TRACEABILITY OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: GENETIC AND DIGITAL TOOLS FOR A SAFE VALUE CHAIN

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a key product of the Mediterranean diet, appreciated worldwide for its rich flavor and multiple benefits for human health, as well as for its deep connection with the territory where it is produced. In recent years, a series of adverse climate events and biotic related diseases have reduced olive harvests, triggering a negative effect along the entire supply chain, up to consumers. The high nutritional value, limited production, price and high demand, make EVOO particularlysusceptible to fraud. Here, we present the solutions proposed by WATSON, a Horizon Europe funded project (GA: 101084265) that, in six food products, including EVOO, aims to combat fraudulent practices and ensure rapid traceability. Since the EVOO production chain is complex and each point could represent a pain point for the occurrence of intentional and unintentional adulteration, four segments, ranging from the field to the shelf, were considered as separate Use Case Scenarios (UCS). The aim is to strengthen the traceability of the EVOO production chain, combining methods based on rapid and on-site DNA analysis, interoperable data retrieval from multiple production stages, secure and immutable data employing Blockchain technology as well as the creation of a Digital Food Product Passport (DFPP) accessible via apps and QR code for stakeholders and consumers, respectively. An AI-supported Early Warning System (EWS) is foreseen for food safety authorities to detect fraud at different stages of EVOO production and provide actionable insights through explainable AI tools.In this poster, the authors intend to highlight the benefits of combining molecular analysis and digital systems, as a reliable evaluation of the product content, allowing to trace the varietal composition of an EVOO and detect presence of admixtures with oils produced by other plant species.