Q&A about EVOO

We try to give you some answers for the most common questions about the olive oil. You can find more Q&A here.

Q: What is olive oil?. If you crush a bunch of olives, you’ll get olive oil and some water. Simple gravity takes care of that — the oil will soon float to the top. That’s how simple olive oil really is.

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Q: What does extra virgin mean?. First, olive oil is considered “extra virgin” when it has been produced by a simple pressing of the olives. Other grades like “olive oil” are usually produced using chemicals and other processes to extract the oil from the olives.

Second, EVOO must meet certain laboratory tests on things like acidity and levels of peroxide. Like this:

Acidity maximum < 0.8º

Index of peroxides maximum < 16

UV absorbance K270 maximum < 0.15

UV absorbance K232 maximum < 1.85

Humidity maximum < 0.1%

Impurities maximum < 0.1%

Finally, extra virgin olive oil must taste like olives and it can’t have any negative tastes that professionals refer to as “defects“.

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Q: Why is olive oil so healthy?. Olive oil is known as one of the best sources of monounsaturated fatty acids, a type of fat that has been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels. The antioxidants in olive oil have also been shown to help fight a multitude of diseases.

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Q: Why does some olive oil taste bitter?. Want to taste bitter? Try an olive picked off a tree! Olives are a bitter – and so is good olive oil. Bitterness, along with pungency and fruitiness are all present and well-balanced in the very best olive oils.

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Q: How long can I keep a bottle of olive oil?. As long as it’s stored away from heat and light, an unopened bottle of good quality olive oil will be fine for up to two years from the date it was bottled. Once the bottle is opened, it should be used within a few months.

Look always for the very best extra virgin olive oil.