were approximately $332,000.

Who manages the olive levy? The olive levy is collected by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, which is also responsible for administration and disbursement of levies on behalf of agricultural industries. The investment of R&D funds ($3 per tonne) is managed by Hort Innovation, the not-for-profit, growerowned Research and Development Corporation (RDC) for Australia’s $9.5 billion horticulture industry.

Here, olive levy funds are invested into industry-specific research programs alongside financial contributions from the Australian Government. Separately, Plant Health Australia (PHA) manages certain plant health programs on behalf of industry (using a $0.10 per tonne component of the levy).

How are R&D levy funds invested? Firstly, olive growers and other industry stakeholders are always encouraged to submit ideas for potential investment via Hort Innovation’s Concept Proposal Form at www.horticulture.com.au/conceptproposal-form, providing a simple summary of the aims and outcomes. To help ensure R&D investment decisions are balanced and prioritised by the current needs of the industry, Hort Innovation has established an olive Strategic Investment Advisory Panel (SIAP). The SIAP is skills-based and comprises levy-paying growers, processors and technical experts. The make-up of the current SIAP can be found on Hort Innovation’s

Have your say! To submit a project idea, visit: www.horticulture.com.au/concept-proposal-form

continued from pg1

Setting the strategic direction The Olive Strategic Investment Plan 2017–2021 (SIP) is an investment roadmap for the Olive Fund. It outlines the priorities for R&D, helping to guide decisions on projects to be funded by the olive levy. The SIP was developed in close consultation with the olive industry, and the SIAP is guided by the priorities set out in the plan. The full SIP document and an at-a-glance summary document can be downloaded from the Hort Innovation Olive Fund page at www.horticulture.com.au/growerfocus/olive. Read more about the strategic direction of the industry in the next edition of Olivegrower & Processor.

Growing a stronger industry Hort Innovation has partnered with leading service providers to complete a range of R&D projects to ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of the olive industry. R&D projects have played an important role in providing information and insights to Australian growers and processors to help them

improve management practices and to bolster their businesses. Recently completed projects:

Evaluation of key chemicals for pest management in the olive industry (OL13002)

To keep up to date with current projects and completed project findings, be sure to see Hort Innovation’s quarterly Hortlink publication, accessible from the Olive Fund page, and the Olive Fund page itself.

Generation of residue data

for pesticide minor-use permit applications in Olives 2014/15 (OL14006)

Review and development of olive Industry Biosecurity Plan (IBP) (OL14008)

Some of the current projects:

Australian olive oil code of practice implementation (OL13007)

Olive industry minor use program (OL16000)

Generation of residue, efficacy

and crop safety data for pesticide applications in horticulture crops 2017 (ST16006)

Australian olive industry

benchmarking program (OL16001)

Olive industry pre-harvest water

and oil quality testing (OL16005)

Olive oil food service program (OL16004)

More information To chat about olive industry R&D investments, please contact Will Gordon, the relationship manager for the olive industry at Hort Innovation, at will.gordon@horticulture.com.au or on 0427 920 924 To submit a project idea, or for more information, visit www.horticulture. com.au/concept-proposal-form Find out more about Hort Innovation, the olive SIAP and olive investments see www.horticulture.com.au/growerfocus/olive

Are you a levy payer? Keep an eye out for the NEW monthly R&D update e-newsletter, Grove Innovation

Growers benefit from funding for chemical research While the increasing uptake of integrated pest management is modifying the use of pesticides across horticulture – including within the olive industry – there of course remains a need for the strategic, effective use of chemicals. Pesticide companies submit use patterns for registration to regulatory body the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), but because of its ‘minor crop’ status the olive industry is typically provided with limited registrations. That is, with a small market size, there are often not adequate commercial returns for the research and development investment required by the pesticides companies. Enter minor use permits. Through the industry’s Olive industry minor use program (OL16000) – a strategic levy project under Hort Innovation’s Olive Fund – levy funds and Australian Government contributions are used to apply for and renew minor use permits, which provide the industry with access to approved chemicals for specific uses. This work is complemented by research into new chemical controls for pests and diseases. Earlier this year, Hort Innovation was successful in securing 26 grants totally $1.2 million for chemical access to facilitate research, through the Australian Government’s

agriculture and veterinary chemicals grant funding (Agvet). For the olive industry, this latest grant funding is supporting trials to determine efficacy, residue and crop safety for two chemicals and their use in olives – Bayer Crop Science Luna® Privilege fungicide for anthracnose and Adama Trivor® insecticide for olive lace bug and scale. This research is needed before the new labels can be registered for use in the industry, to satisfy the requirements of registrant companies and the APVMA. Previous data-generation activities under an earlier Agvet grant project also mean there are trials currently wrapping up and renewals pending for permits for Clothianidin (Samurai systemic insecticide) for olive lace bug and Nufarm Aero to control anthracnose, while levy-funded trials are underway to look at efficacy, residue and crop safety in the use of Esfenvalerate (Sumi-Alpha Flex insecticide) for olive lace bug. Meanwhile, permits and renewals are pending for minor use of Dimethoate for olive lace bug, green vegetable bug and rutherglenbug, as well as for the use of Paraquat and Diquat (Spray Seed) in olives for a range of broadleaf and grass weeds. The OL16000 project follows a Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP) in 2014 that reviewed

current and future pest threats to the olive industry and potential solutions, which were mainly pesticides. Through the SARP, Hort Innovation and the olive industry identified diseases, insect pests and weeds of major concern and evaluated the available registered or permitted pesticides and non-pesticide options for them, taking into account integrated pest management, resistance, residues, withholding period, efficacy, trade, human safety and environmental issues. There is growing interest in the Australian olive industry for lower chemical use production methods and achieving organic and biodynamic certification, with growers striving to utilise innovative biological controls, improved tree nutrition and other non-chemical solutions. A high priority for growers is the development of strategies and education materials on management practices and plant nutrition.

All current minor use permits for the industry are searchable at portal. apvma.gov.au/permits. Permit updates are also circulated in Hort Innovation’s e-newsletter, Growing Innovation, which levy-paying members receive monthly. Sign up for free here http://horticulture.com.au/ membership-application-form

OliveIndustry IndustryBenchmarking Benchmarking 2017 2017 Olive Australia Industry is benchmarking performance in 2017! new projectby is funded by The The Australia Olive Olive Industry is benchmarking performance in 2017! This new This project is funded Horticulture Innovation Australia using the olive levy so there is no cost to participants. Hort Innovation using the olive levy so there is no cost to participants. Weseeking are seeking businesses to register for the benchmarking We are businesses to register for the benchmarking project. project. Places are limited. Places are limited. What is benchmarking? What is benchmarking?

benchmark? WhyWhy benchmark?

Benchmarking is a management tooleither to see either how Benchmarking is a management tool to see how individual businesses or the industry as ais whole is individual businesses or the industry as a whole performing. The benchmarking will examine two performing. The benchmarking will examine two years of years of

• Understand how the industry is performing as a whole • Understand how the industry is performing as a whole

bi-annual production tendencies olive trees. bi-annual production tendencies of oliveof trees. This benchmarking process includes: This benchmarking process includes: •

Growers to register to participate in the project • Growers to register to participate in the (now) project (now)

•

Provide physical data (yield, climate) climate) to • Provide physical data water (yield,applied, water applied, to RMCG RMCG

•

• RMCG RMCG

•

RMCG will analyse the datathe to data createtoindustry • RMCG will analyse create industry performance benchmarks and seeand howsee thehow industry is performance benchmarks the industry is performing as a whole. performing as a whole.

•

Reporting the data businesses who • Reporting theback datatoback to businesses who compare to ‘average’ or the ‘top 20%.’ compare to ‘average’ or the ‘top 20%.’

•

Reporting the aggregate resultsresults to industry. This • Reporting the aggregate to industry. This report will allow future research and expenditure to report will allow future research and expenditure to growers. growers.

• Understand howbusiness your business performance • Understand how your performance compares with others compares with others • Understand what top Olivedo Groves do to • Understand what the topthe 20% of20% Oliveof Groves to achieve theirof level of performance. achieve their level performance. • Assist with decision makingmaking and future for • Assist with decision andplanning future planning for your your business business • The will create industry wide benchmarks that • project The project will create industry wide benchmarks that you can touse monitor your performance over time youuse can to monitor your performance over time • Help the industry identify priorities for investment so • Help the industry identify priorities for investment so that itthat canitremain competitive internationally can remain competitive internationally

Interested in benchmarking youryour business? Interested in benchmarking business? To register your interest in benchmarking your business, To register your interest in benchmarking your business, please click on thethe attached please use below link. link. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/olivebenchmarking https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/olivebenchmarking Alternatively, to discuss benchmarking further, please Alternatively, to discuss benchmarking further, please contact either:either: contact

• Growers who participate in benchmarking will be able Growers who participate in benchmarking will to be able to easilyeasily see the strengths and weaknesses of their business, see the strengths and weaknesses of their business, • enabling themthem to make management decisions to optimise enabling to make management decisions to optimise

Luke RolleyRolley 0407 505 362505 luker@rmcg.com.au • Luke 0407 362 luker@rmcg.com.au Clinton MullerMuller 0498 192 596 clintonm@rmcg.com.au • Clinton 0498 192 596 clintonm@rmcg.com.au

RMCGRMCG is an agricultural consultancy group that has undertaken industry benchmarking with a rangewith of horticulture, and livestock cropping and cropping is an agricultural consultancy group that has undertaken industry benchmarking a range of livestock horticulture, commodities across Australia. www.rmcg.com.au commodities across Australia. www.rmcg.com.au

This project has been by Horticulture Innovation Australia LimitedLimited This project hasfunded been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the olive and funds Australian Government. using thelevy olive levy and from fundsthe from the Australian Government.

groves, and understand the ‘knowledge gaps’ that prevent growers from achieving higher productivity.” “Growers need the tools to anticipate problems, and a list of key performance indicators (KPIs) so that they know specific actions to improve their performance.” RMCG’s Luke Rolley said too often, reports show that growers are travelling well in their production of olives, when their business as a whole may be going backwards

Benchmarking the key to olive success Olive growers who want to quantify how much it actually costs them to produce a tonne of olives or litre of olive oil have the chance to be part of a new benchmarking project, at no cost. This project will allow growers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their business. RM Consulting Group (RMCG) has been appointed to run the project Australian olive industry benchmarking 2017 (OL16001) – a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Olive Fund – and will use a combination of two years of physical information and financial data from participating growers to measure the performance of individuals (confidentially) and the industry as a whole. RMCG’s Luke Rolley said too often, reports show that growers are travelling well in their production of olives, when their business as a whole may be going backwards. “Currently 30 per cent of the planted area is producing 90% of the oil in Australia, which means that the remaining 70 per cent of olive trees are underperforming,” Mr Rolley said. “We need to inform growers about the level of production that can be achieved in those underperforming

The project is funded by Hort Innovation using the olive research and development levy and Australian Government contributions, so there is no cost to participants. The findings will be linked to other industry projects and provide data to help focus investment activities. Mr Rolley said that benchmarks are critical to the planning processes that build a viable, sustainable business. “Used in planning, benchmarks can help gauge how your business compares to other growers, and determine the impact of making changes to your business, such as additional plantings, bringing another partner in or developing a new product line, for instance,” he said. RMCG will use the ‘BizCheck’ method developed from economic and financial farm surveys carried out in other agricultural and horticultural industries. BizCheck has been used to provide performance indicators for the citrus, dried grapes, wine grapes, apple, pear and stone fruit industries. Mr Rolley said most of the data that is needed from participating growers is already available in their completed tax return. Additional information may include:

Production practices, such as

fertiliser inputs, pest and disease control, irrigation inputs and rainfall, varieties planted, climate data such as rainfall and frost severity and frequency, access to processing facilities and harvesting machines

Whether the business has a

food safety program or a point of difference in the marketplace, such as organic, infused product, tourist destination etc.

