Panel Test on the occasion of the International Olive Oil Award – Zurich (IOOA)

Since the first International Olive Oil Award – Zurich event in 2002 the organisation and hosting of the event has been continuously developed and improved, to take account of the increasing number of participants and thanks to the professionalisation of the Swiss Olive Oil Panel (SOP) at the ZHAW.

Before being tested by the panel, the oils to be tasted are screened in order to eliminate oils which do not qualify for the IOOA tastings and to determine the intensity of the oils to be evaluated (light, medium, intense).

The suppliers of the selected oils are informed about this evaluation, and receive detailed information about the quality and intensity of the positive and negative features of their oils at a later date. Later in the IOOA all the acceptable oils (extra native / extra virgin) are subjected to a panel test (blind tasting) in accordance with the requirements for the objective evaluation of olive oil issued by the IOC (COI / T. 20 / Doc. Nr. 15 / Rev. 2, September 2007) and of the currently valid EU regulation (Regulation (EG) No. 796/2002 of May 06, 2002 respectively 640/2008 of August 04, 2008, Appendix VII).

For this purpose a special profile sheet has been developed. Based on the testing form of the IOC, specific detailed attributes are recorded (e.g. fruitiness perceived in both the nose and palate), together with additional features of the oil (e.g. harmony, lastingness, and other positive attributes). The outstanding olive oils identified by this panel test then go on to a final round to be sorted into the award categories “Golden Olive”, “Silver Olive” and "Award" by means of blind tasting.