(Ivanhoe Newswire) — People who eat a diet rich in oleic acid, which is found in olive oil and peanut oil as well as butter are less likely to develop ulcers, according to new research.
Researchers at University of East Anglia (UEA) School of Medicine in Norfolk, UK studied more than 25,000 people aged 40-65 between 1993 and 1997.

When researchers looked further into the participants’ diet they found that those with the highest intake of oleic acid had a 90 percent lower risk of developing ulcerative colitis.
“Oleic acid seems to help prevent the development of ulcerative colitis by blocking chemicals in the bowel that aggravate the inflammation found in this illness,” Dr. Andrew Hart with UEA’s School of Medicine was quoted as saying.

Researchers say that half of the cases of ulcerative colitis could have been prevented if larger intakes of oleic acid were consumed.

“Two to three tablespoons of olive oil per day would have a protective effect,” said Dr. Hart.

Source: http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-health-news/olive-oil-protects-against-ulcers/2286

In the past few decades the concept of adoption has been stretched to include a person donating money for the adoptee to be cared for in its own environment, such as saving endangered animals, like pandas, or threatened environments, like rainforests. Recently, the adoption definition has once again been extended to include not only adopting a piece of nature and helping to preserve it, but also receiving what it produces. These adoptions include fruit trees, such as apple or peach, as well as olive trees.

The concept of adopting a tree and receiving its goods has a strong connection to recent food movements, whether it’s eating healthier, more organic or local. Part of the idea behind the local food movement is that people want to feel a stronger connection to the food they eat, to the person growing the food and to the place they live. Of course, for the majority of the country olive oil is not a local product, but by adopting an olive tree, it can provide a similar comfort.

Among the most notable of the adopt an olive tree programs is Nudo, whose groves are mostly located in Italy’s central-eastern region of Le Marche. Started in 2005, the program now has adoptees throughout the world, in places such as the U.S., Australia and Japan. For a yearly fee, an adopter receives three different packages throughout the year: two olive oil shipments and one with a personalized adoption certificate and booklet about the tree. In addition, Nudo gives each adopter the chance to pick a tree from one of their six groves.

Also in Italy, is Abruzzo Passion, named for founder Albina Fabiani’s love for her homeland and the simplicity of life in Abruzzo. Founded in 2006, Fabiani offers walking tours to travelers, in addition to the adoption program. Adopters get to choose from one of two olive groves with a variety of trees. Each person receives an adoption certificate and tree information, a spring package with stone crushed extra virgin olive oil and an autumn package of olive oil flavored with Abruzzo herbs as well as a personalized cookbook.

Across the European continent to the west, in Spain, is Finca Vall den Rubi. Its olive grove, consisting of 700 trees, and a Spanish cottage, where guests can stay, are located in the Baix Ebre area in southern Catalonia. As with the programs in Italy, Finca Vall den Rubi gives each adopter a certificate and photo of the tree along with 2 liters of extra virgin olive as well as a voucher for a discounted stay at the cottage.

Adopting an olive tree isn’t limited to the eastern side of the Atlantic. America also has some its own programs. One of those places is in an area that few think of when they picture an olive grove—Texas. Located in the Central Texas Hill Country near the town of Dripping Springs, Texas Hill Country Olive Company, a family-run organic olive farm has five different types of olive trees that can be adopted. It not only gives its adopters oil from their trees, but also their own personalized label on each bottle.

A more familiar location for U.S. produced olive oil is California. Despite the recent olive oil craze on the West Coast, only one name comes up when searching for California olive tree adoption programs—Olivas de Oro Olive Company. Founded by the husband and wife team of Frank and Marti Menacho in 1999, their program is just a few months old. Along with three shipments of extra virgin olive oil, an adoption certificate and a photo of the tree, each member also gets a Certified California Organic Farmers’ certificate.

Even though each of these programs are in different locations, with varying benefits, prices and trees, they all have something in common when it comes to the reasons behind and the value of their adoption programs. For the European programs, it comes from history, tradition and the drive to help out small artisan olive farmers. In order to ensure the quality of olive oil, Nudo promotes small-scale farmers, many of who, without a program like Nudo’s would be forced to sell their olive oil at low prices and soon become a thing of the past. “The children of the old farmers don’t want to spend time and energy farming. So the traditional olive plantations are in serious danger and could be neglected,” says Annet Timmer and Trees Turpijn, the owners of Finca Vall Den Rubi.