“Measuring cost of production is not always straightforward in olives, as most costs can be spread over a range of varieties that the business produces, but we can allocate different cost inputs by variety to give a consistent comparison,” Mr Rolley said. “Based on findings from other benchmarking programs, we think the industry needs to consider opportunities to increase the skills and technology required to reduce labour costs and overhead costs, encourage economies of scale where profitable, and plan to market a larger crop as more trees come into production.” Participating growers will be given a two-page report summarising their benchmarks, and an aggregated summary of the findings will be disseminated to the wider olive industry. See page 4 for details on how to register for the Benchmarking Project.

Australian olive industry benchmarking program (OL16001) is a new project that will ensure Australian olive growers have easy access to clear, relevant industry benchmarking information around productivity, quality and profitability. This information will assist new and experienced growers to assess the performance of their orchards and businesses against the wider industry, and identify areas for action and improvement.

know the flavour is different. It can be altered by the freshness of the oil and there’s a lot of factors that contribute to the taste,” she said. The main goal is the education of trainee and student chefs who are new to the industry and the production of videos will assist in getting the message out.

Beth Scholes from Nutrition Australia’s Vic Division, said the project will provide insights into the current usage patterns for Australian EVOO

Trainee chefs taught about EVOO excellence Trainee chefs and culinary school students in Melbourne and Sydney will be educated in the benefits of cooking with Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), under a new project in the Hort Innovation Olive Fund, to be implemented by Nutrition Australia’s Vic Division. Previous industry research has indicated a lack of knowledge in the local food service sector about Australian EVOO, with many chefs unaware of how the oil is produced, the variety of taste profiles available, its benefits, correct storage and use in cooking and food preparation. Education is given a high priority in the industry’s recently developed Olive Strategic Investment Plan 2017-2021, and Nutrition Australia won the tender to deliver the Olive oil food service program (OL16004), a two-year plan to increase awareness of Australian EVOO and produce educational tools for the food service industry. Beth Scholes, senior dietitian with Nutrition Australia’s Vic Division, said the project will provide insights into the current usage patterns for Australian EVOO, including the factors that drive its purchase

and consumption within the food service sector. “We’ll be talking to stakeholders in the food industry in terms of what oils they stock – including competitor products to EVOO – and why, whether cost is a factor and how much they understand about using oils in culinary training,” she said. “We’ll also research relevant domestic and international food trends that impact on olive oil consumption, and we’ll talk to olive growers in NSW and Victoria about what they see as common misconceptions about EVOO, and what they’d like to highlight to the food industry. “We need to understand all that before we can talk to student chefs to figure out how we can potentially change the use of EVOO.” Beth said the exchange of information is necessary to alter the perceptions of EVOO in the market place. “I think the common misconception is that you can’t cook with EVOO, that it’s more for salads or served fresh, and that the flavour is the same for all EVOO, whereas we

“During the project we’ll be talking to growers as well as established chefs, student chefs and TAFE and culinary school trainers in Melbourne and Sydney, and making short, snappy videos with the aim of boosting usage and consumption of EVOO in the food sector,” she said. “We’ll also produce fact sheets and a new web page to offer something more visual and active, to increase the reach of the information and build awareness of EVOO.” Educational material will be produced in the first half of 2018 and rolled out to the food industry over the following 12 months to May 2019.

The project objectives are: YEAR 1: 1. Gain insight into current usage patterns of EVOO including purchase and consumption drivers 2. Gain insight into competitor products, and overall food trends relevant to the foodservice sector 3. Collect information on the attributes, benefits and uses of Australian EVOO YEAR 2: 4. Develop education material regarding the attributes, benefits and uses of Australian EVOO 5. Deliver an education program targeted at priority foodservice stakeholders (culinary training institutes and trainee chefs) on the attributes, benefits and uses of Australian EVOO 6. Communicate to Australian olive oil growers the expectations and usage requirements of olive oil to assist with alignment of their business plans and practices.

Students of the 2017 Masterclass program. Applications for the 2018 program are open now.

Applications open for 2018 Masterclass of Horticultural Business Hort Innovation’s recently developed Hort Frontiers strategic partnership initiative (initially referred to as Pool 2) uses a combination of government and partner funding to address major issues facing the future of Australian horticulture for the benefit of the entire industry. As part of this, the Hort Frontiers Leadership Fund endeavours to tackle a pressing dilemma: Australia’s horticulture workforce is ageing and, particularly in light of the rapidly changing technological landscape, there is an urgent need to nurture our upcoming Horticulture talent: empowering them to successfully lead the sector into a lucrative, but challenging, future. The University of Tasmania, New Zealand’s Lincoln University, and the world’s foremost university in agriculture and forestry, Wageningen Research Academy, have joined forces with Hort Innovation to offer one solution to this problem: the Masterclass in Horticultural Business.

Described as a mini-Masters of Business Administration (MBA), the Masterclass runs for 10 months, and provides a comprehensive, affordable and, with the majority of the course conducted online, accessible education program. Better still, it has the built-in flexibility to accommodate anyone looking to further develop their career in horticulture – no matter what unique industry they have so far been a part of, or wish to move into in future. A strict maximum intake of 30 students ensures dedicated one-to-one delivery that is tailored to each student’s unique situation and needs. Course content focuses on high level leadership and management skills through topics such as people and culture, finance and marketing, supply chain management, global trends and business development and strategy. The flexible online delivery means course material is accessible to students when it suits them – enabling them to work around the demands of their current careers.

This is supported by three faceto-face intensive sessions, which include visits to businesses across Australia and the opportunity to learn from and connect with the industry’s current innovators and leaders. With the first cohort of students nearing the completion of the inaugural program, applications have now opened for the 2018 intake. The Masterclass will start on 12 February, 2018, and finish in November that year. Applications can be made via the UTAS website at www.utas.edu.au/land-food/ masterclass-in-horticulturalbusiness/masterclass-scholarships until December 4, 2017. Masterclass participants will receive an accredited Diploma in Horticultural Business from the University of Tasmania. The course also gives one year advanced standing into an Associate Degree in Agribusiness at University of Tasmania, and graduates can apply for credit into other relevant university courses.

Olive Conference to provide important view of the future Australian olive industry participants across the supply chain are invited to two important days of industry news, information, innovation and networking at the 2017 National Olive Industry Conference and Trade Exhibition in Adelaide, 10-11 October. Key sessions will span a range of topics important to the future of the olive sector, including trends in food and nutrition, economics, robotics in horticulture, grower expertise, exporting to China, new innovations and biological controls. Another highlight will be the chance to learn about ‘Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability’ – the biggest market you’ve never heard of. Precision farming will also be a focus with sessions including ‘Remote Sensing for Managing Australian Tree Crops’ and ‘Intelligent Information Systems for Tree Crops’. Importantly, the Conference will provide industry with an opportunity

to see grower levy dollars at work, with Hort Innovation and R&D delivery partners on hand to present results from key projects and to explain how these are beneficial to the prosperity of the sector. For one-on-one discussions, Hort Innovation staff will be available at the booth in the trade display. Rigas Harbilas will discuss the results of market research into consumers’ usage and attitudes to Australian EVOO, while Beth Sholes will provide an update on how new chefs and students are being educated on Australian EVOO. Additionally, delegates will hear from Cox Inall Communications about the preliminary findings of the first round of a survey designed for growers and processors which aims to determine how to best disseminate R&D project information. Growers and processors will be encouraged to participate in the more extensive second round of the survey, which will be unveiled at the Conference.

In addition to the survey, the call has been put out to for participants in the Australian olive industry benchmarking program (OL16001), which aims to give growers access to clear, relevant industry benchmarking information around productivity, quality and profitability. Growers can sign up to participate on the spot at the RCMG Benchmarking project stand in the Trade Exhibition area.

More information and registration is available at www.nationaloliveconference.com.au The conference is facilitated through the project National olive industry conference and trade exhibition (OL16010), funded by Hort Innovation using the olive research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government, with in-kind support from the Australian Olive Association.

This R&D Insights insert has been funded by Hort Innovation using the olive research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower‑owned, not‑for‑profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

R&D – Business

Determining shelf life: how can small growers do it on a minimum budget? ‘Best before date (BBD)’ is a mandatory labelling inclusion under the Australian Standard AS 5264-2011, providing consumers with a reasonable prediction of the length of time a product will retain its quality parameters. But how is shelf life determined? Technical expert Leandro Ravetti takes us stepby-step through the methods and considerations involved in calculating the BBD of your oil.

Leandro Ravetti, Technical Director, Boundary Bend

Quality = consumption The organoleptic and nutritional quality of extra virgin olive oils has been the driving force behind the global growth in their consumption over recent decades. The superior flavour and health benefits of extra virgin olive oil have, in fact, guided the transition by many consumers from other fats and oils to EVOO consumption. Therefore the maintenance and assurance of extra virgin olive oil quality throughout the commercial cycle is undoubtedly a matter of great significance for producers, retailers and consumers alike. Affecting factors The quality of extra virgin olive oil decreases during storage, attributable to oxidation that leads to rancidity and to hydrolytic degradations (decomposition by chemical reaction with water) causing partial loss of minor components. There are protective factors inherent to olive oil composition which effect the rate of the process, however: the characteristic triacylglycerol composition, rich in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, and the presence of natural antioxidants (mainly polar phenols and α-tocopherols) are established key factors for the resistance of the oil to autooxidation. A series of other constituents – namely free fatty acids, pigments, unsaturated hydrocarbons, enzymes and trace metals - are respectively expected to positively or negatively affect stability of extra virgin olive oil, although to a lesser extent. “Shelf life” Extra virgin olive oil shelf-life could be defined as the length of time, under normal storage conditions, within which no offflavours or defects are developed and quality parameters such as peroxide value and specific absorbance are retained within accepted limits of the relevant standards. Prediction of shelf-life is a desirable goal across the food industry - yet, while shelf-life should be one of the most important quality markers for extra virgin olive oil, it is not recognised as a legal parameter in most regulations and standards around the world. Methodologies for predicting shelf life In order to estimate extra virgin olive oil’s resistance to oxidation, Rancimat® or Induction Time test results were found meaningful. It has been shown, however, that extrapolation from the Rancimat® values to ambient conditions lead to either over-prediction (most commonly) or under-prediction of the

Best before dates are increasingly being adopted across the globe as a mark of high quality oil. This Tunisian producer also provides the harvest date, and has adhered strictly to the “two years maximum” rule.

actual shelf life, depending on the fatty acid composition of the oils and their antioxidant content. Prediction methods based on kinetic and/or mathematical approaches seem promising but they usually require considerations over the likely temperature of storage, light incidence and packaging material to provide meaningful results.

