Beyond extra virgin

The first edition of this Conference was held at the University of California, Davis, on May 22-23, 2007, with the support of prestigious institutions such as the Accademia dei Georgofili of Florence, The Culinary Institute of America, the University of California Davis and its Olive Center (formally established in August, 2007), and of a number of Italian Universities (the Universities of
Florence, Pisa, Perugia, Bari, Urbino, Foggia, Campobasso and the University of Gastronomic Sciences at Pollenzo).

The conference promoters and organizers, Association TREE and the CIFAR (California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research, UC Davis), have established the long-term goals of the Conference as follows:

1. To define a model of excellence of Olive Oil based on high product standards, innovative process control and transparency in the behaviour of producers.

2. To foster an international collaboration founded on credible science in order to preserve, appreciate and respect Olive Oil authenticity, excellence and variety according to genetic, territorial and cultural factors.

3. To foster international recognition of excellence in Olive Oil and to strengthen the dialogue, exchange and collaboration between traditional and new producing countries.

The 2008 edition of the Conference has two goals: to provide further insight in marketing and promotion of high quality Olive Oil and to establish programs of international collaboration in Olive Oil research, production and use. The
Experts from scientific and technical institutions, public administrations and consumer organizations are invited to participate and to express their interest in the future editions of the conference and related scientific, technical, educational and promotional activities.



PROGRAMME
May 15th, 2008
Firenze, Logge Uffizi Corti

9.00 a.m. – Introductory Session

Chairman: Franco Scaramuzzi
Claudio Peri – The Evaluation of Excellence of Olive Oil
Dan Flynn – The Role of The Olive Center of UC Davis for the diffusion of Olive Oil Quality and Culture in America

Session on Olive Oil Marketing and Use
Chairman: Charles F. Shoemaker
Gervasio Antonelli – An Approach to marketing of High Quality Olive Oil
Leonardo Casini, Silvio Menghini, Veronica Alampi Sottini – The Case of Wines: is there Anything to Learn for Olive Oil marketing?
Greg Drescher – Olive Oil, Excellence, and the American

Table: Culinary Strategies and Opportunities
Discussion
1.30 p.m. – Break for lunch

3.00 p.m. – Session on Critical Thinking and Effective
Communication about Olive Oil
Chairmen: Sharon P. Shoemaker and Claudio Peri

Pierluigi Basso, Andrea Catellani – Oil Identity and Excellence: the Consumer Perception of Values
Gaetano Torrisi, Barbara Aquilani – The Communication of “Terroir” Values in the Marketing of High Quality Olive Oil
Luigi Caricato – Light and Shade in Communication about Olive Oil

Discussion
5.30 p.m. – Final remarks by Richard Machado
6.00 p.m. – End of the Conference