JFDA introduces security label for olive oil containers

AMMAN — In the context of a comprehensive follow-up to olive oil exploitation, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) has launched a new security measure to protect consumers against fraud.

This measure places a thermal label on the lids of olive oil containers, which indicates the serial number and the name of the mill that produced it. “Once the lid is opened the label is torn, which will immediately indicate that the olive oil has been cut with cheaper oils,” Director of the Regional Directorate at the JFDA Musa Abadi told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

“The anti-fraud mechanism was first launched on November 9 in Irbid, which hosts the largest number of olive oil mills in Jordan. Next, it will be launched in Madaba, Airport Road and Salt, then in all areas of the Kingdom,” Abadi added.

Corruption in the olive oil industry is a result of cutting olive oil, which is costly and takes time to make, with cheaper vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil. The JFDA, together with the Royal Department for Environmental Protection, will assure that the thermal labels are implemented across the Kingdom’s olive oil mills, Abadi stated.

“The JFDA’s part will be technical, and the Royal Department for Environmental Protection will monitor and control the mills,” the director said.

The campaign, which identified and introduced the different-coloured labels, aimed at “distinguishing between fact and fiction” in the olive-oil business, Abadi said, noting that each area has a different label colour. 

“So far, we have decided that blue will represent Irbid mills and green for Madaba and Salt,” Abadi added.

“These different colours will enable access to olive oil mills by the simplest possible means, and this is a very important step in making sure that the customer is receiving 100- per cent pure olive oil,” Abadi said.

The JFDA is always available to help citizens who want to ensure that their olive oil is not fraudulent, as it is the official body tasked with evaluating and testing the oil to confirm that it meets the legal grades, Abadi said.