Why measure shelf life? In recent from-the-shelf studies of extra virgin olive oils from around the world, consistently more than 50% of oils sampled tend to fail basic quality parameters for the commercial grade specified on the label. Ageing and/or inappropriate labelling of the best before date are usually pointed out as the two main reasons for such failures, which can lead to legal actions for mislabelling and/or bad experiences for consumers. The development of an effective tool to predict extra virgin olive oil shelf life is considered of paramount importance in order to protect consumers and to avoid the commercialisation of oils that do not comply with the regulatory parameters for the commercial grade stated on the label. The Modern Olives formula Taking all those aspects into consideration, Modern Olives proposed an empirical formula, based around common quality tests with known and predictable result changes over time and

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 31

R&D – Business influenced by different aspects of extra virgin olive oil with a meaningful effect on its shelf-life. The effectiveness of this formula was evaluated over more than four years of study, analysing more than 400 commercial extra virgin olive oil samples. Full results are available in the peer reviewed paper: Shelf-Life Prediction of Extra Virgin Olive Oils Using an Empirical Model Based on Standard Quality Tests; author(s): Claudia Guillaume and Leandro Ravetti; Journal of Chemistry Volume 2016, Article ID 6393962.

Shelf-life: the length of time, under normal storage conditions, within which no offflavours or defects are developed and quality parameters such as peroxide value and specific absorbance are retained within accepted limits of the relevant standards. Testing regime The basic quality tests considered in the formula are Rancimat® or induction time (IND)**, 1,2-diacylglycerols (DAGs), pyropheophytins a (PPPs) and free fatty acids (FFA). Each provides information on different factors affecting oil quality: • the Rancimat® test provides strong correlation of results over time depending on the fatty acid profile of the oils and their antioxidant content. Those factors are well known to be influenced by the variety, environmental conditions and management practices; • the PPPs test provides strong correlation over time with light exposure and storage temperature, without being influenced by oil quality or the oil’s chemical composition; • finally, the DAGs test provides strong correlation over time with temperature of storage and initial oil quality, expressed through its FFA content. The three basic quality tests chosen for the prediction formula are therefore influenced by different factors in the evolution of their values over time. ** In Rancimat® testing, the ‘induction time (IND)’ is the point at which, during controlled heat treatment, a fat loses its natural resistance to oxidisation. Once this point is exceeded, the degradation of the fat will begin to noticeably accelerate.

Proposed model Based on the proposed model, shelf-life is predicted by choosing the lowest predicted shelf-life of any of those three tests. This model assumes that the oil will be packed in dark glass, tins and/or PET with UV filter and stored under 20ºC, which are the standard conditions for storage according to olive oil labels (cool and dark place). Best before date is therefore determined by the lowest of the following three estimations: • hours of induction time (IND) at 110ºC x 1 = expected shelf life (in months) • (17.0% - PPPs) / 0.6% = expected shelf life (in months) • (DAGs – 35.0%) / FFA factor = expected shelf life (in months) FFA factor = 1.7% (if FFA < 0.4%); 2.1% (if 0.4% < FFA < 0.6%); or 2.5% (if FFA > 0.6%). Example To determine the most likely shelf life of an extra virgin olive oil before bottling, the oil should be analysed according to these four parameters, applying the formulas suggested above. Example: Oil “A” was analysed prior to being bottled and showed the following analytical results: IND (@ 110ºC): 21 hours PPPs: 5.1% DAGs: 63.0% FFA: 0.24% Applying the above suggested IND: 21 hours formula we would have the following PPPs: 5.1% analysis: DAGs: 63.0% FFA: 0.24% IND: (21 x 1) = 21; predicted 21 BBD = 16 months months PPPs: (17.0%-5.1%)/0.6% = 19.8; predicted 20 months Example A DAGs: (63.0%-35.0%)/1.7% = 16.4; predicted 16 months. The DAGs prediction is the lowest denominator, therefore this oil should have an expected shelf life of 16 months.

Suggested evolution of BBD based on FFA and EVOO storage in SS tanks and under N and oleic acid above 70% FFA Oil (%)

Just Pressed

After 3 months

After 6 months

After 9 months

After 12 months

After 15 months

After 18 months

After 21 months

After 24 months

< 0.2

24 (34)

24 (31)

24 (28)

24 (25)

< 0.3

24 (31)

24 (29)

24 (26)

< 0.4

24 (28)

24 (26)

< 0.5

24 (25)

N/A

< 0.6

N/A

< 0.7

N/A

< 0.8

N/A

Table 1. Modern Olives BBD Calculator (MOBBD) Suggested evolution of potential BBD (months) based on FFA where EVOO storage is in Stainless Steel tanks under Nitrogen and oleic acid (C18:1) >70% (L. Ravetti, Modern Olives Laboratory). Notes: (1) varieties with oleic acid <70% include Arbequina, especially if grown in Nth NSW/SE QLD; (2) figures in brackets represent predicted shelf life as calculated, however expectations over two years are limited to 24 months under AS 5264-2011 requirements. 32 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

R&D – Business FFA-only prediction In the case of small growers and/or processors where the limited size of their oil batches may not justify the costs of the proposed analyses, it is possible to reasonably predict the evolution of the oils’ shelf life simply based AGE: 6 months on their FFA levels. FFA: 0.45% These predictions are Oleic acid: 74% summarised in Table 1 and are SS + N at 17ºC BBD = 19 months based on the assumption that: • oils have oleic acid contents of 70% or higher Example B • storage is carried out in stainless steel tanks under nitrogen and/or floating lids, preventing air in the headspace • temperature is controlled and kept at or under levels of 18ºC. **Important: these predictions will not be as precise as conducting the four chemical analysis suggested in the proposed model methodology. Example: Oil “B” was processed six months ago and it has a FFA of 0.45%. The oil has an oleic acid content of 74% and it was stored in SS tank, under nitrogen at 17ºC. Consequently, its expected shelf life would be 19 months.

The AOA recommends that all olive oil producers undertake regular product testing to track oil quality and storage conditions, and to adjust BBDs to accurately reflect current test data. Variables If one or more of the pre-established assumptions change, expected shelf life changes as well. The level of precision in terms of BBD prediction also diminishes dramatically. Low potential BBD is caused by poor fruit quality, delays between harvesting and processing, poor processing methods, poor oil storage, exposure to heat, light and oxygen. The use of plastic containers is not considered to be ideal for olive oil storage, due to its permeability to oxygen. A very generic guideline, providing some indications to growers in terms of the impact of the different variables over the shelf life of their oils, would be: Factor A: plastic containers and/or pallecons. There is great variability here, depending on the type of container, oxygen and light permeability, volume, etc. Research data and real evidence suggest shelf life expectations drop by 15-120% of that for oil stored in stainless steel tanks. • metallised and silver lining nylon and polyethylene bags provide the best conditions, with drops between 15-30% • high density polyethylene containers typically show drops between 60-90%, depending on oxygen permeability and UV filters • plain polyethylene bags and containers provide the worst results.

Factor B: temperature. Research data suggests shelf life expectations drop by 7% for every 1ºC above 18ºC. Factor C: Nitrogen (or floating lid). Research data indicates shelf life expectations drop by 25% when there is no controlled atmosphere during storage. Factor D: Oleic Acid content. Technical evidence suggests shelf life expectations drop by 3% for every 1% of Oleic Acid under 70%.

Adjustment factors (shelf life reduction) Plastic containers and/or pallecons (15-120%) Temperature (7% per 1ºC > 18ºC) Nitrogen/floating lid (up to 25%) Oleic Acid content (3% per 1% < 70%)

Correcting formula As all those factors interact between each other to accelerate the deterioration of the oils, the shelf life correcting formula should use the following calculation, where 1 represents storage under ideal conditions (packed in dark glass, tins and/or PET with UV filter and stored AGE: 9 months under 20ºC) and A-D represent the FFA: 0.22% various correcting factors: Oleic acid: 68% Shelf life correcting factor = HD poly, no N @ 23ºC [(1+A) x (1+B) x (1+C) x (1+D) – 1] BBD = 10.4 months Example: Oil “C” with a FFA of 0.22% has been stored in a high density polyethylene container without UV filter at a temperature of 23ºC, without nitrogen and with an oleic acid content of 68% for 9 Example C months and we want to know its current shelf life expectation. Shelf life correcting factor = [(1+90%) x (1+35%) x (1+25%) x (1+6%) – 1] = 239.9%. **Breakdown for dummies (OG&P Ed): [(1 = shelf life under ideal conditions + 90% of 1 - reduction for storage in high density polyethylene container without UV filter) x (1 + 35% of 1 - reduction for storage temperature above 18º/temp 23º so 5 x 7%) x (1 + 25% of 1 - reduction for no nitrogen/cover) x (1 + 6% of 1 - reduction for oleic acid below 70%/OA 68% so 2 x 3%). So: [(1.9) x (1.35) x (1.25) x (1.06) – 1] = 2.399 or 239.9%. Using this correcting factor, 9 months of storage under these conditions is equivalent to 21.6 months of storage under ideal conditions (9 x 239.9%). The differential of 12.6 (21.6 – 9) represents the reduction in shelf life. If we refer to the original table, nine months after processing an oil with this level of FFA should have a shelf life of 23 months. We can then deduct the 12.6 months of additional life lost and this gives us a predicted shelf life of 10.4 months. This information was originally presented at the 2016 Australian National Conference & Exhibition in Geelong. Members can download Ravetti’s presentation from the Member’s Lounge of the AOA website: www.australianolives.com.au.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 33

New Zealand

Entries up for 2017 NZ EVOO Awards Entries for this year’s NZ EVOO Awards close on 15 September and, despite a challenging – and for some disappointing – harvest, it’s set to once again be a hotly contested event. ONZ EO Gayle Sheridan said entries have been arriving since the opening date in mid-August. “Entries are coming in steadily and look to exceed those for the 2015 competition, which was a record year” she said. “Indications thus far are at least 50 for the EVOO classes and 25 for the Flavoured Oils classes. There are also a good number of new producers in the mix, providing some additional competition for our more regular winners.” Sheridan said enthusiasm for the competition is no doubt related to the quality of this year’s oils. “We have already sent more than 100 samples off to Australia for the testing required for OliveMark certification and thus far all those tested have been EVOO,” she said. “And many producers have reported that the decreased quantity has been offset by an increased range of flavours – for some quite different to those they normally find in their oils. “We have also had feedback from Sensory Assessment Panel that the oils are superb, with a range from mild through medium and intense. “That’s great news in what has otherwise been a difficult year, and will certainly make for a very interesting competition.”

