**3. Results and discussion**

### **3.1 Global experiences of the previous 10 years**

The application of this new criterion in sensory analysis since 2011 has led to a clearly recognizable improvement in the quality of olive oils on the German-speaking market as the figures from the IGO/DOP do prove. Every year, the DOP tests about 1000 samples according to this scheme, including harmony. **Figure 7** illustrates that at the beginning in 2011, only 26% of the EVOO were rated >5.0–10 on the scale (from "higher standard" to "excellent"). By 2020, this figure had already risen to 75.6%. A measurable success for quality and thus for consumer protection. The trend from 2013 to 2020 in particular shows the remarkable way with a significant decrease in very poor qualities (QHV between 3.1 and 4.4) and also in the range of 4.5–5.0 ("lower standard"). The standard quality originally ranged from 4.5 to 5.4, but since more than 50% of all samples were in this segment, the standard quality was divided into lower (4.5–5.0) and upper standard (5.1–5.4). As a result, traders with their supporters focused only on the upper standard quality. The columns also show a remarkable increase in the range of 5.5–6.4 (QHV "good quality") for the first wave of 2017, which seems remarkable as 2017 was a difficult year in terms of harvest in different producing countries.

The QHV value is still unofficial and not part of the regulation, but it is firmly established in practice in German-speaking countries and is slowly gaining more and more acceptance among other importing and supporting companies. In the first years, the introduction process of the QHV was somewhat tough. Since 2011, the method has been presented to the professional public in further workshops and congresses [14–16] and backed up with initial figures. In countries with strong trade groups such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and others, the trade began to take an interest in the QHV, as media such as TV and the press—partly justified—were constantly looking for points of attack to devalue the olive oil quality at supermarket chains and discounters. The Information Office Olive Oil [17] in Germany (IGO) has therefore organized seminars at almost all relevant food companies since 2005, in which the QHV was explained as an important additional parameter. In the first years, the trade was content with at least reaching the level of >4.5 (standard quality) on

### *Harmony (QHV): Practical Experiences with an Additional Sensory Criterion for the Quality… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102994*

the QHV scale. After a few years, the next level followed with 5.0—5.4 (upper standard). This was certainly due to the fact that the national control medium Stiftung Warentest considered the QHV as a co-decisive criterion in their comparative tests for the quality of an olive oil. This has also led to interest in this type of assessment on the part of bottlers, traders, and producers. At the request of the trade, introductory seminars were also held in the producer countries by the IGO. This led to further quality improvements in the trade, as now the quality became measurable with the help of the QHV method, which has also been accredited by the official German inspection body (DAkkS) since 2015. Now the trade is able to demand specified sensory quality requirements (intensities of fruity, bitter, spicy plus QHV) from its suppliers. However, due to the annually fluctuating characteristics of olive oils and the natural decrease of the individual intensities, the requirements have to be redefined every year or adapted to the annual rhythm by neutral experts.

Of course, thought was given to including the QHV on the label. However, for various reasons, this was not done and the responsibility was left to the trade. On the one hand, the label for EVOO is already very extensive due to numerous legal requirements. Since the QHV would entail an additional need for explanation for the consumer and it is also only used in a few countries, this idea had to be abandoned for the time being.

But in addition the type of fruitiness—green, green/ripe, or ripe fruitiness became also part of the EC/IOC regulation in the framework of the panel test. Our investigations showed that these differences also had an impact on the assessment of the QHV. The graphic (**Figure 8**) shows an example from Greek oils in 2018: EVOO with green flavor received QHV scores in the range of 5.6–6.4 (very good) due to aroma richness and more intense fruitiness. For oils with green and ripe taste, i.e., from fruits with advanced ripeness, most QHV scores were between 5.1 and 6.4 (upper standard to very good). Oils with a more mature taste from ripe harvested fruits mostly reached QHV values of 4.5–5.4 (standard), partly because the fruit intensity is milder and the aromas are sweeter. In the latter EVOO, the polyphenol values are already significantly lower, which, among other parameters, also affects the stability of the oil. Due to natural conditions—ripening is a continuous process harvesting times have been moved forward somewhat in some countries to increase the proportion of green or green/ripe olives. This is also in order to gain more green aromas, a higher nutritional value, and as a consequence, a slightly higher QHV value.

