I Annual Workshop INSA-UB "The Universe of the Olive Oil" held in the Food and Nutrition Torribera Campus of the University of Barcelona, Spain, 11th November 2015

Abstract

The Institute for Research on Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA-UB) was formed by research groups belonging to the Faculties of Pharmacy, Biology, Chemistry and Geography and History, as well as other UB-affiliated centers and hospitals. INSA-UB was created to meet the current society's needs for research, training and service provision in sectors related to the agro-food industry. Due to its nutritional, gastronomic, cultural and economic value, olive oil is a product of particular importance within the Mediterranean region. In order to disseminate the latest findings on different analytical and legal regulation aspects, as well as on the healthy properties of extra virgin olive oil, INSA-UB organized the workshop "The Universe of Olive Oil". Researchers from universities, hospitals and research centres, as well as a wide range of representatives of the Catalan administration, olive oil costumers and olive oil industry were brought together with the aim of strengthening the knowledge and cooperation, and to favor the interaction between the main stakeholders to promote actions for the valorization, innovation and development in this strategic area. About 100 representatives of the above mentioned sectors attended the Workshop, which was supported by the International Olive Council (IOC), the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Barcelona, and by the five Catalan Protected Designations of Origin of virgin olive oil. Experts from different research centers, together with promoters and representatives of the local government, presented their recent results and current trends about olive oil. The Workshop was organized into different sessions, focused on different topics: olive oil quality, authenticity and control, healthy effects and the role played within the 'Mediterranean culture gastronomy' understanding that the best option to face the key challenges of the sector is a comprehensive approach in which subject areas and all stakeholders can complement and enhance themselves.