New trophies What every winner wants, of course, is an impressive trophy to show off, and Sheridan said Olives NZ’s sponsors are continuing to add to the Awards’ offerings. “This year we have a new trophy for Reserve Best in Show, which has been donated by sponsors The Grove Supply Company. A similar trophy has been donated by VITIS for Reserve Best Boutique,” she said. “These are both perpetual trophies that

Two new perpetual trophies have been donated by NZ EVOO Awards sponsors this year, adding to the cache of rewards on offer: Reserve Best in Show - The Grove Supply Company; and Reserve Best Boutique - VITIS.

the winning groves will hold for a year and have engraved. The winners will also receive a framed certificate with rosette attached from The Grove Supply Company and VITIS respectively. “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the NZ EVOO Awards just keep getting better and better!”

New system for Best Processor Sheridan said this year also sees a change to the points system used for calculation of the Best Processor Award. “Based on feedback that smaller processors may be disadvantaged with the previous points system, and a subsequent review, the Executive has accepted a recommendation that from 2017, points should be cumulative for all awards that count towards Best Processor,” she said. “This means points will be earned for both an oil’s Gold and Best in Class

34 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

awards, rather than only the Best in Class award. And in the event of a tie, the tied processor with the highest award won will be declared the winner. “Points will be allocated as follows: • Best in Show/Best Boutique - 30 • Reserve Best in Show/Reserve Boutique - 25 • Best in Class - 20 • Gold Medal - 15 • Silver Medal - 10 • Bronze Medal - 5 “So for example, under the new system Best in Show will accumulate points for Gold, Best in Class and Best in Show, making a total of 65 points, whereas previously a Best in Show win only received 30 points. “Scoring is, however, limited to the five best awards per processor, to recognise quality of wins rather than quantity.”

New Zealand

Judging Judging will take place from 2-4 October, this year led by two Italian experts, Head Judge Dr Giuseppe Di Lecce and International Guest Judge Dr Lorenzo Cerretani. Joined by Australian judge Margi Kirkby, ONZ Sensory Panel member Charlotte Connoley, Lebanese-born olive oil expert Georges Feghali and IOC-trained NZ judge Hilary Fenemor, the panel encompasses wide-ranging international expertise and judging experience. Awards Dinner goes Italian All awards will be presented at the annual Awards Dinner, this year being held at the James Cook Hotel, Wellington on Saturday, 14 October. Acknowledging the heritage of this year’s guest judges, the event will be an Italian family style meal, with shared platters for entrée and main and individual desserts. There’ll also be Italian wine, starting with Prosecco on arrival to kick off the celebrations. Sounds like a good time to be had by all! Bookings can be made for the Awards Dinner, including accommodation, at the Olives NZ website: www.olivesnz.org.nz.

Wairarapa producers Malcolm and Susan Nowill took out last year’s Best Boutique award, which was presented by Craig Russell of Cospak.

Sensory assessment seminar Value-adding both the awards event and the presence of this year’s international judges, a seminar on “Sensory aspects of Extra Virgin Olive Oil assessment” will also be held as part of the ONZ EVOO Awards weekend. Run by this year’s two Italian guest judges, Dr Di Lecce and Dr Cerretani, the program will focus on “when the tasting reflects the quality”, using a selection of the 2017 NZ EVOO Awards winning oils. The seminar will be held at the James Cook Hotel on Sunday, 15 October and the cost is $250 per attendee for members. Registration forms are available for download at: www.olivesnz.org.nz or email admin@olivesnz.org.nz.

2017 Olives NZ Certification

Please note that oils will continue to be accepted for ONZ Certification testing only until the end of September - so if you haven’t sent yours, better get moving! And if you haven’t received your certification documentation, email EO Gayle Sheridan at admin@olivesnz.org.nz and she’ll send it through. Remember, only Certified oils can use the Olives NZ OliveMark quality guarantee.

Focus Grove Project October Field Days The next round of ONZ Focus Grove Project Field Days will be held in October, with the NZ EVOO Awards Head Judge and Guest International Judge also staying on to attend. ONZ EO Gayle Sheridan said their extended visit provides an additional bonus for Field Day participants – and particularly the Focus Grove owners. “The attendance of these two Italian industry experts creates an opportunity for a really valued-added program, and the Regional Committees have been asked to input into ways to maximize the visits,” she said. “We are looking forward to showing them the project – both the work undertaken and the results so far - and also to hearing their experiences of how Italian producers deal with issues similar to ours. “No doubt they will be interesting and rewarding sessions for all attending, and I urge all members to take part in their own regional event and to attend several if possible.” Dates for the October Field Days had not been finalised when Olivegrower went to print, so check the Olives New Zealand website and your weekly Friday Olive Extracts e-newsletter for updates – and if you’re not a subscriber to this free industry news source, you can do so at www.olivebiz.com.au. Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 35

Pruning

Pruning: the Coonalpyn grove three years on In September 2014 we spoke with grower and grove manager Jim Rowntree about the importance of pruning, focusing on his rejuvenation project on a neglected Coonalpyn grove. We’ve followed up as the grove responded to the initial severe pruning, now let’s look at the results three years down the track. The background In 2014, Jim Rowntree undertook a major pruning project at the Starcomgistic Australia grove in S.A.’s Murray Mallee region. Having taken over management following a change of ownership, Rowntree found the grove in an extremely poor state: little water and/or fertiliser had been applied during the previous two seasons and the trees hadn’t been pruned for several years. As a result, the trees’ canopies were too big for the water and nutrients they were getting, so they were defoliating and dying back, with minimal fruit. The trees were also too tall to fit through the harvesting machine, which meant what little crop they had was at the top of the tree and the harvester couldn’t reach it. The decision was made to forego the 2014 crop and prune heavily, taking the trees back to around one-third of their original size. There wasn’t a lot of greenery left but, together with a good watering and nutritional regime, it gave the trees what they needed canopies open to air and light, and a chance to regain their health. Mulching of the cuttings on site also provided an opportunity to improve soil carbon in the grove, for further long-term improvements in tree health. A year later The grove responded well and quickly, but the timing of the takeover meant much of the fruiting wood - and the 2015 growing season - was lost. That meant a small crop in 2016, but saw dramatically improved tree health and substantial new growth. That in turn impacted positively on the grove’s resistance to pests and disease, with no evidence of the anthracnose which had previously been rife. And the now-manageable tree size provided a good run-through for the machine harvester, making for an easy and efficient harvest. Two years later Another year

down

the

track,

Rowntree said the trees were looking “very, very good” and cropped well despite some fruit loss to frost. The trees showed the rejuvenation project was working well, with good flowering on the second year growth, while the increased light and airflow postpruning once again saw an increased resistance to pests and diseases. There was also a significant improvement in fruit quality, and soil health was already showing improvement from the mulching regime. He was pretty happy with the progress, and the management plan going forward was for continuation of the targeted water and fertilizer provision, along with hand pruning of base suckers.

This year’s result Last year Rowntree finished off by saying that “growth for the next season has been good, which means there is the potential for a larger crop again next year, weather permitting”. And that’s exactly what happened. “The crop was really good. The Barnea were the ones we cut right back and they did really well this year. Overall the trees cropped quite heavily and in a lot of areas were yielding 50kg a tree - although the average is never that good,” he said. “With the planting density of our grove (333 trees/ha), and the sandy soil conditions, frosts etc in our area, a crop of 10T/ha is what I aim for. We got close to that with some parts of the grove and overall it was pretty much where

36 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

I wanted it to be: if you can average 30kg/tree year in-year out, that’s a good number for our conditions. This year we achieved 9.45 tonnes/ha on the Barnea. The other minor varieties were not as good.

The law of averages “You always hear about what people got off their best trees but it’s all about the averages, and getting a more consistent result year to year. It’s difficult to do that - you might get two years up and two down but more likely you’re going to get 11T one year and 9T the next. “And sometimes a lower crop one year is just part of the whole management cycle. I cut off the top and a side of my trees at home and we still did 6T/ha – considering two thirds of the tree was cut off, they did very well. It’s really about getting enough sites for the trees to put flowers on.” Expectations met Rowntree said the result was “pretty much” what he expected. “Not many things went wrong. We had a bit of frosting but the trees did what I expected them to do,” he said. “The season was kind enough and it fell into place – with the exception of the oil yield. That was down everywhere, as it always is when we have a much cooler than normal spring and summer. “I’ve also heard a lot of reports of much milder oils this year and, while I haven’t had the chance to taste all we processed, I tend to agree. I had a taste of our own Longridge oil and I’d say the

Pruning Koronieki in particular is quite mild. It can be quite bitter but not this year.”

Pests, diseases … and other problems Pest and disease issues in the grove have continued to decrease with the increased health of the grove, and Rowntree said this year would have been problem-free if not for the late harvest. “Obviously with Barnea we need to harvest early from an anthracnose point of view but this year harvesting early meant a 12-13% oil yield, which is really low. So that was an issue,” he said. “The other thing that happened was, because everyone had such huge crops, processors were unable to process as fast as everyone would have liked. Many were also hanging off for more oil yield and then there was too much fruit to get through. And there’s only one speed you can process at. “So that then forced us to leave some of the fruit on the trees longer than we would have liked, and you do get some of the typical fungal problems from that. Luckily, nothing too bad. “The other problem commonly seen this year was frost damage and that led to the same sort of frustrations – you want to get it off now but there’s not processing capacity. “Then - now wearing my processor’s hat - what happens is that you say “don’t harvest, we can’t put it through” but the growers harvest and bring it anyway, hoping you’ll slot it in before other bookings. They pretty quickly found out it didn’t change anything. “It’s always an issue in a big year like this: when the crop is that huge, the processors just can’t keep up with supply, even when we’re running 24/7.” The frost factor The frosts Rowntree mentioned took a heavy toll on many groves across the state but the Coonalpyn grove fared comparatively well, thanks to the installation of extra frost protection. “The losses to frost were reasonably minimal this year because the frost fans did their job. There were only some outlying areas that did lose crop, so it was maybe 10%,” he said. “That property historically has had a 40% loss to frost, taking the 2000T we should get from that 200ha down to 1200T. But while some other varieties let us down a bit, we still got nearly 1800T this year thanks to the fan protection. “From my experience, fans do work very well at stopping frost damage, but

they only have to go wrong once and not start one night – a bird chewing a wire, or worse, a fan throws a blade - and you’ve lost your crop. “So by choice, if you’re setting up a new orchard, just leave the gullies out of it and you’ll keep your trees away from the frosts. It’s fairly easy in our area, as the irrigation comes from bores and the area that can be irrigated is always much less than the available land.”

