What it does
Main tasks
Other studies and activities

What it does

The general brief of the Technical Division is to help the IOC members to find solutions to sectoral problems, to contribute towards the modernisation of olive growing, olive oil production and table olive processing, and to take action to improve and conserve the environment. It does so:

· By encouraging research and development to devise techniques:

to raise productivity;
to improve quality;
to lower costs;
to protect the environment;

· By encouraging the transfer of technology and training in the olive sector.

Main tasks

· Providing training and refresher opportunities for technical and managerial staff in subject areas relating to cultivational methods, quality improvement, olive oil tasting, table olive processing technology, crop health care, irrigation, environmental protection, etc.

· Developing collaborative R & D projects of general interest to the IOC members.

· Drawing up standards for olive oil and olive-pomace oil.

· Providing countries with technical assistance in drawing up and implementing national improvement schemes.

· Providing countries with logistic support to create pilot demonstration stations serving as core extension and development centres.

· Building effective cooperative ties between institutes and research and experimental centres in order to encourage technology transfer, to facilitate information exchange and experience-sharing and to speed up the obtention of results through proper task allocation.

· Publishing and disseminating technical documentation.

Other studies and activities

· Studies on aspects of olive growing and the production of oil-olives and table olives, taking into account environmental and climatic conditions.

· Research and development, the transfer of technology and the improvement and protection of product quality in the area of olive oil technology.

· Drawing up of an inventory of the problems that arise in olive-growing countries and possible solutions.

· Studies to streamline cultivational and processing methods.

· Studies to plan technical improvements and research for implementation at national or regional level.

· Assistance with such planning and with the application of research, dissemination of know-how, testing and demonstrations, and training of the managerial or specialist staff needed in the developing olive-growing countries.

· Studies on the economic returns that can be expected from the application of research.

· Collaboration with the Codex Alimentarius in drawing up and amending the food standards on olive oil and table olives.

· Unification of the standards on the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of olive oil and olive-pomace oil, as well as of the related methods of analysis.

· Drawing up and regular updating of the trade standard on olive oil and olive-pomace oil and the trade standard on table olives.

· Monitoring of the proficiency of the chemical testing laboratories and olive oil tasting panels recognised by the IOC.

· Drafting of recommendations regarding quality systems for the table olive, olive oil and olive-pomace oil industry.