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The Canarian Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), organizes this contest that incorporates this edition the distinction of best organic production on the islands
A total of twelve salts - six varieties of virgin sea salt and six fleur de sel- compete in the Official Agrocanarias Competition for becoming the best production in the Archipelago. The Palm welcomes this event organized by the Government of the Canary Islands through the Canarian Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), In collaboration with the Cabildo de La Palma, with the aim of promoting the commercialization of local productions through the recognitions granted within the framework of the contest.
For this, a panel made up of expert tasters, specialists in the analysis of agri-food products, evaluates participating samples (six from Gran Canaria, two of the palm, two from Lanzarote and two from Fuerteventura) through the so-called blind tasting system, that is,, without knowing what productions they are evaluating.
During the presentation of the event, which is held at the Meliá La Palma Hotel in Puerto Naos, the Minister of Agriculture, Cattle raising, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, highlighted that “The Canary Islands produce some 2.600 tons of salt per year, a product that is part of our history, culture and landscape and that is marketed outside the islands, not only in Europe, but also to other destinations such as the United States”.
The director of the ICCA, Luis Arraez Guadalupe, highlighted that “In this edition the salt flats of La Palma have been able to participate again in this contest after the volcanic eruption, with a high quality product, not only for the canaries, but also to export it abroad”.
For your part, the Minister of Agriculture, Cattle raising, Fishing, Animal Welfare and Food Sovereignty of the Cabildo of La Palma, Alberto Paz, pointed out the importance of “a star product that we hardly value but that has foreign demand from very powerful markets, as Near East”.
Likewise, the mayor of Los Llanos de Aridane, Javier Pérez Llamas, expressed his gratitude for holding this edition of the contest “in the municipality most affected by the volcano eruption, and especially because of the prominence that salt has acquired in recent years, a product that also generates very recognizable landscapes”. “We will continue supporting initiatives like these that enhance what we do, our products”, added.
For your part, the technical director of the contest, Zebina Hernandez, He explained that the tasting takes place “an organoleptic analysis, with all the senses -sight, smell, taste and touch-, evaluating parameters such as purity, cleaning, glow, a smell that is closest to freshness and with the flavors of the sea”.
In addition to opting for the special distinction of “Best Agrocanarian Sea Salt 2024” and to that of “Best Innovation, Image and Presentation 2024”, This call incorporates the distinction of “Best Organic Sea Salt in the Canary Islands 2024”, which can only fall on productions registered in the file of organic production operators, and has obtained the highest score in all categories.
Apart from the distinctions, in each of the contest categories (virgin sea salt and fleur de sel) Three prizes will be awarded depending on the score obtained: big gold medal, gold medal and silver medal.
The award-winning companies will be able to use the label accrediting the award they obtained., that they can place on the award-winning products of the same type until the next edition of the contest is held. The labels or packaging of the award-winning productions will be exhibited at the ICCA facilities until the next edition of the contest and in the promotional activities organized by the Institute..
Two categories
Virgin sea salt is considered to be salt that is obtained exclusively from the action of the wind and the sun., hand-picked and washed only in the crystallizer, without the addition of any ingredients.
The flower obtained from the floating layer of crystallized salt on the surface of the water in the crystallizers is called fleur de sel., formed exclusively by the action of the wind and the sun, and that it is collected manually and without washing or adding any ingredients. For your participation in Agrocanarias in this category, The grains of the fleur de sel must be easily disintegrated and broken by simple pressure of the fingers., and the granule size should be less than 3 millimeters.