Pruning plans Last year Rowntree said there was no need for further mechanical pruning, despite the vigorous and prolific new growth across the grove. That hasn’t changed, he said. “We didn’t do any last year and I don’t think we’ll touch them this year either,” he said. “Probably after next season we’ll assess it, and more likely we’ll take off the original side again that hadn’t been done since 2009. And that will still probably be just the one side, then the year after that we’ll do the side and top again. “But the actual frequency really depends on the trees. If they’ll fit through the machines and not cause any problems, we won’t take any more off them.” Biennial bearing Another benefit of structured pruning is a reduction in biennial bearing, and Rowntree said the Coonalpyn grove has definitely cropped more evenly this year. “It’s even because everything’s in shape and both sides were old enough to crop,” he said. “And next year, because there was good growth this year as well as the crop, there’s enough room for another even crop. Then the year after that, taking one side won’t even lower the crop that much – however the big cut the year after that probably will. “You can lessen the impact of heavy pruning, though, by looking after them well. One of the biggest errors I’ve seen is when people cut their trees back heavily but then don’t water and fertilize properly, and they wonder why they don’t spring back. You want good growth so you’ve got to give them something to work with.” ‘Ground’ work Improving the soil in the grove is an important element of Rowntree’s management practices and no organic matter is removed, with all prunings and

slashed grasses mulched in the grove. It doesn’t happen quickly, but there are good signs that it’s having benefits already. “It’s very slow. What you notice is that the soil just seems more stable,” Rowntree said. “It starts out as just a sandpit and is really delicate – it’s easy to have drift happen. Then as time goes on the soil becomes darker and with the organic matter on top it starts to get better. It’s a big job and the addition is really quite small but it does get better over time. “And theoretically you’d hope that the more organic matter in the soil, the more it retains water and fertilizer as well – and I’m sure it’s happening, I’m just not sure how fast.”

Where to from here? Three years on, Rowntree is happy with the decisions he made and the results they’ve achieved. “I wouldn’t change anything we’ve done. Given where the grove was at the time, what we did was what we had to do. It was the quickest way to get it back into production - and the trees did the right thing this year,” he said. “I’m hoping now we can see it continue to produce profitable crops for a good few years.” More information: Jim Rowntree, Longridge Olives, mob: 0407 619 090 or e-mail jim@longidgeolives.com.au.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 37

Olive Pests & Diseases

Xylella fastidiosa:

what do we know and are we ready?

Suzanne McLoughlin, Technical Manager, Vinehealth Australia

The source of this article analysed the grape and wine community’s preparedness and knowledge about Xylella fastidiosa. The common risk of infection of both olives and grapes make the information equally as valid for our industry so Vinehealth Australia has allowed us to share the information, now geared to an olive growing perspective. Xylella fastidiosa, a gram-negative, rod-shaped plant bacterium, was the subject of an international symposium in Brisbane on May 17-18, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR). A broad range of international experts shared their knowledge and experience on Xylella with Australian federal and state government biosecurity personnel, as well as a small number of invited industry participants.

#1 priority plant pest Xylella fastidiosa is considered one of the most harmful plant pathogenic bacteria in the world and causes death of infected plants. In Australia, Xylella is our number one priority plant pest and it’s a high priority pest for the wine and olive industries. Currently neither Xylella fastidiosa, nor its highly efficient main vector (carrier), the Glassy-winged sharpshooter, are known to be in Australia. Xylella is a major threat due to its multiple hosts – more than 350 plant species, many of which do not show symptoms – its multiple vectors and its continued global spread. The pathogen causes clogging of plant xylem vessels, resulting in water

stress-like symptoms to distal parts of the plant, with death in one to two years post-infection. The bacterium is primarily transmitted in the gut of sapsucking insects and the disease cannot occur without a vector.

Widespread distribution While Xylella fastidiosa is known commonly as Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) in olives and Pierce’s Disease in grapevines, it’s known by many other names in other host plants. It is inherently difficult to control and there are no known treatments to cure diseased plants. The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Global Database records that as of May 2017, Xylella fastidiosa had been reported on various host crops, either symptomatic or asymptomatic, in North America, Central America, South America, Canada, Iran, Taiwan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Xylella has not been detected in any Australian native plant species grown overseas. Intersecting factors needed for major Xylella loss Based on international experience in

Found something scary? Report ALL suspected emergency plant pests Any unusual plant pest should be reported immediately through the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline - 1800 084 881 or contact the AOA on (08) 8573 6545 or secretariat@australianolives.com.au 38 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

the fight against Xylella fastidiosa, a number of key factors must intersect for the bacterium to cause significant loss to Australian horticultural industries. In other countries, it has not simply been enough to just have susceptible host plants, the pathogen (Xylella fastidiosa) and available vectors – the system is a far more complex one (see Figure 1). Four key factors are necessary and must intersect each other, but a range of conditions pertinent to each key factor must also be present to result in significant plant loss.

Alert not alarmed In Australia, we therefore need to be alert but not alarmed. We need to use our time wisely before a potential incursion to vastly improve our preparedness capacity and capability to manage such an incursion. What constitutes preparedness? To be prepared to face a Xylella incursion that would threaten Australian horticultural industries, we need to look inwardly as a government/industry/ research collective and ask ourselves a range of tough questions: • Do we have a culture of strong leadership at the ready or do we have an uncoordinated, ‘siloed’ approach to preparedness by government, industries and researchers, with stakeholders unclear on roles and responsibilities? • What is our goal for eradication/ management in the short, medium and long term, given our current capacity and capabilities, research status and available technologies? • Do we have scheduled emergency response simulation activities? Are

Olive Pests & Diseases we recording results and proactively addressing weaknesses determined? • Do we have a prioritised research and extension framework developed by multiple stakeholders, with an agreed funding model, which outlines high priority activities key to preparedness? • Do we have readily available access to international resources and expertise?   • What does our pre-border, border and post-border quarantine management entail? What zones will be put in place and what movements will be allowed in and out? What disinfestation treatments will be required?   • What will be the surveillance strategies within these zones? Would industry representatives be required for surveillance as part of surge capacity following an outbreak? Would there be any additional foreseen imposition on nurseries, as has occurred for viticulture in California? • Do we have a communications and awareness strategy for industries now and in the event of an incursion?   • Are we proactively training our personnel, both locally and internationally, in field diagnosis, surveillance strategies, lab diagnostics and social science?   • Do we have a clear understanding of xylem sap-sucking insects already in Australia which could potentially vector the Xylella fastidiosa pathogen, and their host plant range?   • Do we have readily available, internationally recognised, clear guidelines on field sampling? • Do we have internationally recognised diagnostic protocols that minimise false positive and false negative results?   • Which of our laboratories can test for Xylella fastidiosa and do we have sufficient surge capacity available? • Can we successfully conduct strain typing and how long does this take? Do we have a rapid, accurate, costeffective in-field diagnostic technique which could negate the need to move potentially infected material for diagnosis? • What are our surveillance strategies for early detection and who is responsible for their co-ordination? Do they differ for symptomatic and asymptomatic hosts? Will they be cross-sectoral? Have we mapped our land use cover, including riparian

With no cure currently known, eradication of Xylella-infected olive trees was carried out in Puglia, Italy to control the spread of the disease. Image courtesy James Hook © Getty Images.

areas, in sufficient resolution? How can we best use our current technologies and what emerging technologies could assist? • Do we have a range of effective management options in our toolkit to break the vector lifecycle and/or reduce vector populations that have been discussed with their relevant industries? Which of these, if any, will be mandated in the event of an incursion? • Do we have capacity in our nurseries to replace infected plant material with less susceptible varieties? • Will we offer compensation to growers for plant loss and how would this be financed? • Have we performed economic analyses on potential effects of an incursion on our industry that have been ground-truthed by industry?

What have we learned from the rest of the world? Some in-depth, practical presentations were delivered at the May symposium from the Californian and Italian viewpoints, outlining their approaches to dealing with Xylella fastidiosa incursions in predominantly grape and olive hosts. The US example - grapes Pest management blueprint The Californian model for management of Pierce’s Disease in grapevines has been used as a blueprint in the United States to combat other high priority plant pests. It was realised early on that, with limited available research and the relative strength of the Glassywinged sharpshooter vector, broad-scale disease eradication was not possible in the short-medium term and that vector management was therefore the key. Collaboration and communication

Collaboration has been imperative – between federal, state, regional, local council regulatory and extension staff, multiple industries, researchers, nurseries and the public – with roles and responsibilities documented and understood by all parties. A strong emphasis on communication and awareness strategies ensured that the effectiveness of management measures were constantly ground-truthed. This approach avoided negative social backlash, especially from treatment programs, and even incorporated visits to local schools. Know your enemy Understanding the vector lifecycle was crucial. Due to the nature of the vector, area-wide, cross-sectoral vector Within a matter of weeks of the Xylella symposium, Nature[1] reported that the European Commission’s audit of the Italian authorities’ dealings with Xylella has raised concerns that delays in containment measures could now threaten the whole of Europe’s olive industry. The European Commission claims that Italian authorities failed to use significant budgeted funds for containment measures, they began systematic monitoring of the infection far too late and excessively delayed uprooting some infected trees. Vinehealth Australia believes these are pertinent factors which we in Australia cannot afford to ignore in our preparedness for Xylella and other exotic pests and diseases. [1] Abbott, A. (07 June 2017). Italy rebuked for failure to prevent olive-tree tragedy. Nature 546, 193–194.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 39

Olive Pests & Diseases

management was needed, involving treating the vector in citrus as the alternative host where it overwinters, before moving into grapes as the primary host, causing Pierce’s Disease. Multifaceted trapping and monitoring programs were established to determine the boundaries of the vector’s location. Federal and state quarantine regulations were instituted, including nursery treatment protocols and inspection programs, where all propagation material was inspected for the vector prior to leaving a nursery and was also inspected upon arrival at the destination. Co-operative funding Core to a strong system was an agreed funding framework by federal, state, industry and regional players for necessary activities, including containment through quarantine, statewide surveys (trapping, visual assessments and biocontrol), public awareness campaigns, cultural treatments to primary and alternative hosts (grubbing and insecticide spraying), research, and nursery treatment programs. Federal funding covers many of these activities (in the early 2000s US$22m was invested, now around US$15m). A winegrape industry fund (grower selfassessment contributions of US$0.75$2.00 per $1000 grape value), managed by an industry-established board, finances research activities and eradication treatments on properties where the vector has not been seen before. Because of the large discrepancy in crop value between wine and table grapes, only winegrape growers have contributed to the industry fund to date. Nurseries self-fund their compliance activities. Cross-industry planning It is important for all Australian industries that could potentially be affected by Xylella fastidiosa, to proactively consider their contingency for funding research, on-ground activities

INFECTED AREA

20km CONTAINMENT ZONE 10KM BUFFER ZONE

and potential compensation, in the event of a local incursion.

