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<pre>Dear Volker,
Thank you so much for your very interesting letter. It is ironic that you
mention the Carapelli Extra Virgin brand -- I happen to have it sitting in
my kitchen right now (it is the "unfiltered" variety), and indeed you are
right -- its says "packed in Tuscany"!!! I am so upset, as it was quite
expensive (bought it at an upscale supermarket). I think it is wise that
you exercise such quality control over your olive harvests.

I wish I were an importer (am only a "retail" customer, but often buy in
bulk -- used to buy the Lionelli olive oil by the case -- approximately 8
gallons to the case). If you are interested in selling retail, let me know
what volume would make it worth your while to sell some to me (I live in
Hoboken, New Jersey, USA -- a town rich in Italian ancestry -- and the
birthplace of Frank Sinatra)!

Best regards, and good luck with your harvests,
Anna
Russiandoll@hotmail.com


>From: "Volker Piasta" <piasta@sirt.pisa.it>
>Reply-To: OliveOil@onelist.com
>To: "maillist olive oil" <OliveOil@onelist.com>
>Subject: [OliveOil] trans fats / labelling / importation + exportation of
>Tuscan extravergine
>Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1999 10:10:24 +0100
>
>trans fats:
>Thank you for the very interesting informations about trans fats. Until
>reading this message, I thought that that hardened fats where dangerous
>'only' because they are rich of saturated fats. But I understand that they
>are somewhat different and more dangerous. Can anybody integrate this with
>some scientific information in chemical terms? What is the difference
>between trans fats, hydrogenated fats and satured fat acids?
>
>labelling:
>The article about trans fats shows again the importance of correct
>labelling
>of our food, which is not only important for the consumers but also a
>protection for all the smaller producers who try to offer quality products
>and who are struggeling against the competition of the big brands that
>offer
>(or try to offer) low quality products with their publicity and market
>power. Small producers cannot compete in the same way, but they are
>dammaged
>by the fraud that is done by the industry. Example (I think I already named
>it some time before): One of the big italian brands in the field of olive
>oil, Carapelli, used to make a TV campain where they creted the illusion
>that their olive oil was a Tuscan product, because Tuscan extravergine is
>known as a very special taste and quality. But if you read the lables on
>the
>bottles, you find out that their oil is only bottled (!!) in Tuscany, no
>word about the origin.
>There are only two ways to have a correct product information, that is to
>know well the producer and buy directly from him or otherwise through
>nationally or internationally protected labels. In Italy there is the 'IPG'
>label which garantees the geographical origin of the olive oil (something
>like DOC). Another thing I think is important for honesty, but nearly
>nobody
>does it, is to indicate the date of production/harvest and not the date of
>imbottlement or (still worse) the latest date of consumption.
>
>importation / exportation:
>During the last weeks we found some request for olive oil for importation
>to
>the Netherlands , Ireland and elsewhere. If someone is interested to buy
>very good extravergine olive oil from Tuscany (especially from the areas of
>Castelfiorentino / Volterra), I can help. Our local oil mill, which is
>managed by a local farmer's family, and which is using a two phase
>Pieralisi
>press, is qualified for the IPG label and has the HACCP certificate. They
>have made a harvesting contract for some big olive plantations in the
>province of Florence and produce an excellently flavoured, fruity and
>peppery (typical for this area) olive oil with a low grade of acidity. Last
>year we had an acidity between 0.09% and 0.3%. This year the harvest is not
>yet finished, the quantities are not very big due to a very dry summer, but
>quality is very promising. They have decided to create a large stock of the
>best product, so the flavour and taste will be the same also for bigger
>lots. (The problem is often that the producers of good olive oil do not
>have
>quantities big enough for exportation). I have already tasted it and
>consider it very similar in quality to my own product which I sell locally
>for 26.000 Lire per Liter-bottle. I know that the same oil quality in
>Germany is sold for about 35 - 40 DM per bottle. (About 30 -35 AU$).
>I do not export my oil because I don't have sufficient quantities. But if
>somebody is interested to purchase bigger quantities, we can send him/her a
>sample of the extravergine of our mill. The oil can be sent also imbottled
>in the type of bottle you prefer, with the oil mill's label or with a label
>designed by you (of course always indicating the origin and the date of
>harvest instead of the date of imbottlement). Please contact me for more
>information and to receive a certified sample of this extravergine (only
>importers).
>
>Ing.Volker Piasta
>Agriturismo Podere San Lorenzo
>I - 56048 Volterra (PI)
>Tel: 0039 0588 39080
>Fax: 0039 0588 39090
>email: olio@toscana-toskana.de
>http://www.toscana-toskana.de/olio/
>
>
>
>[Attachments have been removed from this message]
>
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