#### **Figure 8.**

*Type of fruitiness and relevance for the QHV, grün = green; grün-reif = green-ripe; reif = ripe, source: 2018, n = 157 Greek samples, IGO [10].*

### **3.2 Experiences from production countries for fruitiness and QHV**

The effect of the QHV also opens the consumer's senses for special characteristics of blended and country-specific oils—and that also for more affordable oils in the so-called mass market. To this end, we have broken down certain parts of the DOP test results of the last 7 years country by country to show differences and improvements. \*The reader may pay attention to the fact that the calibration of the intensity of fruitiness in the DOP panel has changed 2021 to a slightly higher level. This step was initiated and practiced by a modified method in the framework of an IOC workshop and started in year 2021, but the process for the DOP panel has not yet been finalized.

**Spain** is the largest producing country in the world with an average of 1.2–1.4 Mio t. But only around 50% of this quantity is officially EVOO [18]. In addition, in the 2016/17 campaign, there was a big change in the development of fruitiness in Spain (**Figures 9a** and **b**). With an earlier harvest start since 2016 for the important varieties Picual and Hojiblanca, it became possible to bottle EVOO with at least green/ripe fruitiness even after 12 months for the mass market. This resulted in average fruit intensities of 4.1–5.0 (IOC/EC method) also in the second half of the year instead of only 3.5–4.0 as in previous years. This was also expressed in a QHV value that was more than 50% in the range of 5.5–6.4 (good) from 2018 to 2020. The graphs (**Figures 9a** and **b**) also show that the significant calibration correction for fruitiness has practically no influence on the evaluation of the QHV. Most of the samples consist of different mixtures of the Picual and Hojiblanca varieties and show a stable continuity of quality thanks to skillful blending.

**Figure 9.**

*(9a) Fruitiness rating Spain, 2015–2021 (%), n = 65–265, (9b) QHV rating Spain, 2015–2021 (%), n = 65–265. Source: IGO/DOP.*

**Italy** is home to a wide range of olive varieties with very different aroma profiles. In addition to individual other varieties, Coratina, Ogliarola, Arbosana, Carolea from the southern regions of Puglia and Calabria are mainly used in rather affordable oils due to sufficient quantities. These varieties already had a high QHV level since 2015 with values between 5.5 and 7.4 (good to very good) and were able to maintain this quality over the 5 years as far as climatic conditions allowed. This also shows a very stable QHV level over the entire period (**Figures 10a** and **b**).

*Harmony (QHV): Practical Experiences with an Additional Sensory Criterion for the Quality… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102994*

#### **Figure 10.**

*(10a) Fruitiness rating Italy, −2015-2021 (%), n = 50–76, (10b) QHV rating Italy, 2015–2021, (%) n = 50–76. Source: IGO/DOP.*

In contrast to the above named countries, **Greece,** the third largest producing country, is characterized by many smaller farmers. In recent years, small cooperatives have been established to pool more knowledge about the harvest, quality, and what is happening in the markets. Throughout Greece, Koroneiki is the most important variety, accounting for 70% of the fruits grown. However, the variety can grow very differently due to climatic and soil differences between the north, the Peloponnese, and the island of Crete. The more the farmers work according to a certain predetermined strategy, the more consistent and better the quality will be. It can be seen that the intensity of fruitiness has increased significantly since 2016 to around 5.0 (year 2021 is different because of the new calibration). This was accompanied by a yearly increase in QHV up to the 5.5–6.4 level (good) or at least to the 5.1–5.4 level (upper standard), while QHV scores below this level continuously decreased (**Figures 11a** and **b**).

#### **Figure 11.**

*(11a) Fruitiness rating Greece, 2015–2021(%) n = 95–166, (11b) QHV rating Greece, 2015–2021 (%), n = 95–166. Source: IGO/DOP.*

**EU Blends** (EVOO from different EU producing countries, n = 130–363) also show a clear change in quality after 2015. The intensity of fruitiness (**Figure 12a**) increased continuously from 3.5–4.0 to 4.1–4.5 over the last 5 years. With the higher intensity, the character of the fruitiness also changed. Instead of predominantly ripe fruitiness as in 2015 and earlier, more oil was obtained from green to green-ripe olives, which in turn brought more intense flavors and thus also had a positive effect on the QHV (**Figure 12b**). While the QHV value 5.1–5.4 (upper standard) remained constant at a level of just over 30%, the value 5.5–6.4 (good) practically doubled from 16.2% to 35.4%.