The Italian example – olives Technological surveillance The Italian approach to surveillance for Xylella fastidiosa, in olives in the Apulia region, presented a strong use of technology and an integrated track and trace system for sample collection from the field to the laboratory. Much of the technology presented mirrored Australia’s current capacity in pockets, but highlighted our lack of a coordinated national GIS and remote sensing system capability, necessary in the event of a cross-border incursion. Surveillance activities focus on three designated quarantine zones, the infected area bounded by a 20 km containment zone, further bounded by a 10 km buffer zone. In the buffer zone, one olive tree is sampled per hectare and, if verified

as positive for the pathogen, then all remaining plants in that hectare recognised as hosts of the Apulian Xylella strain are removed. Diagnosis via tree health mapping In both buffer and containment zones, 1,000 hectare virtual grids are overlaid over the landscape and then further sub-divided to one hectare resolution for sampling. High resolution (10cm accuracy) remote sensing RGB-NIRGB imagery is used to ‘photo interpret’ and categorise the relative health of olive trees as severe, moderate, mild, symptomless or doubtful, in an attempt to geolocate affected trees for diagnostics, as well as to conduct non-biased sampling to survey asymptomatic trees. While not a failsafe method of pinpointing olive trees infected with Xylella (because disease symptoms can be confused with water stress, salt, fungal and dieback diseases and boron deficiency), it has merit.

Biosecurity the key This is undoubtedly a case where prevention is better than cure, so let’s ensure we all play our part in protecting Australian and New Zealand horticultural industries from the scourge of Xylella fastidiosa. There are plenty of resources available – take a look, and take heed! • The Biosecurity Plan for the Olive Industry 2016 V2 is available for download from the AOA’s website: www.australianolives.com.au (go to R&D; BioSecurity);

•

What to declare when entering Australia: www.agriculture.gov.au. • Government Industry Agreement information on biosecurity in New Zealand: www.gia.org.nz. You can also read more about simple on-farm biosecurity measures to protect your grove in the December 2015 edition of Olivegrower & Processor available online for subscribers at www.olivebiz.com.au.

40 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Olive Pests & Diseases

The removal of olive trees in Xylella-infected areas of Italy saw public protests like this one, held in Torchiarolo (Brindisi) in November 2015. Image courtesy James Hook © Getty Images.

Inspectors use an impressive real-time mobile app (XylApp) in-field to view the geolocation of the tree health maps, allowing them to initially inspect low-health trees, aimed at ultimately reducing pathogen spread. Inspectors also log visits spatially and tag diagnostic samples in real-time through the app, results of which can be viewed by other field staff and laboratories through storage in the XylWeb database. More tools on the way Future technological developments include assessing the applicability of hyperspectral (electromagnetic) and thermal imagery to assist in early disease detection, with results to date

showing promise. Automatic tree counting is also performed using aerial imagery which can provide updates on tree removal. About Vinehealth: Vinehealth Australia is a statutory authority operating under the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Act (1995) with legislative powers in South Australia. As part of its role, Vinehealth works to increase the wine industry’s knowledge of biosecurity threats and their management. More information: www.vinehealth.com.au.

AOA Director and grove consultant Mike Thomsett attended the International Symposium on Xylella fastidiosa held in Brisbane on behalf of the AOA. He learned a lot, and we’ll bring you his take-out in the December edition of Olivegrower. In the meantime, he’s provided this check-list of action for grove owners: • Maintain overall tree health. What can I do at the farm? • Do not leave groves unmanaged and in poor condition Be pro-active with biosecurity • Train staff

Nursery stock and propogation material • Need for certification program • Approved supplier

Prepare an on-farm biosecurity plan • Existing App • Include emergency procedures

Communication • Network with other growers: local, regional, state and national • Be informed • Active AOA membership

Monitoring. • Not only existing pests. Use of sticky traps • Overall tree health observations • Disease and insect identification skills On-farm biosecurity with horticultural practices • Hygeine • Contractor protocols • Visitor protocols including restricted movement • Environmental management of vector ‘safe’ areas adjacent to groves

Report • Suspicious observations: if in doubt – check it out • Display contact details for reporting, queries, and emergencies Early detection and a fast response to an outbreak of Xf is imperative.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 41

Olive Business - R&D

Olive waste – trash or treasure? Part 3: the impact of growing and processing on bioactive compounds Paul D. Prenzler, Hassan K. Obied and Jamie Ayton Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, NSW DPI and SAWS, Charles Sturt University

This three-part series looks at the potential of value-adding through biophenol extraction from olive waste, increasing both the viability of olive growing and sustainability of production practices. In this third and final instalment the scientists look at how variety, harvest timing, malaxation conditions – time, temperature, two/ three-phase – impact on concentrations of various biophenols. Introduction In Part 1 of this series, the potential of olive mill waste (OMW) as a raw material for the production of functional foods, nutraceuticals, etc was demonstrated. This was followed in Part 2 with a closer look at how researchers go about measuring bioactivity. Our research has shown that olive waste contains a range of bioactivities including: antioxidant, antimicrobial, molluscicidal and antiproliferative (anticancer). Chemical variations One of the challenges with developing any type of food product is the natural variability of the raw materials. Olive processors will be closely familiar with this – the same grove does not produce the same oil year after year. There may be subtle (or not so subtle) variations in colour, aroma or flavour, due to the differences in the chemistry of the oil arising from

35.0

mg GAE/g CW

30.0

differences in the conditions the trees experience during each season. Likewise with processing – malaxation time and temperature can impact the chemistry and hence sensory properties of the oil [1]. In the same way, the chemical make-up of the waste will be impacted by how olive fruit is grown, harvested and processed and it is important to understand the extent to which these variations affect the levels of compounds in the olive waste.

Growing conditions In this part of the study [2], we surveyed five olive varieties – Barnea, Correggiola, Manzanillo, Mission and Paragon – picking the fruit at four times during the harvest season – April, May, June and July – from a single olive grove in southern NSW. The following year, Correggiola and Mission fruit were picked in June to investigate seasonal variations in bioactive compounds.

April

May

June

July

Figure 1. Total phenol (Folin-Ciocalteu) content of OMW from different olive cultivars at different harvest points.

25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 Barnea

Correggiola

Manzanillo

42 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Mission

Paragon

Olive Business - R&D As this was a bench-scale experiment, 1 kg of fruit was processed using an Abencor hammermill, malaxer and centrifuge, in what approximated a two-phase process. Olive mill waste (OMW) was collected and then extracted with a water/methanol solvent. Bioactivity tests such as FolinCiocalteau total phenols and DPPH antioxidant capacity were performed [3], together with measurements of the individual biophenols hydroxytyrosol, verbascoside and oleuropein, among others [4].

Cultivar variation Our results showed that total phenols, antioxidant capacity and levels of individual phenols varied with the different cultivars. For example, Figure 1 shows amounts of total phenols as a function of variety at different harvest times. As can be seen, Mission had consistently high levels of total phenols across the harvest season. At the same time, no variety was particularly low in total phenols, meaning that it would be possible to extract good quantities of biophenols from any OMW.

The recovery of verbascoside from Mission in July was a staggering 5,000 mg/kg dry weight of waste/3,500 mg/kg wet weight. To buy 3,500 mg of verbascoside from a commercial supplier would cost about $300,000. With respect to individual biophenols, Mission again was a strong performer. It had the highest average recoveries of hydroxytyrosol and verbascoside across the harvest season, and the highest individual recoveries of these compounds in May and July respectively. Manzanillo had the highest average recovery of oleuropein, but Mission topped the individual recovery for this compound, in April. The outstanding result, though, was the recovery of verbascoside from Mission in July – a staggering 5,000 mg/ kg dry weight of waste. Converting to wet weight (assuming 70% moisture content) gives 3,500 mg/kg wet weight. To buy 3,500 mg of verbascoside from a commercial supplier would cost about $300,000.

Harvest timing Figure 1 also shows the variation of total phenols with respect to harvest time. There were no clear trends for total phenol content, antioxidant capacity or individual phenols. Some varieties such as Correggiola and Paragon showed an overall decrease in properties, Manzanillo showed an upward trend, while Barnea went up and down. These results indicate that it would be difficult to predict an optimum harvest time that would guarantee the highest concentrations of bioactives in OMW. On the other hand, all varieties had some bioactives in the waste, regardless of harvest time. Therefore, should the Australian olive industry wish to pursue a commercial venture by recovering bioactives from OMW, there would need to be strategies to deal with the differences in bioactives at different harvest times and from different varieties. Seasonal variation As mentioned above, our study was able to investigate two varieties over two years at a single harvest time (June) in both years. The results are presented in Table 1. For these parameters, both varieties behaved consistently from one year to the next. That is, both showed increases for total phenols, antioxidant capacity and hydroxytyrosol; whereas there were decreases for verbascoside and oleuropein. One outcome of these data is that a business model for waste utilisation would have to take account of these seasonal fluctuations. The case for Mission is pertinent: the maximum recovery of verbascoside was 5000 mg/kg in July of one year but only 1570 mg/kg in June the following year, more than a three-fold decrease.

Table 1. Variation in bioactive compounds and bioactivities for Correggiola and Mission olives harvested in two consecutive years.

Measured parameter

Correggiola year 1

Mission year 1

Mission year 2

Total phenolsa

16.9

22.9

27.2

32.9

2.94

4.73

3.57

5.73

hydroxytyrosolc

370

450

470

840

verbascosidec

1220

920

4060

1570

Antioxidant capacity

The units for the various measurements are: a mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight; b 100/EC50 (see [2] for more details); mg/kg dry weight. Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 43

Olive Business - R&D

Table 2. Effect of different malaxation temperatures and times on OMW from Mission cultivar harvested in year 1.

Malaxation time and temperature

Having looked at what happens in the grove, we turned our attention to issues related to processing [5]. The olives were processed with a laboratory scale system under two-phase conditions, at 15 °C for 30 min and also for 60 min, and at 30 °C for 60 min. The results are presented in Table 2 (right). Increasing malaxation time from 30 min to 60 min led to an increase in total phenols and antioxidant capacity (the changes in hydroxytyrosol and verbascoside were not statistically significant). On the other hand, increasing malaxation temperature led to a significant decrease in all parameters, especially hydroxytyrosol. Further research could be undertaken to more systematically vary malaxation time and temperature to optimise the recovery of bioactive compounds. Our group undertook such a study [6] for biophenols and volatiles (aroma compounds) in oil and a similar study would be possible for waste. On the other hand, from a commercial perspective, it is probably more important to optimise extraction conditions for yield and sensory properties, and then implement a process for waste utilisation that is able to accommodate fluctuations of biophenols in the OMW.

Two-phase vs three-phase There is much literature on the effects of two-phase vs three-phase production systems for olive oil. It has been found that the extra water added in a three-phase system removes biophenols due to the partitioning of the hydrophilic compounds into the water. Our study showed that the added water in the three-phase system also removed the biophenols from the waste (Table 3). Every measured parameter was lower in the three-phase system. Table 3. Effect of extraction system on biophenol content and antioxidant capacity of olive mill waste for Mission olives harvested in year 1.

