The Regional Selection of Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVO) PDO and PGI will be made this year also; news that affirms that Tuscan agri-food doesn’t stop, despite the persistence of the health and economic emergency. The going-ahead honors, among other things, a golden year for oil and for the regional olive oil supply chain, both from quantitative and qualitative perspectives.

As part of the agreement between the Tuscan Regional Council, the Florence Chamber of Commerce and its dedicated company, PromoFirenze, for the implementation of promotional initiatives in the agricultural and agri-food sector in the three-year period 2021-2023, the selection aims to highlight the best olive oil production in Tuscany, in order to use it for economic and promotional purposes, including multi-sectoral ones in Italy and abroad, while at the same time, rewarding and stimulating the efforts of olive-growing companies to continuously improve the quality of the product.

The selection also makes it possible to enhance the figure of the olive oil taster, a professional able to promote the quality of regional oils, among Italian and foreign operators and consumers.

From 8.30 on Monday March 1, until 15.30 on March 27 it will be possible to submit your oil. All companies that produce DOP or IGP certified extra virgin olive oils obtained in Tuscany can apply. Companies that are only bottlers are not allowed.

“We are committed and we managed to maintain this highly prestigious initiative, with its high amount of economic, cultural and image appeal”, commented the vice president and councilor for agri-food Stefania Saccardi. “The regional selection of Tuscan EVO oils is an event that intends to enhance the passion and dedication of women, men, companies and the traditional work used innovatively for the culture and cultivation of the olive tree, which is one of the most representative of our territory. For all these reasons, we are very happy to confirm the appointment for this year also”.

Each producing company can present up to a maximum of 2 oils. The samples must refer to batches of DOP or IGP certified extra virgin olive oil, up to a total of at least 300 kilograms, even on multiple certified batches of the current 2020/2021 oil campaign.

Companies wishing to participate in the selection must fill in the application form and the related attachments that are exclusively conducted online via the portal http://regionetoscana.crmcorporate.it, in the section “Selection of DOP and IGP extra virgin olive oils of Tuscany 2021” which will be active from Monday March 1. Participation in the selection is free and is reserved for a maximum of 80 samples. To this end, the samples will be admitted according to the order of arrival recorded by the portal.

After submitting the online application, companies must send 4 bottles of the same batch for each oil directly to the laboratory appointed by PromoFirenze, packaged and labeled in accordance with the relevant production regulations, accompanied by all the documentation required by the selection regulations.

In order to collect the documentation necessary for printing the selection catalog, for each oil presented the company must also send the company technical data sheet and a label in * .jpg format by e-mail to the address Selezioneoli2021@promofirenze.it high resolution.

The oil samples presented, once anonymized, will be subjected to organoleptic examination by a regional commission composed of n. 9 between panel leaders and oil tasters’ technicians, registered in the Tuscan regional division of the national list and members of panels recognized by MIPAAF operating in Tuscany.

The oils that obtain a score equal to or greater than 7 in the organoleptic examination, will be included in the catalog of the “Regional Selection of EVO Oils 2021”.

A special mention will be assigned for each of the four types of oils:

• 5 DOP or IGP oils “ORIGINE Selection”
• 3 “Selezione BIO” organic oils;
• 3 single variety oils “Single variety selection”
• 3 oils with total biophenols higher than 400 mg / Kg “BIOPHENOL Selection”

In the 2021 Oil Selection, on the proposal of the protection consortia, which collaborate in the implementation of the initiative, a recognition will also be awarded to the best oil for each PDO and PGI for which at least 3 oils have been selected.

The list of selected oils will be communicated via publication in the relative decree in the Document Database of the Tuscan Regional Council.

The selected oils, with particular regard to the oils to which an award is assigned, may be important in the promotional initiatives established and developed by the Tuscan Regional Council or by the Tuscan Chamber of Commerce.

At the end of the selection, the catalog of the selected oils will be published on the website of the Tuscan Regional Council, exclusively online (in pdf format), in Italian and English. The catalog will contain the personal and production information of the companies, as well as the characterization of the selected oils of the different types.