SPAIN: A new alleged olive oil fraud has surfaced in Spain. The Spanish Agency for food safety and nutrition issued health-related concerns about consuming virgin olive oil in March. Thus, they called off the sale of virgin olive oil, as per the agency.
As per reports, the companies were selling olive oil irregularly in five-litre bottles in street markets, shops and fuel stations in Extremadura and Andalucía. To date, 70,000 litres of oil have been banned by the Directorate-General for Public Health.
As per reports, 13 new samples and tests have imposed light on the active oil fraud. The samples proved that at least one of the oils was mixed with lampante oil.
According to the Food Safety and Environmental Health departments, investigations conducted on the items by the Extremadura Agri-Food Laboratory have established that all of the oils have been blended with lampante oil and are “not fit for human consumption.”
Now, the Food Safety and Environmental Health departments have kept their eyes on the process. This made many refineries withdraw from the market for attempting the alleged offence against public health.
Meanwhile, The Guardia Civil took charge of the investigation and found the oil which has been seized had been labelled as “Extra Virgin Olive Oil” (EVOO).
However, the composition is quite shocking as it has mixtures of vegetable oil (oilseeds) with refined olive oils (olive pomace), commonly known in the food sector as “lampante oil”.
It has poor quality, a high risk of acidity, and a very unnatural taste and stinky smell. Lampante oil has gained its name for its usage as fuel in old oil lamps.
As per reports, the eleven brands that have been found performing the alleged scam are La Esmeralda, Vareado, Acebuche, Virgen del Guadiana, La Campiña de Andalucía, Cortijo del Oro, Galiaceite 2022, La Abadía, Aromas Villa de Jerez, Don Jaen and Imperio Andaluz.
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