Anyone that has visited a pizzeria, restaurant or bar in Italy will know that it's normal to see olive oil jugs or dipping bowls on tables when eating out. This could be a home made spicy oil or normal extra virgin olive oil that can be used to give more flavour to a dish.
The European Commission has decided that from the 1st January 2014 that only pre-packaged, factory bottled olive oil can be used. These bottles must have a tamper proof nozzle and labelled to conform with EU Industrial standards.
The European Commissions justification for the ban, is "hygiene" and to protect the "image of olive oil" with a measure that will benefit struggling industrial producers in EU countries. It is also to protect the consumers who would know that they were getting a safe, guaranteed product with proper labelling of its origin and with tamper-proof, hygienic dispensers.
This new law may only help those big companies sell more and has been criticised by many top restaurants. The problems it will create in a country like Italy which produces many different brands and types of olive oil could be damaging for small produces.
Many restaurants use their own selected oils which are often of better quality than those mass produced in factories. Almost all pizzeria's make their own homemade spicy olive oil.
Local authority food inspectors will be required to enforce this law in restaurants.
The European Commission has decided that from the 1st January 2014 that only pre-packaged, factory bottled olive oil can be used. These bottles must have a tamper proof nozzle and labelled to conform with EU Industrial standards.
The European Commissions justification for the ban, is "hygiene" and to protect the "image of olive oil" with a measure that will benefit struggling industrial producers in EU countries. It is also to protect the consumers who would know that they were getting a safe, guaranteed product with proper labelling of its origin and with tamper-proof, hygienic dispensers.
This new law may only help those big companies sell more and has been criticised by many top restaurants. The problems it will create in a country like Italy which produces many different brands and types of olive oil could be damaging for small produces.
Many restaurants use their own selected oils which are often of better quality than those mass produced in factories. Almost all pizzeria's make their own homemade spicy olive oil.
Local authority food inspectors will be required to enforce this law in restaurants.
