Member News

We invite our MFA members to share their news concerning how their Mediterranean Diet products have received special recognition, or when they have been included in science-based studies, research, or nutrition education.

International Collection Celebrates Med Diet Anniversary

To commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the introduction of the Mediterranean Diet in the United States and the creation of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, MFA member International Collection has created a special selection of 20 delicious Mediterranean Diet recipes from spicy tomato and chickpea soup to mushroom and pumpkin risotto: http://internationalcollection.co.uk/en/mediterranean-diet. International Collection joined the MFA in 2007, and has featured the Med Mark on its line of olive and nut oils for over five years.

Dr. Simon Poole & Dr. Mabel Blades Publish Article on the Mediterranean Diet

Dr. Simon Poole and Dr. Mabel Blades have published "The Mediterranean Diet—A Review of Evidence Relevant to the Food and Drink Industry" in the latest issue (volume 43, issue 1) of the highly respected Journal of Nutrition and Food Science.

Dr. Blades is a registered dietitian, trainer, author, editor, and consultant. Dr. Poole is an author and consultant on the benefits of the Mediterranean way of life, as well as the director of Positively Good for You, producers of infused extra virgin olive oils for drizzling, dressing, and dipping. He chaired the Food and Drink Innovation Network seminar in June 2012, which brought together leading scientists from around the world to meet with industry to discuss innovative commercial opportunities for the Mediterranean Diet.

Dr. Poole commented, "We medical professionals are sometimes accused of living in ivory towers and the food industry of placing profits before health, so it was a real privilege to invite experts in the field of nutrition to meet with a common interest in understanding the future of healthy new product development. It was a logical progression to publish a review of the most relevant studies both for industry and the scientific community to support the development of new initiatives in the future and to bridge the difference in perspectives."

Mooney Farms Launches New Product

Package of sun-dried tomatoes with Greek oregano, basil and garlic Recognizing that consumers today have less time to prepare healthy meals, Mooney Farms provides products that are delicious, easy to prepare, and healthy! The newest addition to their one-of-a-kind 3.5-ounce Julienne-Cut flavored bags is Premium Julienne-Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Greek Oregano, Basil, and Garlic.

Mooney Farms has combined their premium sun-dried tomatoes with the delicious flavors of oregano, basil, and garlic to create the perfect blend of flavors ready for any Mediterranean Diet recipe. The bite-sized pieces are packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant associated with many health benefits. Ounce per ounce, sun-dried tomatoes have 12 times more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

Barilla Launches Si Mediterraneo Initiative

Barilla has recently launched an initiative, Si Mediterraneo, to encourage its employees to live healthier by embracing the Mediterranean Lifestyle.

Three female employees of Barilla at a Si Mediterraneo lunch. Barilla created an internal blog to engage employees and provide healthy Mediterranean Lifestyle tips and recipes. Other communications include banners, posters, tabletop messaging, and leaflets for employees to share with their families. Learning modules, video messaging, and quarterly publications are in development.

Department assistants, local restaurants, and the company nutritionist worked together to create menus showcasing healthier options at more than 20 restaurants to improve the nutritional value of catered lunches. The company also hosted a lunch-and-learn presentation on the Mediterranean Lifestyle with David Grotto, RD. Barilla offered employees at its Bannockburn, IL, plant corporate office free weekly Mediterranean lunches in its café and made healthy Mediterranean snacks available for all shifts at its plant locations.

The Si Mediterraneo initiative aligns with Barilla’s overall nutrition manifesto:

“To contribute every day to people’s health and well-being through our products: by transforming high quality ingredients into safe, healthy products that answer both basic and specific nutritional requirements; by offering good, practical suggestions for daily use inspired by the balanced and healthy Mediterranean Diet.”

Barilla proudly reports positive changes: employees are taking a break and sharing meals together, and are choosing healthier options at snack and meal times. Plans are in place to evaluate and continue building the program.

GAEA Olive Oil Wins Two Awards

Setting the gold standard for olive oil, the Los Angeles International Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Competition has enlisted an impressive roster of judging experts for the past thirteen years to judge the finest domestic and international olive oils.

At this year’s event, held in late July, Cat Cora’s Kitchen by GAEA’s Kalamata DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil received the Silver Award for Packaging Design, Art, and Illustration, and the Bronze Award for the Best Northern Hemisphere Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Mono Cultivar. Chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, Cat Cora, the first and only female Iron Chef, is shown here with one of the awards.