INDEPENDENT NEWS

Good Oil Unlocks Secret To Longer Life

Published: Tue 25 Jun 2002 12:02 AM
Media release
25 June 2002
Good Oil Unlocks Secret To Longer Life
New Zealand's leading avocado oil manufacturer has discovered the secret to longer life - not human life, but the life of a bottle of oil.
When Olivado avocado oil became the hot new food ingredient on New Zealand's dining tables last year, the company set a target of making its product a world-beater. To achieve that objective, it had to make far better oil than anyone else.
Technology New Zealand funding of around $90,000 helped Olivado succeed in developing unique technology that enables its premium cold pressed, extra virgin avocado oil to outlive all other avocado oils and even most olive oils.
The process developed by Olivado at its Kerikeri production plant doubled the shelf life to two years and is being acclaimed as a breakthrough in food oil technology.
Until now, the longest guarantee was one year, because oxygen and certain natural ingredients in the oil and outside influences affect quality.
"Traditional cold pressed oils are made to be used within a few weeks, because what makes them so naturally good will also turn them rancid in time - often in a very short time," says Chris Nathan, Managing Director of Olivado New Zealand Ltd.
"I've seen good olive oils from Europe that have gone off by the time they went on the shelves here in New Zealand. We were determined to make an avocado oil that would still taste as fresh as the day it was made long after it had been shipped around the world and put on sale."
Mr Nathan says the company's research programme placed a high priority on developing long-life, quality oil. Technology New Zealand's Technology for Business Growth (TBG) scheme enabled the company funding to employ research assistance from Massey University and HortResearch to assist with the scientific research.
Together with Olivado's own engineers, Massey University helped to develop a stabilising system and find ways to make the oil extracting process more efficient whilst retaining the natural flavour and colour of the oil.
HortResearch studied issues affecting the quality of the fruit supplied from avocado packhouses around New Zealand, which has a direct bearing on the quality of the oil.
Mr Nathan says the development of the new stability process and the information gained from all the research has already assisted Olivado in gaining the confidence of overseas customers. The company is currently exporting to Australia and Asia and is developing markets in the US and Europe.
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For further information:
a.. Chris Nathan, Managing Director, Olivado NZ, ph (09) 521 5940, 025 951 036 b.. John Ellegard, Marketing Director, Olivado NZ, ph (09) 625 1125, or 021 975 452
Backgrounder 1. Technology New Zealand is a set of government-funded business support schemes that provide funding to support R projects in business. 2. Around $40 million is available each year to help companies develop new products or processes, build human capital within businesses and provide access to information and expertise. 3. Technology New Zealand is part of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

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