Tag Archives: Research

Europa toughens the regulations on olive oil commercialization and production

Europa toughens the regulations on olive oilEuropa toughens the regulations on olive oil commercialization and production. This reform will affect, basically, labeling and bottling of oils, as well as naming and quality controls in order to assure olive oil quality and avoid fraud as much as possible.

Until now several regulations have been approved concerning labeling. They determine the compulsory of defining oil origin in oil bottles. It is necessary to define whether oil comes from the EU, from outside the EU or if it is a mixture from different vegetable oils. However, when approved, these measures did not have a warm welcome because they were damaging directly two of the most important oil exporters in the world: Spain and Italy. Continue reading

Extra virgin olive oil types: varieties, tastes, acidity and peroxides

Extra virgin olive oil types

Between high quality extra virgin olive oils, there are many different products which may vary depending on taste, variety, type, acidity and peroxide presence.

Extra virgin olive oil types: Coupage and Monovarietal

The first difference between extra virgin olive oils is related to the type of oil. Coupage is a kind of oil elaborated with the juice of different kind of olives. This mixing of olives is done in order to obtain a special liquid with a very special taste. This olive oil is very exclusive and attractive for consumers and is considered pure traditional craftwork.

The monovarietal oil is a juice carefully obtained from the same kind of olive. It is also very exclusive, for the discerning palate. Continue reading

Acidity levels in good olive oils

Acidity levels in good olive oils

Acidity levels in good olive oils:

A couple of days ago I wrote an article about the benefits of oleic acid, a fatty acid present in the triglycerides of olive oil. Today I am going to explain the different grades of acidity in olive oils, what that grade of acidity means and which levels correspond to best oils.

With this aim, it is important to analyze the features and qualities of the most important fatty acids that form the triglycerides of olive oil: oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. The oleic acid is a fatty acid present in a very high proportion in olive oils; nearly the 75% of its composition. Decreasingly, in a second place, the linoleic acid is in between 3.5%-21%. As in the case of the oleic acid, our body is not able to synthesize it; therefore, its consumption is necessary and beneficial. Continue reading

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Low quality olive oils sold as extra virgin olive oil

Low quality olive oils sold as extra virgin olive oil

Please, pay close attention to the recent conclusions reached by the Spanish User and Consumer Organization in relation to the commercialization of different olive oils. It seems that not every single olive oil bottle labeled as Extra Virgin is really what it seems. Several olive oil trademarks have been analyzed and it has been detected that the quality levels of their olive oil products are not suitably labeled. Therefore, it is possible to find virgin olive oil considered and sold as if it was extra virgin olive oil.

The main differences between virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil begin in lands and basically depend on the olive fruit condition and the elaboration process in the Oil Mills, the mill used for making olive oil. If the fruits are in perfect conditions, these are washed and ground the same day of harvesting, then the oil is extracted from the fruit at a low temperature and then it is stored in tanks. Surely, the resultant oil will be of best quality, an excellent liquid with perfect taste and scent. Continue reading