Shkedia 'olive oil' found by Health Ministry to be adulterated

The ministry said it would take all possible action against products that violate the demands of the law.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Olives are smashed with a rock during a children’s olive-pressing workshop. (photo credit: SOPHIE MEKULADA)
Olives are smashed with a rock during a children’s olive-pressing workshop.
(photo credit: SOPHIE MEKULADA)
Bottles of oil sold as a popular brand that are marked as “olive oil” have been found to violate the Israel standard #191 for such products. The ministry’s Food Service sent for testing at its own Haifa lab, as well as the Chemiservice Lab in Italy and the Agroleico Lab in Portugal three bottles marked as “extra virgin olive oil.” The results were analyzed together with Israeli experts in olive oil who found they were adulterated with other, cheaper oils.
 
Samples were taken in the Shkedia stand at Supersol Deal atr the Yishpro Center in Modi’in. The ministry said it would take all possible action against products that violate the demands of the law.
 
The brand was found to misrepresent the labeled product: "Shkedia Extra Virgin Olive Oil, maximum acidity 0.8%, made via cold press, 750 ml, manufactured by ZNT for Shkediya Geva Industries Ltd, Kibbutz Geva, without additives or preservatives, filled on 20.04.15, use until 20.4.16.”
 
The ministry said that it checked and found the olive oil was purchased abroad from Alrozna International Commerce Ltd., whose former name was Zitana Ltd.