Is Your Olive Oil 100% Olive Oil?
Do you use Olive Oil? Have you heard of it's healthy benefits? Is it true that most of the olive oil sold isn't really olive oil but something else passed off as "extra-virgin"? What is the truth about olive oil? Learn more about olive oil and what to look for when buying this wonder oil.
“"of 73 olive oils . Only 4% were pure olive oil" - FDA”
Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil
[EXTRA VIRGINITY D] [Compact Disc]
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Important!
Label Loopholes Olive Oil
Why does the United States allow the import and sale of olive oil products that aren't really olive oil or aren't really extra-virgin, even if they say so?
Olive Oil Cruet
Chef's Planet 8-Ounce Glass Cruet
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 06/02/2012)
What Dr. Weil Says About Olive Oil
Dr. Andrew Weil wrote in his post of 04/18/2006 that he had been doing some research on the untold olive oil story, which, he said, is a scandal in need of widespread exposure and corrective measures.
Dr. Weil recommends olive oil as the best all-purpose oil, not only for salads but for most cooking needs as well. He says the monounsaturated fat in olive oil appears to be protective against heart disease, some cancers, and other chronic diseases while saturated fats such as butter and other animal fats and polyunsaturated vegetable oils are associated with increased health risks.
Dr. Weil also writes the highest quality olive oil (the extra-virgin form extracted from fresh olives with gentle pressing) also has a high fraction of antioxidant polyphenols that are very good for you. To qualify as extra-virgin, olive oil must have an acidity of less than one percent. (A few good brands state their acidity on the labels.)
In Europe, olive oil must pass rigid taste and chemical tests to be ranked as extra-virgin and must be less than two years old. Unfortunately, the age of extra-virgin olive oil is rarely stated on the labels of olive oil sold in the United States.
Most of the olive oil sold in the United States is imported from Italy or Spain. While some Italian and Spanish olive oils are of very high quality, many products sold in the United States as "extra-virgin" may be a lesser grade of olive oil and some may be primarily canola or hazelnut oil to which a small amount of olive oil has been added for color and taste. Even when the bottle contains genuine olive oil, it may not be from Italy or Spain as the labels suggest - both countries import huge quantities of cheaper olive oils from Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco or Libya, bottle them and label them "imported from" Italy or Spain. This is deceptive marketing.
Some olive oil we get here may come from pomace, the olive pulp left after pressing out the oil. Additional oil can be extracted from pomace by treating it with hexane, a chemical solvent - not a good practice.
Dr. Weil recommends olive oil as the best all-purpose oil, not only for salads but for most cooking needs as well. He says the monounsaturated fat in olive oil appears to be protective against heart disease, some cancers, and other chronic diseases while saturated fats such as butter and other animal fats and polyunsaturated vegetable oils are associated with increased health risks.
Dr. Weil also writes the highest quality olive oil (the extra-virgin form extracted from fresh olives with gentle pressing) also has a high fraction of antioxidant polyphenols that are very good for you. To qualify as extra-virgin, olive oil must have an acidity of less than one percent. (A few good brands state their acidity on the labels.)
In Europe, olive oil must pass rigid taste and chemical tests to be ranked as extra-virgin and must be less than two years old. Unfortunately, the age of extra-virgin olive oil is rarely stated on the labels of olive oil sold in the United States.
Most of the olive oil sold in the United States is imported from Italy or Spain. While some Italian and Spanish olive oils are of very high quality, many products sold in the United States as "extra-virgin" may be a lesser grade of olive oil and some may be primarily canola or hazelnut oil to which a small amount of olive oil has been added for color and taste. Even when the bottle contains genuine olive oil, it may not be from Italy or Spain as the labels suggest - both countries import huge quantities of cheaper olive oils from Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco or Libya, bottle them and label them "imported from" Italy or Spain. This is deceptive marketing.
Some olive oil we get here may come from pomace, the olive pulp left after pressing out the oil. Additional oil can be extracted from pomace by treating it with hexane, a chemical solvent - not a good practice.
Important!
Not A Guarantee of Quality
"The label ...of 'Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin' is not a guarantee of quality. There is nothing in US laws that govern the production and labeling of olive oil that says that olive oil labeled as "Extra Virgin" has to be 100% Extra Virgin. Very surprising, isn't it?
As a result of these very loose regulations, we have an olive oil market in the US that is full of fraud and deception."
~~www.elikioliveoil.com
As a result of these very loose regulations, we have an olive oil market in the US that is full of fraud and deception."
~~www.elikioliveoil.com
Important!
Beware Of "Light OIive Oil"
"We have a situation where highly refined and filtered products such as those labeled as "Light Olive Oil" and "Extra Light Olive Oil" are being sold to the consumer as quality products when they are the lowest of the low-quality olive oils available on this planet."
In fact, many unsuspecting consumers in the US buy and use Pomace olive oil that is sold in many markets around the country at prices that are lower than other types of olive oil."
~~www.elikioliveoil.com
In fact, many unsuspecting consumers in the US buy and use Pomace olive oil that is sold in many markets around the country at prices that are lower than other types of olive oil."
~~www.elikioliveoil.com
Important!
"Light Olive Oil" Bad For Your Health
"This oil however is very bad and we would advise you to stay away from it. It is extracted from olive cake (the solid stuff that remains after production of olive oil) through the use of high temperature, high pressure and chemicals and does not contain anything that a sensible person would want to put in their body. DO NOT TOUCH THIS STUFF; IT IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH; STAY AWAY FROM IT."