Measured parameter

Two phase

Three phase

Total phenolsa

49.9

32.9

antioxidant capacityb

7.25

5.73

hydroxytyrosolc

1320

840

verbascosidec

3190

1570

oleuropeinc

150

110

The units for the various measurements are: a mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight; b 100/EC50 (see [2] for more details); c mg/kg dry weight.

Measured parameter

15 °C and 15 °C 30 min and 60 min

30 °C and 60 min

Total phenolsa

44.9

49.5

39.7

antioxidant capacityb

3.54

4.30

3.04

hydroxytyrosolc

520

490

not detected

verbascosidec

2610

3220

2200

The units for the various measurements are: a mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight; b 100/EC50 (see [2] for more details); c mg/kg dry weight. In Australia, many processors are using the two-phase system for oil extraction, and hence the waste generated will be high in bioactive compounds. For those processors using a three-phase system, our results show that there are still good amounts of bioactives in the solid waste, and results from the northern hemisphere [ref 7], would indicate that it is also possible to recover bioactives from the waste water.

Conclusion In this article, we have demonstrated that amounts of bioactive phenolic compounds in OMW are dependent on both growing and processing conditions. Since there can be a large change in amounts of phenolic compounds from year to year, with variety, etc., a commercial waste extraction process would need to be able to cope with these fluctuations. Over the course of this series of articles we have made the case that OMW represents a promising raw material for useful and valuable end products that may be utilised as functional food ingredients, nutraceuticals, etc. OMW contains high levels of antioxidants that are unique to olives and have been shown to exhibit a range of bioactivities. Unlocking the potential of OMW to be treasure, not trash, requires further research into the practicalities of creating products based on OMW extracts, including financial modelling. Such work is already being undertaking overseas, and patents and products are beginning to appear. This type of work is possible in Australia – we have the research capability to do it – and there is potential to add extra value to the industry through utilisation of the waste. References: 1.

Kalua et al. Food Research International, 2013, 54, 2095-2103.

Obied et al. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008, 56, 8851–8858.

Prenzler et al. Olive Grower & Processor, 2017, 104, 37-39.

Prenzler et al. Olive Grower & Processor, 2017, 103, 36-38.

Obied et al. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,

Kalua et al. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2006, 54, 7641-7651.

Takaç and Karakaya Recent Patents on Chemical Engineering, 2009, 2, 230237.

Contact: Paul Prenzler, Associate Professor in Chemistry - School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, CSU Wagga Wagga. T: 02 6933 2978 - E: pprenzler@csu.edu.au.

44 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Profile

Charlie Pancerzewski, Far North New Zealand Olive Oil Note: My responses are from the perspective of a small grower/producer. The challenges and perspectives of large grower/producers will be somewhat different. OG&P: How long have you been involved in the olive industry and what is your involvement? CP: We purchased the land and planted our trees in 2000. We have 1,400 trees, made up of three varieties: J5, Leccino and Koroneiki. My neighbor is also a small grower and he mows our grass, adds lime and fertilizer, and sprays weeds. We hire an olive pruning expert to prune our trees. We now hire a person with a shaker machine to harvest our olives, which takes two to four days, depending on olive volume. My neighbor and I work with the machine operator to do the harvest. We hire a company with a large press to process our olives within 24 hours of harvest. These functions do not take long each year so it would not be good financial management to purchase all the equipment to perform these functions for just a few days’ use each year. 2016 was our largest harvest, producing 29 tonnes. This year was a very bad year for growers in northland New Zealand and we only produced about three tonnes. We had no Leccino, a tiny amount of Koroneiki and the rest were J5. Many growers in our area did not have sufficient fruit to harvest and others had a very small amount as we did. This was our worst year for volume in many years. However, this year’s oil has an excellent taste. OG&P: What are your major markets and why? CP: We tried to get our oil into NZ supermarkets but found that it was financially impossible and impracticable to meet all of their requirements, as explained later. Since we still live in the USA part of the time, we decided to see if we could sell our olive oil through some high quality food stores near our USA home, an area of more than a million residents. I approached one family-owned chain of six high quality supermarkets and the buyer thought our oil was great.

We did not have to go through any expensive qualifications and I could be my own distributor. A few years later I approached a local high quality supermarket co-op that has 10 stores. Their buyer also thought our oil was fantastic and agreed to put it in all of their stores with my direct distribution. About 90-95% of our oil is exported to the USA and sold through these stores. We sell a small amount of our oil to a few New Zealand high quality restaurants and shops.

OG&P: How did you become involved in the olive industry? CP: In 1996 my wife and I purchased about 25 acres which a developer had planted with olives. He also sold other adjoining blocks of newly planted olives. We were still living most of the time in the USA and his plan sounded good, as almost all of us were passive investors and agreed to pay his company to care for the trees. After a year his company went bankrupt and all of the buyers were left to do what they could on their own.

developer we had hoped that many of the local small growers would be able to work together to produce and market the oil. Conditions in the industry 20 years ago were much different than they are now and the long period of time it takes an olive tree to produce much fruit can bring a lot of new challenges. In the first few years after planting we joined a local group of small olive growers who purported to form a co-op.

To use the OliveMark, the oil in the bottle has to be 100% New Zealand oil. By then the gorse had taken over and was higher than the olive trees, most of which were dead from lack of care. We and other similar owners decided to remove the gorse and dead olive trees and start over on our own. I suppose that is the time we became directly involved in the olive industry. We planted 1,400 trees from a NZ nursery. Our neighbor, a similar owner, agreed to care for our trees, which provided him a way to help pay for the equipment needed to mow grass, spray weeds, fertilize etc. We started spending more time in NZ. As the trees grew and started producing a few olives, we had to decide how we would use and sell the olive oil they produced. At the time we took over from the

However, that group was not experienced in business and finance. They also had limited finances and time they were willing to invest in the substantial requirements to form and successfully operate such a venture. Our trees were planted before most

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 45

Editorial

of the others in the group so our olives were producing oil for sale several years before theirs and we needed to move forward with a way to sell our oil, while they were satisfied to move slower. So my wife and I tried to get into New Zealand supermarkets and found that very costly and difficult for a small grower. The two large New Zealand chains who control most of the supermarkets agreed we could sell our oil to them if we complied with a very costly process to gain entry and continue as acceptable vendors. Then we would have to go to each store and convince the store manager to provide us shelf space and meet with individual store requirements. It was obvious the supermarket chains did not want to deal with many small producers and preferred to import olive oil from a smaller number of the large European bottlers - fewer vendors to deal with and they could buy oil for a lower price.

compete with producers in the large traditional countries remains a challenge. Much of the olive oil sold in New Zealand and in the USA is exported from the traditional olive export countries. We are all aware of the mislabeling and other misdeeds of exporters, and the supermarket chains do not seem to support government action to stop these practices. I presume that is because they make a lot of money selling this less expensive and therefore more profitable misleading oil. One New Zealand producer may have found they can sell oil that is not always produced in New Zealand. Although they have a NZ address, their bottles do not say the oil is produced from NZ trees and they do not use the Olives New Zealand OliveMark label, which certifies their oil is extra virgin New Zealand oil. To use the OliveMark, the oil in the bottle has to be 100% New Zealand oil.

New Zealand olive oil is well liked by the many foreign visitors I talk with at the farmers market. OG&P: How do you see the local industry positioned in the current global market, both in terms of its importance and comparative policies/ standards? CP: Most of the olive groves in New Zealand are small with less than 2,000 trees, many with less than 1,000 trees. Most sell their oil in farmers markets, small food or gift shops and from their homes. A few sell bulk oil to wholesale buyers or one of the few companies who bottle and sell oil to supermarkets. New Zealand olive oil is well liked by the many foreign visitors I talk with at the farmers market. I think New Zealand oil would sell well in international markets if someone can achieve a cost-effective way to ship the oil, and provide appropriate marketing and distribution. Given the costs involved, small growers are not likely to be able to do that. Small growers’ expenses are higher per litre. Hiring someone to handle the business needs, including marketing and distribution, is expensive. A large co-op or large company that produces and/or buys oil from small growers has a much better opportunity internationally. However the cost to

OG&P: What do you see as the most significant issues facing the Australian and/or New Zealand olive industries at present? CP: The cost to compete with lower cost imports. The many small growers pay more for most services such as harvesting and pressing. Also for bottles, labels, cartons and shipping on a per bottle cost basis. Buying in large quantities reduces the cost per bottle significantly. Many small producers are unable to achieve volume discounts to be cost competitive. Competing with producers who sell mislabeled oil at a lower price by diluting poor olive oil with other kinds of oil makes it impossible for legitimate producers to compete with price. Those who want quality oil and have the budgets to do that will buy higher priced oil if they know how it is produced - and taste it. Sampling is one of the best ways to market higher priced quality oil. Also olive disease such as anthracnose, which results in lower volume of fruit or, at worst, a ruined crop. Many New Zealand growers are having this problem to some extent and Olives New Zealand and others are trying to find ways to prevent it.

46 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Sampling is one of the best ways to market higher priced quality oil. Finally, many small growers cannot provide the care, harvesting and marketing required to make a reasonable profit. They do not have the time or skills to provide what is necessary to make a living in the industry. Many are also too small to make much profit, as there is a limit as to how much oil an average mature tree can produce.

OG&P: What are the best ways to tackle those issues? CP: What can be done: • obtain government enforcement of compliance with labeling and adulteration of oil; • form one or more co-ops to facilitate all the functions of the industry to make it cost efficient for small growers. The dairy and some fruit producers have been successful doing that OG&P: Are there any things you think we’re doing particularly well or badly? CP: Producing high quality good tasting oil. OG&P: What are your thoughts on the Australian olive oil standard? CP: I am not familiar enough with the Australian olive industry or standards to comment. OG&P: And finally, what do you see as the realistic outcomes for the industry in the near future? CP: Realistic outcomes are: • a reduction in small growers, as many are getting too old after getting into the industry following retirement from other work. • finding that there is insufficient profit, if any, from being a small grower. • a few larger growers combining with others to have sufficient volume to hire high quality expertise to handle the needed business functions. More information: www.newzealandoliveoil.net.

