The ability to distinguish the flavor components of olive oil of different varieties is a necessary skill for a group of tasters. It is also an essential tool for managers involved in quality control and the promotion of olive oil in the international market, as well as for scientists doing research on the quality of olive oil. In this context, the Olive Oil Taste Panel (Technological Educational Institute of the Peloponnese), sponsored by the International Olive Oil Council, the “Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation, the Regional Unit of Messinia, and the company “Bläuel Greek Organic Products,” and supported by the cultural foundation “The routes of the olive tree,” organized the international seminar “Calibrating panelists’ minds and palates.”

Characteristics of olive oil varieties of the Mediterranean and of America, familiarity with the tasting techniques used in Italy, Spain and the USA, and analysis of production practices and olive oil management in these countries.

ANGELES CALVO FANDOS – Virgin Olive Oil Taste Panel of Catalunya, Spain
ANTONIO GIUSEPPE LAURO – Agricultural Department of the Region of Calabria, Italy
PAUL VOSSEN- University of California Cooperative Extension – Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, USA