Sterol content, here are the results on 317 oil samples

They are 317 samples di oil di Coratina, Nocellara del Belice, Biancolilla, but also Cherry e Tonda Iblea of which between 2016 and 2022 have been measured the total sterol content. A sampling that involved the varieties both in purity and in blends between them.
The results - all lower than the 1000 mg/kg established by the standard (we will see them in detail below) – confirm a thesis that has been debated for some time: the sterol content, at least as long as this limit remains, it absolutely cannot be considered a parameter of purity of extra virgin olive oil. So it must be changed and also soon, because in this way we risk penalizing almost the 40% of national olive production (33% is made by Coratina alone, the remaining 7% by Sicilian oils).
And this “soon” could be already this year, if the authoritative Italian candidate for the executive director of the IOC, Roberto Berutti, will be indicated by Brussels such as candidate of the European Union, to take the place of Tunisian Ghedira who has already served two terms. With Spain which by practice - having the headquarters of the IOC in Madrid and having almost all the staff present in the offices - will leave executive management to another country, for Berutti, now a member of the cabinet of the European Commissioner for Agriculture, there could be a good chance.
Ma what do sterols get right with the executive direction of the Coi? They are absolutely right, because the IOC has known about this problem for years, but they have never considered it so urgent, probably due to the fact that it is not considered very interesting for the North African countries and for Spain. A constant postponement until today we find ourselves in an unpleasant impasse, given that monovarietals are among the preferred productions for Italian extra virgin olive oil and the failure to reach 1000 mg/kg means, in fact, the absence of one of the fundamental parameters of purity.
Concepts on which the prof. Maurice Servili, professor of food science and technology at the University of Perugia, in his interesting report to the participants in the Physiological fitness course held by the Marche Agricoltrura Pesca Agency (Amap).
Servili recalled that the sterol content for the purity of extra virgin olive oil was introduced in 1990 with a specific purpose: unmask olive oil scams by those who sold blends as such which also contained other vegetable oils. Those were years in which no one spoke of monovarietal and the sterol content of individual cultivars had never been examined.
With their progressive production and valorisation, however, as has been said, the problem emerged in all its extent, especially as it affected many of the southern Italian varieties. Here are some numbers: of the 317 oils examined in the various years, the Coratina has an average of sterols equal to 940.1 mg per kg, the Nocellara of 881, the Biancolilla of 910.4, and again the blends of Biancolilla and Nocellara by 897.3 and those of Cerasuola, Tonda Iblea, Nocellara and Biancolilla by 922.5. It should be added that Greece also has a similar problem with variety koroneiki (which alone covers the 60% of the olive production of that country).
What are the causes? For Servili there is no doubt: the main effect is the genetics. Several studies have taken into consideration thetechnology,harvest time,oil extraction, but i results are discordant in identifying determining factors.
While waiting for the Coi to change the situation, we can trust that the positive comparison between Company Fatty Substances and Fraud Repression, where it was possible to face and become fully aware of the problem – also following the request from the large-scale distribution to demand parameters of purity – can make those in charge of controls understand to take account of these values ​​in a very precise manner, in order not to blame those who, with conscience, honesty, professionalism and dedication, aim to enhance some of the best varieties of national olive growing.