Madrid, 4th February 2025
The General Assembly of QvExtra! Associates was held in Madrid last Tuesday, before the countdown to the final resolution of the REDUCE CHOLESTEROL claim for virgin and extra virgin olive oils requested to Europe.
On February 4, 2025, the General Assembly of the QvExtra! Association took place at the Hospes Puerta de Alcalá Hotel, where associates gathered to address and discuss the significant challenges facing QvExtra!. The most important of these, is the resolution of the request to Europe for the health claim “Virgin olive oil reduces cholesterol and blood pressure”. This claim can be placed in ALL bottles of extra virgin and virgin olive oil that meet a certain quality standard, and is expected to be presented in Madrid, at the end of 2025, at the headquarters of the International Olive Council.
During the same General Assembly, the new board of directors was approved, which will be valid from 2025 to February 2029, and is presented as follows:
Ms. Soledad Serrano López of Beloyana, S.A., Chair of the Board; Mr. Juan de Dios García Casas of Venchipa, S.L., Vice Chair; Mr. Rafael Alonso Barrau of Rafael Alonso Aguilera, S.L. Secretary; Mr. Rufino García-Quirós García of Oleo Quirós, S.L., Treasurer; Mr. Alfonso Serrano García of Almazaras de la Subbética, S.L., Marketing; Ms. Ángela Martínez Sagrera of Molino del Genil, S.L., Mr. Álvaro Olavarría Govantes of Oleoestepa, S.C.A., Mr. Eusebio García de la Cruz Pascual of Aceites García de la Cruz, S.L., Mr. José Antonio Peche Marín-Lázaro of Casas de Hualdo, S.L., Ms. Judit March Solé of Olis Solé, S.L., Mr. Manuel Heredia Halcón of Cortijo de Suerte Alta, S.L., Mr. Miquel Borràs Cabacés of Olealsa, S.A., Mr. Rafael Galvez Laparte of Luque Ecológico, S.L., Mr. Rafael Muela Rodríguez of Almazara de Muela, S.L. and Mr. Raúl Mora Bermejo of Olivapalacios, S.L., Board Members; Ms. Rafaela Ortega Torres of Almazaras Deortegas, S.L., Alternate Board Member.
It was concluded that the priority aim for 2025 is to secure funding from both the government and the Interprofessional Olive Oil of Spain for the scientific project presented by QvExtra! to EFSA regarding the health claim “reduces cholesterol and reduces blood pressure”, as well as the development of advertising campaigns to raise consumer awareness of the claim. To date, all work on the European dossier has been funded by this non-profit private association, though its intention is to extend the use of the claim to the entire sector. We are confident that the use of this claim will significantly boost the consumption of extra virgin and virgin olive oils, positioning them at a much high level compared to other fats, and will enhance the prestige of the entire Spanish olive oil sector.
The claim is closely linked to the quality level of SIQEV olive oils belonging to the QvExtra! Association, so it has also been proposed that the image of the seal be updated for 2025, as well as the equivalence with other seals that meet the same regulatory standards and are subject to parallel control systems to those of our extra virgin olive oils.
