**1.2 The trade needs a reliable benchmark for determining quality in the EVOO range**

An adequate approach in order to achieve more differentiation in the category of EVOO, it was found in olive oil competitions organized mainly for premium olive oils. These competitions are not subject to any official regulation but are initiatives of national associations and organizers such as the IOC for the Mario Solinas Competition [6]. In the new test sheet for this competition, the parameter harmony has to be evaluated three times (olfactive, retronasal/gustatory, and global). With all due respect to olive oil competitions, it should be noted that the IOC holds a demanding annual competition for practically less than 2% of the EVOO produced worldwide. In these kinds of competitions, the producers are awarded with gold and silver medals, certificates, and recommendations. The result is valuable top-quality oils, tasty delicacies with a high content of healthy fatty substances [7]. But because not all olives of a producer can be picked in one day and because nature does not wait for olives to ripen continuously, in most cases, only smaller quantities of these high-value oils are available to about 15–20% of the somewhat better-off consumers.

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

These awards are only given for exceptional commitment on the part of the producers, which work with extraordinary engagement down to the last detail. Accidentally, for the remaining rest of 98% (!) of the EVOO, no qualitative distinction is foreseen although even these oils have different, more or less characteristic flavors.

Unfortunately, the consumer's knowledge of olive oil is not very common. Generally the consumer is unable to differentiate between terms such as varieties [8], coldextracted, virgin or extra virgin, acid values. This is exploited by the trade in many countries and tolerated or supported by the legislator. Below the top qualities, there is no differentiation any more apart from mainly emotional arguments. Especially in this more affordable but very important mass market segment—which means for 80% of the consumer—a better differentiation is needed. It would help more consumers to gain confidence in a somewhat more expensive but recommendable oil.

The trade is dominated by price competition that often ignores quality aspects. For example, the 2015 IGO study [9] showed that out of 70 rather cheap samples from 15 different EU countries intentionally labeled as Extra Virgin, only 41.4% (29/70) could be confirmed as EVOO. 58.6% (41/70) had to be downgraded to the VOO category. The origin of the samples was reported as 58% EU blend, 23% Spanish blend, and 9% Italian blend.

Unlike food from certain countries such as honey or wine, olive oils from one country can be blended with oils from other countries within the EU and marketed as EU-Blends. The publication "EU-Blend" on the label is obligatory in such cases as well as all other origins from EVOO. The consumer must pay close attention to labels, including the brand name, as it is now mandatory to provide information on the label about the actual origin of the oil. Despite the wealth of information, many consumers lose their bearings and trust their personal shopping source more.

Regardless of this fact, we still assume that a not insignificant percentage of the oils sold worldwide as EVOO actually belong more to the VOO category due to sensory deficiencies. Some manufacturing companies simply refer to this type of EVOO as "borderline" EVOO. A practice that unfortunately cannot be ruled out is that olive oils with slight sensory defects are blended with extra virgin olive oils in such a way that the defects are very difficult to detect in a panel test. This means that for this type of EVOO in different panel tests (PT) different results such as VOO or EVOO can arise. The unofficial trade-declaration "borderline" depends on the requests of local stakeholders and the willingness of some suppliers, especially in those countries where the food control for olive oil is not yet so developed.
