The Olive Oil World Congress hosted “Drops of Health: Olive Oil in the United States,” an event in Washington, D.C. that connected olive oil with American policymakers and health leaders
The United States is currently the second largest olive oil consumer country behind Italy, showing the importance that American society is starting to attribute to this product for its health benefits
Joseph R. Profaci: ‘If the American society had 20 % more adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, the American health-care system would save 20 billion dollars’
As part of its planned efforts for “On the Road to OOWC 2026,” the Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC) organized the conference “Drops of Health: Olive Oil in the United States” in Washington, D.C. The event was organized in conjunction with the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) and in collaboration with the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, FoodTank and the CIHEAM of Zaragoza to educate policymakers and health leaders about the benefits of olive oil.
The event took place in the United States, which is currently second only to Italy in olive oil consumption, showing the importance that American society is starting to attribute to this product for its health benefits. Still, about half of U.S. households do not use olive oil, indicating a tremendous opportunity to introduce the product to more Americans.
Joseph R. Profaci, executive director of NAOOA, provided a market analysis of olive oil use in the United States, highlighting that 368,000 tons were consumed in 2024, representing an increase of a 32% increase since 2013. However, about half of all U.S. consumption occurs on the East Coast. And surprising to many, the production of olive oil in the United States can meet only about 3% of what Americans consume.
“Olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean Diet, and if more Americans adopted it, even modestly, it would have a big impact,” said Profaci. “For example, research found that even a 20% increase in adherence to the Mediterranean Diet would save the American healthcare system $20 billion each year.”
Ricardo Miguelañez, general coordinator of the OOWC, pointed out that olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, like oleic acid, that help lower bad cholesterol and protect your heart.
“Its benefits go far beyond that, though,” he added. “Scientific studies prove olive oil can help to enhance memory and even reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make it a daily ally for a longer and healthier life.”
The event featured recognized health professionals such as Dr. Mike Cirigliano, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and medical contributor at Fox29 Philadelphia, who gave a lecture titled “Health Benefits of Olive Oil: Fighting Obesity, Inflammation, Heart Disease, Dementia and Cancer.”
The meeting continued with a panel discussion on “The Need to Increase Olive Oil Production in the U.S. and How to Achieve It,” featuring U.S. olive industry experts Samantha Dorsey, president of McEvoy Ranch; Mouna Aissaoui, CEO of Pompeian; Denise Andre’, Vice President and marketing specialist for Capay Valley Ranches; and Paolo Colavita, CEO of O Olive Oil & Vinegar and vice president of operations, Colavita California at Colavita USA. The panel was moderated by Danielle Nierenberg, president of Food Tank.
All the panel participants agreed on the need to promote olive oil production in the United States to make the product more accessible to American consumers, increasing their quality of life and life expectancy.
Finally, a cooking demonstration was led by chef and author Amy Riolo. Attendees had the chance to see the possibilities offered by olive oil in dinner, dessert and even cocktails.
So far, the OOWC has been sponsored by the International Olive Council (IOC), CIHEAM Zaragoza, the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, Junta de Castilla-La Mancha through its brand ‘Campo y Alma‘, the project ‘SOM Gastronomy’ promoted by Generalitat de Catalunya, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food through its brand ‘Alimentos de España‘ and the Madrid Institute for Research and Rural Development, Agriculture and Food (Imidra), as Institutional Sponsors. At a private level, the congress has the support of the AgroBank segment from Caixabank as Platinum Sponsor and GEA as Gold Sponsor.
Fonte: OOWC
