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Highly regarded by member countries and industry experts, this training—financially supported by the IOC this year through scholarships awarded to 38 students from its 12 member countries—provides a unique framework for participants to deepen their knowledge and skills while showcasing the distinctive characteristics of virgin olive oil.
The ceremony featured a keynote address by the IOC’s Deputy Executive Director, Abderraouf Laajimi, titled «The Olive Sector Worldwide: Current Situation and Future Prospects.» His presentation highlighted global trends in production, consumption, and trade, emphasising the emergence and development of new consumption and import markets, such as the United States and Brazil. He also discussed the variability in global production observed in recent years, attributing it to the impact of drought, while noting a relative recovery in production.
The IOC was also represented by Catarina Bairrao, Head of the IOC’s Training and Technical Cooperation Department, underscoring the importance of this historic collaboration with the University of Jaén. This partnership reflects joint efforts to promote the quality of virgin olive oil and advance organoleptic evaluation techniques among industry professionals.
The University Expert Course in Virgin Olive Oil Tasting at the University of Jaén is a globally recognised programme, established in 1997, that aims to deepen knowledge of the entire olive oil lifecycle, from production to consumption. This intensive three-month course covers various aspects, including the theoretical principles and methodologies for the organoleptic evaluation of virgin olive oils, the analysis of sensory attributes—both positive and negative—based on cultivation practices and production methods, as well as the control of physical and chemical oil quality. It combines theoretical sessions, practical workshops, and technical visits to olive groves, oil mills, and research institutes, offering participants a comprehensive experience. Each year, the IOC provides scholarships for professionals from its member countries.