#### **Figure 12.**

*(12a) Fruitiness rating EU blend 2015–2021, (%), (12b) QHV rating EU blend 2015–2021 (%). Source: IGO/DOP.*

Correspondingly, the value 4.5–5.0 (lower standard) dropped from 34.1–18%. EU blends are often the "price entry quality" for many nationally active traders.

The origin from the yearly up to 1000 DOP samples is roughly 20% Greek oil, 10% Italian, 30% from Spain, and 40% EU Blend. The figures for 2021 are not yet complete. In connection with all the above results, equally excellent EVOO were tested, some of which also won prizes in international competitions. These results have not been broken down by country, but they have a negligible impact on the above results, as they only account for 5–7% of the total number of samples per year. Values above 8.5–9, even up to 10, are extremely rare. But as already mentioned: "The higher the quality, the lower the quantity available in the trade"—therefore only a few oils can reach this segment.

Samples from other countries such as Portugal, Tunisia, Turkey, Croatia, Slovenia, and Palestine were also evaluated, but the number of samples per country was not sufficient for serious statistics.

## **4. Conclusion**

The results for the individual production countries, as well as for all samples together, undeniably show the way to a quality improvement over a long period of time that was hardly thought possible. This is true not only in German-speaking

### *Harmony (QHV): Practical Experiences with an Additional Sensory Criterion for the Quality… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102994*

countries, where during the previous years around 1000 panel tests are conducted annually, but also for production and distribution of some international brands. Last but not least, it was the trade that took up the idea in order to get olive oil out of the headlines of the negative press. After all, olive oil was once in the top group of food products that drew attention to themselves through fraud and adulteration. But the figures on which this study is based speak primarily for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In these countries, the control policy of the trade often still goes far beyond the requirements of the government or the European Commission. This also applies to the sensory analysis of olive oil taste, a decisive criterion for the consumer.

With the QHV, the trade received an additional quality parameter that closes the gap between the best classification (EVOO) and measurable quality grades for this classification. The trade—in the meantime also instructed in the QHV method works out a profile for its various olive oils with expert advisors and passes it on to the producers. These—as well QHV trained—receive thus specifications for the production or blending. This helps the trade to the same extent with the so-called "borderline problem" between the two grades EVOO and VOO. With EVOO there are good and bad ones, with VOO there are always a median of defect with intensities up to 3.5. The QHV would certify a bad EVOO a very low rating and thus inform the buyer accordingly. However, the results also show that it is possible to achieve a certain good quality level with the QHV even with supermarket and discount chains—i.e., with very large quantities. Whether to achieve "upper standard" or "very good" is up to the retailer in each country to decide. But thanks to QHV, the desired level is quantifiable.

The evidence gathered since the QHV presentation in September 2019 to the IOC Expert Group on Sensory Items held in Madrid does not indicate that the QHV method will be adopted globally. However, it may be introduced on a country-by-country basis or applied by nongovernmental bodies at the request of operators. It was found that in some olive oil producing countries, there is a kind of creeping path for improving the field of processing from agriculture via harvesting, malaxation [2] to extraction.

The QHV method was developed with a focus on the transparent presentation of the different qualities of the "extra virgin" grade of this exceptional product olive oil. Since 2011, attempts have been made to show the possibilities of the QHV to the IOC as well [13, 19] in order to start joint international trials that would enable its possible use in other countries. While the Commission in Brussels accepts or nationally tolerates some member countries' own initiatives—especially against the background of consumer protection with simultaneous proper production—the seemingly unassailable IOC seems to be pursuing its own policy under the protective shield of the UN. The national and economic benefits of olive oil are of undisputed importance in the producing countries. But it should also be transparent in the importing countries and compatible with the qualitative and legal requirements of consumers in their countries.

The QHV provides security in the assessment of EVOO qualities, it creates measurable transparency in the field of marginal oils, it limits the possibilities of fraud and helps in the detection of adulteration. With the QHV, there are fewer complaints and more satisfied customers.
