
“Extra” Confused About Olive Oil?

How the food media are demonizing food with ill-advised political correctness

The Mediterranean Diet Roundtable to launch its first Extra Virgin Olive Oil Library
As the Mediterranean Diet ranks again the best overall eating pattern in the US, the MDR opens new ways to experience high-quality Olive Oil
Boston, January 2021 – The Mediterranean Diet Roundtable (MDR) is pleased to announce the first MDR Extra Virgin Olive Oil Library, to be launched in Spring 2021! Yet another pioneering project by the MDR Team, the EVOO Library is a unique venture dedicated to the create a narrative about the highest grade of Olive Oil, Extra Virgin. The operation has been developed in collaboration with David Neuman, an expert in the Food Industry.
The scope of this project is to add a layer of practicality to the MDR, whose mission is to expand appreciation and application of the Mediterranean cuisines to everyday lives. A cornerstone of the Mediterranean Diet, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an ingredient shared by all the Mediterranean cuisines, able to add a distinctive flavor profile to a region, even within the same country. In this respect, it is interesting to note how the wine industry massively invested in differentiating one varietal from another, while there is not an equivalent finesse in recognizing the same unique taste for Extra Virgin Olive Oils. From a scientific point of view, extra virgin olive oil is rich in powerful properties and are a unique source of bioactive phenolic ingredients. Studies proved that the fatty acids and antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil, can offer health benefits, including but not limited to a reduced risk of heart disease.
David Neuman, also known as the EVOOGuy, spent 30 years in the Food Industry, having built successful specialty/natural food businesses and brands at the highest executive level. Fifteen of those years were dedicated exclusively to Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as President of Lucini Italia Co. (Tuscan EVOO, sold to California Olive Ranch in 2015) and CEO of Gaea North America, LLC (a Greek Premium EVOO). David is a certified Professional Olive Oil Taster, having trained for 9 years at ONAOO in Imperia, Italy, the oldest Olive Oil school in the world. His training continues to this day, spending a week in Italy every January at his school, to be re-certified. He consults for some of the best Olive Oil brands around, is an International Olive Oil Judge and has his own branded extra virgin olive oil business.
The Mediterranean Diet Roundtable (MDR) is a special format created by Accent PR, which has recently been placed on Forbes list of America’s Best PR Agencies 2021. It brings together different aspects of food as a nutrient, an economic paradigm, an expression of social rituals, and of cultural status. Therefore, the MDR created a strong community of professionals from various disciplines, looking to improve the national food system through the Mediterranean Diet, ultimately leading to healthier lives and a happier population.
“We want to offer a reference point for high-quality olive oils, making them accessible to the end consumers as well as the trade,” says Daniela Puglielli, founder of the MDR. “Thanks to David’s expertise, we are opening a new world of flavors for health-conscious consumers, buyers, dining program directors, and even schoolteachers, willing to recognize the powerful benefits of healthy nutrition but also the educational and cultural component of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.”
With its EVOO Library, the MDR is set to create a practical access to a kaleidoscope of “green gold” which has been part of the Mediterranean cuisine for millennia. For additional information about how to present your brand and become part of the MDR EVOO LIBRARY, please contact info@MDRproject.com or visit www.MDRproject.com.