The Competition

The Kalamata Olive Oil Taste Laboratory of the University of the Peloponnese is accredited according to ISO 17025 for the sensory analysis of table olives.
ISO/IEC 17025 allows laboratories to demonstrate that they operate competently and produce valid results, thus promoting credibility in their work both nationally and globally.
The ISO 17025 accreditation for the sensory analysis of table olives gives the competition credibility and validity to its results.
This is the only table olive competition in Greece, promoting high quality standards, integrity of the taste panel and reliable results.

Purpose of the Competition

• Promoting the consumption of table olives worldwide
• Promoting all types and styles of table olives
• Promoting awareness of the health benefits of table olives
• Promoting sensory analysis as a tool for assessing the quality of table olives

Table Olives – Participation requirements

Participation is open to individual producers or companies from any country with no limit to the number of entries that can be submitted and always in accordance with the commercial standards resulting from the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) COI/OT/NC no.1 / December 2004.

Depending on their degree of ripeness, table olives are classified into one of the following types:

1. Green olives: Fruits harvested during the ripening period, before turning colour and when they have reached normal size.
2. Olives turning colour: Fruits harvested before the full ripening stage at the change of colour.
3. Black olives: Fruits harvested when fully ripe or slightly before full ripeness is reached.

Commercial styles of table olives:

• Whole olives: Olives, with or without their stem, which have their natural shape and from which the stone (pit) has not been removed.
• Cracked olives: Whole olives subjected to a process whereby the flesh is opened without breaking the stone (pit) which remains whole and intact inside the fruit.
• Split olives: Whole olives that are split lengthwise by cutting into the skin and part of the flesh.
• Stoned (pitted) olives: Olives from which the stone (pit) has been removed and which basically retain their natural shape.
• Halved olives: Stoned (pitted) or stuffed olives sliced into two equal parts.
• Quartered olives: Stoned (pitted) olives split into four equal parts.
• Divided olives: Stoned (pitted) olives cut lengthwise into more than four approximately equal parts.
• Sliced olives: Stoned (pitted) or stuffed olives sliced into segments of fairly uniform thickness.
• Chopped olives: Small pieces of stoned (pitted) olives of no definite shape.
• Broken olives: Olives accidentally broken while being stoned (pitted) or stuffed. They normally contain pieces of the stuffing material.
• Stuffed olives: Stoned (pitted) olives stuffed either with one or more suitable products (oatmeal, onion, almond, celery, orange or lemon peel, etc.) or with natural pastes prepared therefrom.
• Salad olives: Whole broken or broken-and-stoned (pitted) olives.
• Olives with capers: Whole or stoned (pitted) olives, usually small in size, with capers and with or without stuffing.

Sample requirements

For each entry submitted, a minimum of 2 kg of table olives, sealed and packed in separate packages with their commercial labels, is required.
All entries must arrive in food packaging suitable for commercial use, including glass jars or plastic containers with sealed lids or vacuum packed to avoid damage during shipment to the Kalamata Olive Oil Taste Laboratory.
A copy of the entry details and a copy of the proof of payment must accompany the shipment of the packages.

Τhe cost of each entry is EUR 248 (including 24 % VAT)

Banking details for the deposit:
Pireaus Bank
University of the Peloponnese – Special Account – Research Committee
IBAN: GR59 0172 5120 0055 1207 2002 813
Account number: 551 207 200 2813
Swift Code: PIRBGRAA

The deadline for participation is 30 April 2025 and the deadline for sending samples is 7 May 2025.

Samples must be sent to the following address:

Kalamata Olive Oil Taste Laboratory – University of the Peloponnese
24150 Antikalamos, Kalamata– Messinia
T: +30 27210 45304, +30 27210 45305

CAUTION: Carefully wrap each package with bubble wrap or other suitable absorbent material specific to the vibrations that may be generated during transport. In addition, we recommend placing each wrapped package in a large plastic security packaging bag. Entries with defective or broken packages will not be included in the assessment and entry fees will not be refunded.

Method of Analysis

The analysis is based on the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) guidelines for the method of sensory analysis of table olives COI/OT/MO No 1/Rev.3 June 2021..
Sensory analysis has been defined as a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret human reactions to meat sensory characteristics as perceived by sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing by the Institute of Food Technologists.

Winners – Results

The “Kalamata International Table Olive Awards 2025” will award the following distinctions:

1. Gold Quality Award
2. Silver Quality Award
3. Bronze Quality Award

All participants will be informed of the results via email.