At Texas Hill Country Olive Company, it’s also about tradition, but about establishing a new one for future generations. “The owners, Rick Mensik and John Gambini wanted to build something that would last, something that they believed in, so they decided on an olive orchard,” says Nicole Swanson, Mensik’s daughter and the one who is in charge of adoptions. “We also wanted a business where we know our customers and have relationships with them,” she adds. Marti Menacho of Olivas de Oro Olive Company has the same driving force behind her program: “Truly our motivation for doing this was to really involve people. We just didn’t want to be a nameless face of a shipment that arrives on your doorstep with no connection.”

Although these programs can range from around $90 to $150 per year, for the producers, and for their customers, however, the value can’t be measured in dollars and cents. “It is not about buying, it is about helping,” says Albina Fabiani. The quality also creates great value as Nudo’s Marketing Manager, Roelof J. le Roux, explains: “In the springtime, adoptive parents receive olive oil that was still ‘hanging on the tree’ just four months before. As legislation demands that Best Before dates only be applied upon bottling, most big olive oil brands in supermarkets sell oils that have been stored in tanks for one or two years or even more. This way supermarket customers never experience the real benefits of fresh, healthy, flavorful olive oil.”

Adopt an olive tree programs also offer customers a chance to increase their connection and value by giving them the opportunity to visit their trees. Nudo has had about 40 adopters come over to Italy last year to visit their tree. At Texas Hill, they’ve had several families bring their children and take pictures of them next to their trees, with an average of about one family per week coming to the farm to either visit their tree or choose one to adopt.

Whether over five years or a few months, each of these adopt an olive programs have seen a growth in new members, as well as more people renewing year after year. As more people desire to feel a stronger connection to what they are eating and to ensure the quality of the food they are putting into their mouths,
adopt an olive tree programs are sure to keep growing.

Source: http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-basics/world/adopt-olive-tree/6999

For years extra-virgin olive oil has been tasted and judged on its ability to produce a tingling or burning sensation in the back of the throat, the belief being that the more you cough, the better the quality of the oil. Now scientists have come up with evidence to support this method of tasting and to explain why it works.
In a paper published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers revealed that sensor molecules, located in the human throat but not the mouth, attach to a chemical found in high-end olive oils causing the very noticeable sensation.

The idea to study olive oil first occurred to the paper’s co-author Gary Beauchamp around 10 years ago when he was visiting Italy to attend a meeting on molecular gastronomy, an emerging field studying the physics and chemistry of cooking. A friend brought him some freshly pressed extra-virgin olive oil to taste and one sip caused “a very odd sensation,” said Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. ”It’s got this burn in the throat, but not in the mouth.”

The discovery not only qualifies an age-old tradition, but also furthers the conversation around olive oil’s health enhancing attributes. During the study researchers found that when crushed Ibuprofen was swallowed and came in contact with the throat, it created the same sensation as oleocanthal, the cough-inducing agent present in olive oil. Scientists now believe that their findings could shed further light on the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

But why this sensation should be felt in the throat rather than the mouth wasn’t fully understood until researchers turned their attention to a specific flavor-sensing molecule named TRPA1, known to react to noxios pollutants and chemicals found in foods such as wasabi, mustard, and garlic.

Focusing on the TRPA1 molecule, scientists began tests to locate its presence within the body. In taking tissue biopsies from a number of volunteers, they found TRPA1 to be mostly absent from mouth and tongue tissue, but present in large quantities in the upper throat and nose, which was “…a big surprise,” Beauchamp said. Although other noxious chemicals are sensed by many different receptors, it seems that oleocanthal can only be detected by TRPA1 and it is because of this that it is most felt in the throat when high quality extra-virgin olive oils are sampled.

Beauchamp raised a related question, noting that humans have come to appreciate the “pain” from oleocanthal in olive oil, as if there is an inner knowledge that it is advantageous. “How this happens remains a fascinating puzzle,” he said.

TRPA1 also senses the chemically-unrelated ibuprofen, the team found. Beauchamp believes that it will be in understanding the correlation between the two diverse inflammation fighters that new leads in the development of better anti-inflammatory drugs could be found.

