5th Annual Aristoleo Awards

Still life painting of Olive Oil in glass jug with cork and green olive.

5^th Annual International Aristoleo Awards 2020
“The Spirit of Excellence”

Aristoleo would like to give credit to this artist!

As the world tips on its axis with the prolonged COVID 19 pandemic, never has the focus been more on the critical importance of a robust immune system and the natural foods that support that.

This year we embraced change and held The Aristoleo Awards 2020 “Spirit of Excellence” on ZOOM rather than the usual conference, field trips and VIP dinners. It was casual and intimate and reinforced the growing sense of community that holds this group together bound by the commitment to excellence.

There is friendship, history, support and respect for what we are accomplishing together in this new category of olive oil with a health claim. It was a great feeling and a solid foundation to exponential growth for all involved, now and in the future, as this category grows and public awareness increases demand.

Aristoleo Awards 2020 recognizes the growing number of olive and olive oil producers with the vision and determination to change methods, go against tradition and choose quality over quantity to produce early harvest olive oil of the calibre that Hippocrates referred to as “medicinal” and high phenolic table olives with equal daily benefit. “5 Olives a Day Keeps the Doctor Away?”

Phenolic compounds, some found only in olive oil, like oleocanthal and oleacein, are being researched and becoming known for their extraordinary anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, respectively.

Since the EU registered a health claim labelling regulation in 2012, extra virgin olive oils, rich in polyphenols, have been recognized for their cardiovascular support. Since then, research into autoimmune, neurodegenerative disease and many cancers is extending its beneficial application.

Extra virgin olive oil high in phenolic compounds may be a powerful one – two punch to protect against chronic and acute disease. Much of the research simply applies a daily “shot” of high phenolic olive oil to the daily diet with no or minor dietary adjustments and, in many cases, the results are relatively quick and lasting.

The Aristoleo Awards is the only one of its kind that bases its choices on the science of phenolic content measurement by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as well as the true organoleptic analysis for extra virgin olive oil as having no defects.

Dr. Prokopios Magiaties offered an overview on latest research and the knowledge gained with tens of thousands of olive oils tested by his research team at the University of Athens lab over the past decade. He also shared the breakthrough discovery by a single individual that the direct IV injection of pure oleocanthal extracted from olive oil was safe over 250mg of pure oleocanthal in an IV solution. Dr. Magiatis was referring to Athan Gadanidis and the Aristoleo sponsored Trailblazing Prostate Cancer Pilot Study that began in Toronto at a private cancer clinic over the past year and will continue once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Dr. Greta Wozniak of University of Cyprus and co-producer of Eliama Daily Value Gold olive oil, shared her compelling research to test high phenolic olive oil for its effect on ASD (Autism Spectrum disorder) and other behavioural disorders in children.

Vicky Prassas of Philocanna, spoke from California on the inspiration and dedication to the science behind the many varieties of Philiocanna, developed for specific needs from improved sleep, ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to cancer treatment.

What began in 2016 as “The Greek Miracle” has grown to include other countries and this year “The Spirit of Excellence” Included Greece, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia and California, USA. You will see by the number of Double Golds and Golds compared to Silver and Bronze, that the calibre of high phenolic olive oil is increasing as is the number of producers. This is very good news, indeed.

The recently completed EU funded 3-year, 5-country ARISTOIL program for the study of high phenolic olive oil set out the parameters for the harvesting and production of high phenolic olive oil and also documented the essential criteria of storage, distribution and shipping to preserve this precious commodity.

Special Awards – Aristoleo Certified:

In light of the need for clear parameters for certification of processes, special recognition awards were given for Innovation, and Excellent Facilities.

These were:

Philippos Hellenic Goods for its State of the Art Storage, Bottling and Distribution Facility

Gourmet Groceries for Global Retail Distribution and Corporate Gifts

Philocanna

This coming year, Aristoleo Ltd. will begin to assess olive oil mills and other facilities for their commitment to excellence in support of this extraordinary new category of olive oil with an EU health claim.

And now, it is our pleasure and privilege to announce the 5^th Annual Aristoleo Awards: