Dear Valued Customers, we would like to provide some clarity on the recent events, regarding a specific batch of olive oil in Denmark, Germany, and Norway.
What Happened?
We had been informed that in a very small part of our “GAEA classic” olive oil the pesticide chlorpyrifos had been detected. Chlorpyrifos had been used for decades as insect pesticides and is prohibited in the EU since 2020. Our olive oil traceability system enabled us to identify a batch of 8 tons that had an increased concentration on chlorpyrifos. It is important that you do not have a high intake of pesticides over a longer period of time. It is not the individual meal that is decisive, but consumption over a longer period of time. Therefore, you will not experience acute symptoms.
This is the first incident of its kind in our 29 years of operation, during which we have processed over 10,000 tons of olive oil. The affected batch came from a trusted supplier with whom we have had a reliable partnership for over 20 years, and from an area where no pesticide issues have been recorded for many years. The affected batch had also been used as a base for our GAEA salad and GAEA select.
Immediate Actions Taken
Upon discovering the pesticide, we initiated a recall of the affected LOT no to ensure the safety and well-being of our customers. This decision reflects our commitment to quality and transparency.
Enhanced Quality Assurance Measures
We have taken this incident as a critical learning opportunity and are implementing even more rigorous procedures to our quality control processes:
- IFS/ BRC Testing/ additional testing by suppliers: We have the highest degrees on food safety procedure, and we are audited every year for the new certification. We are already testing based on the required procedures.
In the future we will request an additional test from our supplier as well.
- Collaboration with Authorities/ supplier: We are working closely with the Greek food authorities and our supplier. We will investigate the source of the banned pesticide and try to identify the responsible farmer to prevent future occurrences.
- Stop cooperation with olive oil mill: We identified the responsible olive oil mill and stopped working with them.
Our Commitment to You
GAEA has always strived to offer the highest quality olive oil, and we continue to stand by our promise to deliver the best product that Greece has to offer. We are taking all necessary steps to safeguard against this ever happening again and to maintain your trust and satisfaction.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we work through this situation. Should you have any concerns or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team at info@gaea.gr
Thank you for your continued trust in GAEA Olive Oil.