Source: http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-health-news/olive-oil-cough/11628

It is common knowledge that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet confer a multitude of health benefits. But what about emotional health benefits? According to Spanish researchers from the University of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a diet rich in olive oil can protect from mental illness. The study included 12,059 volunteers who were part of the SUN Project, a prospective study among Spanish university alumni, aimed to identify the dietary determinants of stroke, coronary disease and other disorders. The researchers followed these volunteers for over 6 years and gathered data on lifestyle factors such as diet as well as medical history. At the beginning of the study none of the volunteers suffered from depression, and by the end of the study, 657 new cases were detected.

The data that was gathered, revealed that volunteers that had a high intake of trans fats, a hydrogenated fat found mainly in processed foods, had up to 48 percent increased risk of depression compared to volunteers who did not consume these fats according to Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and first author of the article. In addition, the researchers discovered that a higher intake of olive oil and polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish and vegetable oils was associated with a lower risk of depression. According to the researchers these findings suggest that cardiovascular disease and depression may share some common mechanisms related to diet.

This is not the first time that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet are associated with lower rates of depression. In 2009, Spanish researchers once again discovered that individuals who followed a Mediterranean style diet rich in olive oil, vegetables, beans and fruit were 30 percent less likely to suffer from depression.

While the researchers point out certain limitations of the study, such as analyzing the diet only once (at the beginning of the study) they point out to several strengths such as a large sample size as well as multiple adjustments for potential confounders. They add that the findings need to be confirmed by further prospective studies and by trials.

Source: http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-health-news/olive-oil-may-protect-from-depression/11915

“I have a love affair with olive oil,” Annette Joseph says, “so I get creative with it.” The infusing involves mixing herbs, peppercorn, fresh fruit zest and olives with olive oil. “I love all the different combinations one can put together. I like to cook with infused olive oil. It’s a really quick, easy salad dressing. It’s also wonderful as a dip for bread, and a great gift. It’s olive oil — so it’s healthy.”

To begin infusing olive oil — like Annette — you will need a bottle with a cork, a skewer or some long, slender implement, a potato peeler, a funnel, fresh lemon, oregano, rosemary and peppercorns. Start with a zest of lemon.

“The zest gives the oil a beautiful but subtle flavor,” Annette says. “A lot of people think olive oil has a very distinctive taste but you can definitely enhance that flavor by infusing.”

Annette uses a wooden skewer to poke the zest down through the neck of the bottle. Pushing the peel down into the bottle will coat the inside and add additional lemon flavor as you pour the oil.

Into a mortar, place a generous handful of peppercorn, some fresh oregano and a sprig of rosemary. Using the pestle gently pound the mixture, giving it a nice bruising. The oregano and rosemary add flavor and scent as well as create visual texture within the bottle. Place the bruised rosemary into the bottle, followed by the oregano. Using a funnel, pour in the peppercorns followed by the olive oil.

“The olive oil is not cooked,” Annette reminds, “so it must sit with the mixture for it to properly infuse. It’s fine to use it immediately if you want to, but it will taste so much better if you give it two weeks to properly infuse.”

As for the shelf life of the infused oil, Annette says that depends on what type of ingredients you place in the bottle.

“It’s good for about six months, although I’ve had some infused oils for over a year. If you use fresh fruit in the bottle, like kumquats or olives, after a while the mixture may get a little cloudy. It’s still okay to use because the olive oil preserves the items that you’ve put into the bottle. It just won’t look as pretty.”
Annette is always on the prowl for unusual bottles for her olive oil. As an added touch, she will seal the cork on her newly infused oil by dripping wax from a scented candle to seal the bottle.

Infusing olive oil is a simple process that anyone can do — and it’s fun.

Source: http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/infusing-olive-oil/index.html

The project concentrated on olive oil production processes in Spain, Italy and Greece. To extract olive oil, three different methods are commonly used. The traditional press method is a non-continuous process which provides high purity extra virgin olive oils. The other two techniques are the two- and three-phase decanter centrifuge methods. The three-phase is a continuous process that requires the addition of warm water to improve extraction, as is the two-phase which differs by operating without adding any water. This last is the most innovative technique and produces a semi-solid cake of pressed olive fruits and stones as opposed to the highly polluting wastewater from the three-phase process. This wastewater needs treatment before disposal.

