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Scottish Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil to apply for EU protected food name status.

Following a working collaboration between various Scottish producers, an application will be lodged to gain European protected status for Scottish Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil.

Scotland’s Food Secretary Richard Lochhead made the announcement recently (Friday) when he met with Scottish Rapeseed Oil – a group of producers specialising in cold-pressed rapeseed oil – at the Royal Highland Show.

The group comprises Borderfields, Black and Gold, Cullisse, Mackintosh of Glendaveny, Ola Oils, Summer Harvest, and Supernature.

Mr Lochhead heard about the group’s plan to make the application to the European Union for Protected Food Name (PFN) status, which, if successful, will offer them protection against imitation and increased product awareness.

He said:

"Scotland is world-famous for its wonderful food and drink, and people want to know they are buying the real deal. Achieving PFN status for Scottish Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil will ensure that consumers at home and across the EU have a one hundred per cent guarantee of the product’s authenticity.

"We already have great Scottish foods, such as Stornoway Black Pudding, Scotch Beef and Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop which have European protected status and free from imitation. It guarantees the food’s provenance and supports local producers, like Scottish Rapeseed Oil.

"The PFN scheme guarantees consumers are getting a quality product, and it also benefits producers of brands synonymous with Scotland by providing them with recognition of their product and safeguarding it from imitation. I would encourage more producers to follow the lead of Scottish Rapeseed Oil and look at taking this forward."

Mr Lochhead joined the group this morning where he was shown one of their most essential pieces of equipment for the production of rapeseed oil – a traditional combine harvester.

With the help of Scotland Food & Drink, Interface Food & Drink, SAOS, SRUC, Think Local and Scene & Herd PR, and with funding from the Community Food Fund, the group has achieved substantial success over the last 12 months.

Sales of cold-pressed rapeseed oil in Scotland have grown by 18 per cent in past year, with 33,000 new shoppers buying the product for the first time since the group was formed.

Industry Development Director for Scotland Food and Drink Amanda Brown said:

"The Scottish Rapeseed Oil group have now been working successfully together for two years on collaborative initiatives around innovation and driving market awareness of the cold pressed rapeseed oil category with consumers and trade customers.

"Launching this application for a Protected Food Name is an exciting initiative for the group that if successful will allow them to protect their category, but critically will provide an even stronger marketing platform to increase deeper market penetration both domestically and internationally driving commercial benefits for the producers."

Rapeseed oil is the fastest growing sector of the oils category in the UK, and is worth around £7.2 million, with the Scottish Rapeseed Oil group pushing forwards in its efforts to grow the sector in 2015 and beyond.

In addition to a continued marketing campaign, part of the growth ambition of the Scottish Rapeseed Oil group is to secure PFN status for Scottish Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil. The application will be lodged later this year and is based on the unique qualities of the oil in terms of its provenance. It is grown, pressed and bottled in Scotland, making it geographically unique.

Notes To Editors

Food scientists from Queen Margaret University have been helping the group communicate more clearly the nutritional benefits of Scottish Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil. The fatty acid profile is significantly different to that of oils from other origins and suggests a more favourable contribution towards dietary factors to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Current consensus is that the omega-6:3 ratio of poly-unsaturated fatty acids in the overall diet should be reduced to 2:1 or 1:1 in order to significantly reduce the risk of cardio-vascular disease (CVD). The Scottish rapeseed oils tested by Queen Margaret University and the James Hutton Institute showed an average ratio of 1.8:1 whereas the average of the non-Scottish oils was 1.9:1.

In 1993 EU legislation came into force which provides for a system for the protection of food names on a geographical or traditional recipe basis.

The EU Protected Food Name scheme highlights regional and traditional foods whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed. The product is awarded one of three marks: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO); Protected Geographical Indication (PGI); and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG).

Under this system a named food or drink registered at a European level will be given legal protection against imitation throughout the EU.

Producers who register their products for protection benefit from having a raised awareness of their product throughout Europe. This may in turn help them take advantage of consumers’ increasing awareness of the importance of regional and speciality foods.

The Scottish Rapeseed Oil website contains a host of information and recipes so that you can make the most of using Scottish Rapeseed Oil in your kitchen. www.scotrapeseedoil.co.uk

Twitter: @scotrapeseedoil #ScotlandsGold

Scotland Food & Drink is the industry leadership and commercially-focused membership organisation which works to grow the value of the country's food and drink sector to £16.5bn by 2017 and build Scotland’s reputation as a Land of Food and Drink www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org

About Think Local

• Think Local is a three-year, Scottish Government funded project, which will help to develop a commercial and sustainable local food & drink sector in Scotland, on a regional basis.
• Think Local is being delivered by SRUC, Scotland's Rural College, the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society and Scottish Food Quality Certification, and includes collaboration with Scotland Food and Drink, the Scottish Association of Farmers Markets, and the National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association.
• www.thinklocalscotland.co.uk
• @ThinkLocalScot

About the Community Food Fund

• The Community Food Fund is financed by The Scottish Government and has been created to promote local food and drink.
• The £1.5 million Community Food Fund will be delivered over three years. The Community Food Fund will be available to:
• Support development of local food networks
• Support communities to run local food events
• Target specifically communities attempting to tackle deprivation
• Deliver training and development
• Develop farmer’s markets and farm retail opportunities
• In relation to Scotland's National Food and Drink Policy, the Community Food Fund will focus on two main outcomes:
• Supporting development of food trails and networks
• Establish local food and drink event, including farmers' markets, that celebrate and promote food and drink throughout the year
• www.communityfoodfund.co.uk