There is a lot of talk these days about an issue that concerns extra virgin olive oil and, in particular, one of the most representative varieties of Apulian olive growing: the Coratina. At the center of the matter is a parameter provided for by European legislation, that relating to the sterol content, which risks penalizing this cultivar due to one of its natural characteristics.
The paradox is that it is an authentic oil, appreciated for its qualities and particularly rich in polyphenols, which could find itself in difficulty due to a threshold set without adequately taking into account the differences between olive varieties.
But how did we get to this situation? And why has there been talk of Coratina again in the last few hours?
The problem of sterols in extra virgin olive oil
To understand the story we need to start from sterols, lipid substances naturally present in olive oil. Their quantity and composition are also analyzed to verify the authenticity of the oil and ensure that there have been no adulterations.
European legislation, in particular EU Regulation 2022/2104, establishes a minimum total sterol threshold of 1,000 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) for extra virgin oils.
The problem is that not all olives are the same and, consequently, not even all oils have the same composition. Some cultivars naturally have a lower quantity of sterols than required by law, despite giving rise to authentic, quality products.
This is the case of Coratina, a typical variety of Puglia, cultivated mainly in the provinces of Bari and Barletta-Andria-Trani. This oil can have a sterol content of around 800 mg/kg, therefore lower than the ordinary European threshold, and is particularly appreciated for its richness in polyphenols, antioxidant compounds naturally present in olive oil.
A varietal characteristic, therefore, not a sign of poor quality or counterfeiting. Yet, without a specific exemption, failure to reach the European parameter could create problems for the classification and marketing of the product as extra virgin.
The recognition of the International Olive Council and the European mess
Precisely to address these particularities, the International Olive Council (IOC), the reference body for international olive oil standards, has worked for years on the issue of sterols.
An important recognition arrived in June 2026: the COI approved the possibility of applying a reduced minimum threshold, equal to 800 mg/kg, also to Coratina, taking into account its natural characteristics.
At this point, however, a bureaucratic problem arose. When the European Union updated its provisions on the marketing of olive oil, it introduced the reduced threshold for two varieties: the Italian Nocellara del Belice and the Greek Koroneiki. Coratina remained outside the measure, despite the recognition obtained internationally.
The reason, as subsequently clarified by the European Commission, would be linked to the timing of the procedures: when the regulation for the other two cultivars was updated, the process was now too advanced to also include the Apulian one.
The result was a regulatory vacuum that raised the alarm among operators in the olive supply chain. In fact, Coratina covers approximately 90 thousand hectares in Puglia, equal to approximately a quarter of the regional olive-growing area. An issue that therefore involves thousands of producers, mills and companies that process and market this oil.
The concern of the producers and the requests for intervention in Brussels
The failure to include Coratina in the exemption has raised concerns especially in view of the 2026-2027 olive oil campaign. Without an adaptation of European rules, oils of this variety risk being contested during controls, with possible consequences on their classification and commercial value.
The issue also quickly reached Brussels. Several Italian MEPs, belonging to different political parties, presented questions and asked the European Commission to intervene to extend to Coratina the exemption already recognized to Nocellara del Belice and Koroneiki.
Gennaro Sicolo, president of Italia Olivicola and of the IOC Advisory Committee, had also called for rapid intervention to prevent the bureaucracy from ending up penalizing one of the most important cultivars in the area.
The European Commission is open to the change
Just as the issue still seemed far from a solution, a first positive response arrived from Brussels.
On November 11, a spokeswoman for the European Commission confirmed to Adnkronos that the community executive is working to extend the exception already provided for the other two varieties to Coratina as well.
The spokeswoman explained that some authentic single-varietal extra virgin oils could not be marketed for years due to failure to comply with the parameter relating to sterols. A situation which, according to the Commission, is also linked to climate change and new consumer preferences for greener oils.
Work to correct the situation is therefore ongoing and concerns two aspects: the revision of European olive oil marketing standards and the provisions on compliance checks.
We are not yet faced with a definitive modification that has already been approved, but the Commission has confirmed that the procedure to include the Coratina has been started.
The news was welcomed positively by Coldiretti and Unaprol who however ask that the European intervention be adopted as soon as possible and that no further delays occur.
For the two organizations, however, it is not enough to resolve the regulatory emergency. We need a broader strategy that recognizes the natural characteristics of Coratina, supports scientific research and guarantees greater commercial protection and profitability for those who grow it.
“We need certain rules and a long-term strategy” declared David Granieri, vice president of Coldiretti and president of Unaprol, precisely to prevent similar situations from happening again.
When will the definitive solution arrive?
The opening of the European Commission therefore represents a step forward, but the process necessary to formally modify the provisions remains to be completed. The objective indicated by Brussels is to arrive at the new regulation by April 2027.
In the meantime, it remains important to clarify which rules will apply to the olive oil campaign currently underway and what guarantees will be provided for producers who are already harvesting and marketing their own oil.
The Coratina affair brings attention to an important aspect: when common parameters are established for very different agricultural products, it is also necessary to consider the natural characteristics of the individual varieties. Otherwise the risk is that a rule created to protect quality and authenticity ends up penalizing genuine productions linked to the territory.