News - Health

Fact Check: is it bad for your health to eat food fried in olive oil? James Brown, Lecturer in Biology and Biomedical Science, Aston University

Rachel Adams, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, Cardiff Metropolitan University

The myths around frying with olive oil are sometimes hard to dispel, so here’s some great scientific opinion you can share around to prove that high quality EVOO is undoubtedly the best choice for frying. James Brown It recently has been suggested that using vegetable oils to fry food may be bad for your health due to the production of toxic chemicals called aldehydes during the heating process. Aldehydes are simple organic structures – compounds which contain a carbon-oxygen double bond – and are abundant in nature. They are formed in the human body in small amounts as by-products of normal fructose and alcohol metabolism. Consumption of dietary aldehydes is thought to contribute to human diseases including diabetes and heart disease. The olive oil question But what about olive oil? Is it classed as a vegetable oil, and is it safe to fry food with it? Around half of UK households now use olive oil, which demonstrates a sizeable shift in our oil use in recent years. This may be in part because olive oil consumption is frequently linked to good health, and forms a central component of the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is itself known to reduce the risk of disease and early death. Olive oil, produced by pressing olives, is commonly used across the world in food preparation, whether for frying, drizzling or as a part of a salad dressing. It is therefore classed as a vegetable oil, as it is produced from vegetable matter, as opposed to animal fats such as lard or goose fat. The research Of the vegetable oils that have been tested for heating-induced aldehyde content, olive oil actually performs reasonably well. Researchers from the University of the Basque Country analysed olive, sunflower and flaxseed oils for their aldehyde content after the oils had been heated to 190º. They found that heating the polyunsaturated sunflower and flaxseed oils produced greater quantities of aldehydes more quickly, whereas heating monounsaturated olive oil created fewer aldehydes and much later in the heating process. The science This is thought to be because of a structural difference, with polyunsaturated oils containing more regions ripe for chemical reaction. Experiments performed for BBC’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor

confirmed this, suggesting that heating olive oil, butter and goose fat produced similarly lower levels of aldehydes. These experiments collectively suggest that if you are going to fry, choosing olive oil is one of the better options. Importantly, very little is known about what constitutes a low or high dose of aldehydes in food in humans. There is some data from animal studies, but the conclusions we can draw from them are limited. If olive oil is used to shallow fry foods for short periods, it is unlikely that your body would be exposed to greater concentrations of aldehydes than it normally would as a result of your body’s normal metabolic processes, mentioned earlier.

Verdict While there are clearly healthier ways to cook foods, frying food with olive oil is unlikely to be significantly bad for your health. Review: Rachel Adams Heat causes chemical changes in all oils and this alters their aroma, flavour and nutritional content. Overheating oil during cooking will result in a dirty, smoky kitchen, poor tasting food and the creation of harmful chemicals. Olive oil is no different from other oils. If you burn it (heat it above its smoke point) it will taste bad and it will contain harmful chemicals. Smoke points tend to increase with olive oil quality, as the free fatty acid content tends to decrease and the antioxidant content increases. The high antioxidant content of olive oil could even reduce the amount of harmful chemicals produced during cooking. When cooking with olive oil, any potential harms can be reduced by using high quality oil and making sure you keep the oil below its smoke point; it will also make your food taste nicer. So I agree with the author: frying in general is not the healthiest way to prepare food, but if you are going to fry then frying in olive oil is not a bad choice. If cooking with olive oil was that bad for you there would be population-based evidence to support the argument. This article was first published online in The Conversation – www.theconversation.com.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 47

Olives & Health

Health Round-up Continuing our regular round-up of the latest relevant health research from around the world, to keep you up to date and in the know…

EVOO + ibuprofen a winning combination A spoon full of sugar may help the medicine go down but adding EVOO makes it work better – for ibuprofen at least. That’s the finding of a new study by researchers at Cairo University, published online in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, which found that “the combination of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and ibuprofen at a therapeutic dose is superior to the two compounds used separately”. The study involved 132 healthy mice, allocated to groups given one of: EVOO (at 8 ml/kg body weight); ibuprofen; or EVOO plus ibuprofen as either a therapeutic dose (100 mg/kg) or a low dose (40 kg/mg). The analgesic (pain reducing), antipyretic (fever reducing), and anti-inflammatory activities of the

various treatments were subsequently assessed using various methods. The results were impressive: the researchers found significant benefit in all treatment groups, however the combination of EVOO and the therapeutic dose of ibuprofen had by far the greatest effect. They concluded, therefore, that: “Using EVOO with the therapeutic dose of ibuprofen showed a synergistic effect in controlling the cardinal signs of acute inflammation, rather than using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone.” Source: www.medicalxpress.com.

Olive oil may help prevent brain tumours A new study has flagged the potential of oleic acid, a major ingredient of olive oil, as a weapon in the fight against brain cancer. Published in the Journal of Molecular Biology, the study was conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and showed that oleic acid stimulates the production of a cell molecule whose function is to prevent cancer-causing proteins from forming. In the study, the scientists looked at miR-7, a cell molecule active in the brain and known to suppress the growth of tumours, and the cell protein MSI2, which in turn prevents production of miR-7. They found that oleic acid prevents the action of MSI2 against miR-7 production, thereby protecting

the miR-7 molecules and helping to prevent cancer-causing genes from functioning in cells. While too early to be definitive, the researchers are enthusiastic about the possible benefits of olive oil in brain cancer prevention. “While we cannot yet say that olive oil in the diet helps prevent brain cancer, our findings do suggest that oleic acid can support the production of tumour-suppressing molecules in cells grown in the lab,” they said. “Further studies could help determine the role that olive oil might have in brain health.” Source: www.theaustralian.com.au.

… and can prevent listeria Olive oil may prevent a serious form of food poisoning by rendering the causative bacteria useless. A recent study by researchers at the University of Southern Denmark, published in the journal Research in Microbiology, suggests that omega-3 fatty acids can neutralize the bacteria which causes listeriosis by deactivating the genes that cause infection. Omega 3-fatty acids are found in high levels in olive oil and other foods including fish, seeds, nuts and eggs. Potentially-fatal, listeriosis is primarily the result of eating foods contaminated with the listeria bacteria and is the reason why unpasteurized milk and dairy products are banned in many countries. It is treatable with antibiotics, however the listeria bacteria has shown to be increasing its resistance to currently available antibiotic options. The Danish study tested the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the listeria bacteria, and found that after half an hour the bacteria had been neutralized.

“Our study has shown that common, naturally occurring fatty acids can switch off the specific genes that make the listeria bacterium dangerous,” the researchers said. Even better news is that the study indicates omega-3 fatty acids neutralize the bacteria’s ability to infect with listeria but doesn’t harm it – as bacteria build resistance when attacked, they therefore don’t in this situation. “Bacteria can develop resistance to attacks, and we have many examples of how this merely creates new and even bigger problems for combating them,” the researchers said. “It might be a better strategy to let them live and instead aim to neutralize their capacity to cause disease.” The researchers hope their findings may lead to the development of new – and safer - treatment methods against dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Sources: www.oliveoiltimes.com; www.sciencedirect.com.

48 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017 • Issue 105

Products & Services

Healthy soil and strong plant growth: want to trial MS-Bio in your grove? MX-BIO has some pretty exciting secret recipes. Not the cooking type, but the getyou r-crops-g rowing-bet ter type, and they’re proving very satisfying for growers across the horticultural sector. Led by principal Mick Stronach, WA-based company MX-BIO has produced a range of biological plant stimulants that put the beneficial properties of other plants to work. Completely organic in composition, MX-BIO’s products provide benefits literally from the ground up, remediating spent soils and promoting strong plant growth. “Marketed as MS-Bio, our products have now been used on soils, horticultural plants and trees, aimed at solving existing problems and also increasing productivity,” Stronach said. “The results have been impressive for all users, from dealing with non-wetting soils to increasing root and plant growth. It’s also had a positive effect in strengthening plants against attack from insects and diseases, and also from frost damage.”

Multi-use horticultural aid Stronach said MS-Bio has proven beneficial as both a soil treatment and crop stimulant, and at all stages of plant development. “Trails were conducted during 2015-16 on pasture and grain crops, and separately on fruit and vegetable crops, and the test results were pretty conclusive,” he said. “Applied as a soil conditioner, MS-Bio was found to greatly improve irrigation efficiency, particularly in non-wetting soils. Treated soils also seemed to respond very quickly after long seasons of continuous cropping, and soil compaction was improved by 33%. “And in one of the wheat trials, the negative growth effects of salt scalds along the boundary of the trial area reduced from 6m to 1m or less where MS-Bio was applied. “When used as a foliar spray, MS-Bio produced stronger growth and larger, more flavoursome fruit and vegetables. Grain crops were also improved, with wheat in particular having higher protein levels and increased head size. “The farmers also noted reduced disease in both soil and crop and, when used as a seed dressing, MS-Bio treated areas had faster germination and more resilient crops, with stronger root development.” Testing for oil Stronach said MS-Bio used on canola saw an increase in 3% in oil content, which is “big dollars” for producers. “If it also lifts the oil content in olives, it could make a big difference to the viability of some growers,” he said. “So we’re looking for several growers to trial our products. We want to see if we can get the same benefits in terms of plant health and productivity – and particularly the oil percentage increase - in olives as we’ve had with other crops.”

Interested? Growers interested in taking part in the MS-Bio trial are asked to send their name, email and phone number, along with grove location and details of any existing issues, to Mick Stronich at mickstronach@gmail.com. Alternatively, give him a call on 0439 425 462.

Wheat crops treated with MS-Bio (left) had higher protein levels and increased head size compared with non-treated crops.

Stronger root development is obvious in the two plants treated with MS-Bio (centre and right).

Healthy, more vigorous crops and reduced disease are just some of the benefits achieved by treatment with MS-Bio.

Issue 105 • September 2017 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 49

your calendar of olive events

What’s on

2017 Sep

September Australian Organic Awareness Month National, Australia www.austorganic.com

Oct

October TBC Focus Grove Field Days – Various regions, NZ www.olivesnz.org.nz

September TBC Awards Presentation Dinner, 2017 Perth Royal Olives Show – Perth, WA www.oliveswa.com.au

October 6 Entries close, Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au

September 15 Entries close, 2017 NZ EVOO Awards – Auckland, NZ www.olivesnz.org.nz

October 10-11 AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition – Adelaide, SA www.australianolives.com.au

September 11-14 Fine Food Australia 2017 – Sydney, Australia www.finefoodaustralia.com.au

October 10 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation – Adelaide, SA www.australianolives.com.au

September 13-16 Organic at Expo East – Baltimore, USA www.ota.com

October 14 - NZ EVOO Awards Dinner – Wellington, NZ www.olivesnz.org.nz

September 21-23 Oil China Expo 2017 – Beijing, China www.eoliveoil.com September 26-28 Science Protecting Plant Health 2017 Conference – Brisbane, Qld www.sciplant2017.com.au

Nov

September 24 2017 Shanghai international olive oil Tasting Meeting - Shanghai, China www.eoliveoil.com

October 15 - ONZ Organoleptic Seminar – Wellington, NZ www.olivesnz.org.nz November 14 - Awards Presentation, Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au

Just another reson to love Friday ...

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Advertiser index Client

Page

Client

Page

Pieralisi

Modern Olives

13, 17

Eclipse Enterprises Australia

SIMCA

14-15

AOA

Mirco

14-15

MX-Bio

Tornado

14-15

Olive Oil Packaging Services

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Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2017• Issue 105

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Published quarterly to the largest subscription circulation base, the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor offers olivegrowers and producers: case studies, R&D, growing & processing news and techniques, market information, sales & marketing and products & services from leading industry professionals. Subscription includes the annual Olive Industry Directory and registration to e-newsletter Friday Olive Extracts. PLUS online access to each print issue and your Directory ONLINE at www.olivebiz.com.au

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