Consumers around the world are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of a balanced, fat-free natural diet, and Mediterranean cuisine, with its emphasis on olive oil, has become synonymous to healthy eating.

Regulation of cholesterol, improved digestion and vitamin E content are only some of the dietetic and nutritional qualities of olive oil which have made it the preferred edible oil and an indispensable ingredient in a balanced diet.

An International Consensus Statement agreed that there is strong evidence that a Mediterranean-style diet (low in saturated fatty acids, rich in carbohydrate and fibre, and has a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids), in which olive oil is the principal source of fat, contributes to :

• the prevention of some cancers