Olive oil waste has always been one of the biggest problems associated with the industry. The environmental devastation, caused by the accidental release of non-treated waste that periodically occurs, bears witness to this. However, recent innovations in extraction technology have resulted in new types of waste, making much of existing waste treatment and recovery obsolete.

Not wasted at all
Nonetheless, this project – consisting of 19 partners from the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece and The Netherlands – aims to develop uses for olive oil waste in five different areas. Using carbon dioxide for supercritical fluid extraction and the chemical compound 1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane for solvent extraction, high value-added components will be extracted. Both processes are at the vanguard of extraction technology and will provide the raw materials for nutritional and pharmaceutical applications, and flavours and oils.

While petrochemical oils are used for domestic and commercial energy, there is no reason not to use other more natural oils for the same purpose. Hence the use of olive oil waste as a low cost renewable energy source will also be targeted. This involves the absorption of spilt oil, which could then be incinerated for energy recovery. It has already been shown that the absorption of oil spills is feasible.

Biosorption is the process of biologically recovering pollutants. Olive oil waste will be tested as an adsorbent of contaminants such as metals and colours from aqueous effluents.

Preliminary studies have shown that the waste adsorbs (i.e. binds) toxic cadmium, copper and lead – a promising early result. Yet another part of the work package will try to break down waste through the use of anaerobic bacteria, leaving it in a less polluting form.

Through this, methane could be produced which could be used as an energy source. In agriculture, waste is often spread on the surface as a fertilizer, returning nutrients to the soil. Olive oil waste will be investigated to see if it can be put to the same use to improve crop yield and quality. Through work conducted so far, the exact chemical and physical properties of olive oil waste has been ascertained. This forms the basis for much of this project’s future work.

In today’s climate of re-use and recycling it is refreshing to see an industry that generates a lot of waste being able to put its waste to good use: a case of changing the age-old saying from waste not, want not, to waste it, want it.

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/research/agriculture/pdf/p27.pdf

To rule out the possibility that any other compound was involved, chemists at Monell and Penn created a synthetic form of oleocanthal identical in all respects to that found naturally in olive oil, and showed that it produced exactly the same throat irritation.

The sensory similarities between oleocanthal and ibuprofen led scientists at Monell and the University of the Sciences to investigate potential common pharmacological properties. Studies revealed that, like ibuprofen, oleocanthal inhibits activity of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. Because inhibition of COX activity underlies the anti-inflammatory actions of ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the new findings suggest oleocanthal is a natural anti-inflammatory agent.

Taking their lead from the cues provided by olive oil’s throaty bite, the scientists systematically evaluated the sensory properties of an unnamed chemical compound thought to be responsible for the throat irritating property of premium olive oils. When results confirmed that the irritating intensity of a given extra-virgin olive oil was directly related to how much of the chemical it contained, the researchers named the compound oleocanthal (oleo=olive; canth=sting; al=aldehyde).

Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)
(E)-4-hydroxyphenethyl 4-formyl-3-(2-oxoethyl)hex-4-enoate

Source:http://www.3dchem.com/moremolecules.asp?ID=199&othername=Olive%20Oil

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes (2 large)
2 cups coarsely chopped arugula
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup Ariston Reserve Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
12 oz. strozzapreti (thin twisted pasta) or penne
2 tablespoons Ariston Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:
1. In large bowl, stir together tomatoes, arugula, garlic, mozzarella, salt, pepper and oil. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Cook strozzapreti in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain. Toss with sauce. Add vinegar; toss.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon Ariston First Pressing Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 orange or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Ariston Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon packed light brown sugar

Directions:
1. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, cook 4 to 6 minutes or until brown, turning once. Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear. Place on plate; loosely cover to keep warm.

2. Increase heat to medium-high. To same skillet, add bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften. Add spinach; sprinkle with remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Remove from heat; toss until spinach is barely wilted. Place on serving plates or platter. Top with chicken.

3. Return same skillet to high heat. Add vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil; boil 30 to 60 seconds or until slightly thickened, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Drizzle balsamic glaze around chicken and vegetables.