MEDIA RELEASE

Maggie Beer Signs Up to AOA Code of Practice

Maggie Beer, one of Australia's favourite chefs, has ensured her Australian extra virgin olive oil is signed up to the Australian Olive Association's (AOA) Code of Practice.

Maggie operates a business in the Barossa in South Australia which produces a range of specialty gourmet foods including pate, fruit paste, verjuice, ice creams and newly released soups. Maggie also has written several books about food and food preparation, as well as co-authoring a book with noted chef Stephanie Alexander. There have been lots of awards over the years including Telstra Business Woman of the year in 1997; in 2001 Maggie was presented with the Food Media Club's Industry Peer Award; and most recently, in recognition of Maggie's focus of cooking with seasonal produce, she was awarded the Senior Australian of the Year.

Maggie's olive oil, called Maggie Beer Extra Virgin Olive Oil, launched in 2006, and all new harvests from now on will display the AOA's Code of Practice symbol.

The Code of Practice is a world first in the olive industry and helps identify Australian extra virgin olive oil, ensuring certified Australian olive products meet high industry standards.

Only Australian olive growers who sign up to the Code can display the Code of Practice symbol on their bottles of extra virgin olive oil. To be certified, every drop of oil in a bottle labelled extra virgin olive oil must meet or exceed standards for quality and must be free of smell and taste defects with a free fatty acid level of less than 0.8 and a peroxide value under 20. Additionally products must have undergone organoleptic and chemical testing and be Australian.
Maggie Beer's Extra Virgin Olive Oil is available at independent gourmet outlets.

For more information, please contact
Hayley Bryce, 303 PR, 02 9552 2100
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