Olive oil Panel test
Commission Regulation (EEC) no. 2568/91, modified by Reg. EC 640/2008, provided for the chemical-physical parameters and the relative analytical limits necessary to ensure the authenticity of olive oil, as well as a “Panel - test” organoleptic examination on virgin olive oil as a quality evaluation criteria. Annex XII of the above Regulation contains the rules relating to the methodology and assessment criteria, as well as the tools for sensory assessment.
Since 1991, when the Regulation came into force, five Tasting Committees (Panels) have been set up at the Chemical Laboratories of the Excise, Customs and Monopolies Agency operating in Bari , Genova , Palermo , Roma and Verona which, for their efficiency and expertise, have obtained recognition from the European Commission and the International Olive Council (IOC). The IOC monitors their activity through the results obtained on oil tasting rounds.
With Ministerial Decree of 30 July 2003 (Official Journal No. 207 of 06 September 2003), updated with M.D. of 16 December 2005 (O.J. No.304 of 31 December 2005), the Tasting Committees of the chemical laboratories in Bari, Genoa, Palermo, Verona and Rome have obtained the recognition by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF), and consequently the authorization to run, on national territory, the official procedure for assessing the organoleptic characteristics of virgin olive oil. With the same Decree, the Tasting Committee of the chemical laboratory in Rome obtained the assignment of review and arbitration panel for olive oil marketed at national and EU level.
All Customs Panels operate under a quality regime in compliance with the UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, and three Tasting Committees operating at the Chemical Laboratories of Palermo, Genoa and Rome have obtained accreditation for the "organoleptic evaluation of virgin olive oil" from ACCREDIA (Italian Body of Laboratory Accreditation).
The organoleptic analysis is run by the Panels on samples of virgin olive oil analysed for customs purposes, for checks required by other public and private structures (Guardia di Finanza, Local Health Authorities, Central Inspectorate for Repression of Fraud, Agea, etc.) or for certification requested by individuals.