~~www.elikioliveoil.com
~~www.elikioliveoil.com
T
he European Union recently placed a hold on all exports of Pomace oil because it suspects the oil to contain certain carcinogens.
What to Look For
* Look for imported oils certified by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) or by olive oil certifying bodies in Italy (DOP), Spain (DO) or Greece (HEPO).
* Look for California olive oils certified by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC).
Trust the Seal - Your Extra Virgin Guarantee
Check Out The Certified Olive Oils For 2012
California Olive Oil Council
The California Olive Oil Council is the only North American certified quality control program that exceeds strict International standards for True Extra Virgin Olive Oil. A Seal-Certified olive oil offers the highest standard of quality to American consumers.
- California Olive Oil Council - Certified Olive Oils
- The oils listed here have met all requirements for Seal Certification, including:
* Olives mechancially extracted without chemicals or excessive heat
* Less than .5% free oleic acid
* Positive taste elements and no taste defects, as determined during a blind tasting
Seal Winners 2011
I found the following Olive Oil products on the COOC Website list.
Pasolivo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Willow Creek Ranch is a family owned and operated more...0 points
California Olive Ranch Arbequina 100% California-Grown Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 16.9 Fl. Oz. Bottle
California Olive Ranch Arbequina has a high fruiti more...0 points
Calivirgin Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Calivirgin unfiltered blend is produced from Arbeq more...0 points
Certified Olive Oil
From Amazon:
* Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil Half Liter Bottle (about 17 oz)
* Grown, pressed and bottled 100% in Sicily.
* Hand picked, cold pressed, certified organic, non genetically modified, gluten free.
* Made from a single olive variety of "Biancolilla", perfect for summer recipes
* Family Reserve, October 2009 harvest
Its delicate fruitness makes "Biancolilla" extra virgin olive oil the ideal companion for salads, fish, fresh cheese and gourmet baking.
* Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil Half Liter Bottle (about 17 oz)
* Grown, pressed and bottled 100% in Sicily.
* Hand picked, cold pressed, certified organic, non genetically modified, gluten free.
* Made from a single olive variety of "Biancolilla", perfect for summer recipes
* Family Reserve, October 2009 harvest
Its delicate fruitness makes "Biancolilla" extra virgin olive oil the ideal companion for salads, fish, fresh cheese and gourmet baking.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 100% Organic Certified, Monocultivar Biancolilla
Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 06/02/2012)
The Passionate Olive: 101 Things to Do with Olive Oil
The Passionate Olive: 101 Things to Do with Olive Oil
Amazon Price: $6.00 (as of 06/02/2012)
List Price: $22.00
Used Price: $2.27
Most Adulterated Agricultural Product
Is the olive oil you're using really olive oil? According to the New Yorker, chances are good that what's in that bottle is cut with hazelnut, sunflower seed, or canola oil.
In 1997 and 1998, olive oil was the most adulterated agricultural product in the European Union, prompting the E.U.'s anti-fraud office to establish an olive-oil task force. ("Profits were comparable to cocaine trafficking, with none of the risks," one investigator told me.)
In 1997 and 1998, olive oil was the most adulterated agricultural product in the European Union, prompting the E.U.'s anti-fraud office to establish an olive-oil task force. ("Profits were comparable to cocaine trafficking, with none of the risks," one investigator told me.)
- The New Yorker
- Slippery Business -- The trade in adulterated olive oil.
Listen on NPR
- Olive Oil Fraud Rampant as Demand Skyrockets : NPR
- Italian extra-virgin olive oil has become so lucrative that adulterated olive oil has become the biggest source of agricultural fraud problems in the European Union. The FDA doesn't routinely test imported olive oil for adulteration, and some products are difficult to test.
Dark is Better
Choose oils contained in dark-colored or opaque containers.
More Evidence Of Food Fraud
- SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Report
- "of 73 olive oils . Only 4% were pure olive oil" - FDA
- Olive oil food fraud: pressing truths | Life and style | guardian.co.uk
- Not everything labelled 'extra virgin' is immaculately conceived; it seems there are some very slippery customers in the olive oil trade, and the problem is spreading
- Olive oil: Fraud and intimidation, the unpalatable truth | Mail Online
- With one former producer claiming 98 per cent of what is sold in Italy as extra-virgin olive oil is actually nothing of the sort, how on earth can shoppers tell what they’re getting?
More Information For Your Health
Dr. Andrew Weil's Books
How can you be sure that the olive oil you buy really is what it is supposed to be?
What to look for:
Given the fact that a lot of the imported olive oil sold in the United States really isn't even olive oil or isn't very high quality, finding one that is what it claims to be can take some work. I've heard reports that some national store brands of imported extra-virgin olive oil bought in bulk and sold at bargain prices are actually substandard oils. I haven't been able to verify this, but I would be skeptical of house brands sold at bargain basement prices. Here is some additional information from Dr. Weil that may help:
-
* Be suspicious of low prices. You're not likely to find true extra-virgin olive oil for less than $12 for a 500-ml bottle. The best quality olive oils command very hefty prices. One brand, Manni, a Tuscan olive oil used in the finest restaurants in the U.S. and Europe, sells for about $260 for 30 ounces (that's extreme).
* Look for imported oils certified by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) or by olive oil certifying bodies in Italy (DOP), Spain (DO) or Greece (HEPO). Be wary of any imported oils not marked with the logos of these certifying agencies, and do not be fooled by the term "imported from" these countries, which merely means it has passed through the region on its way to market. Instead, look for "made in" or "manufactured in" to confirm the country of origin.
* Look for California olive oils certified by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). Most of these olive oils come from small producers and are sold locally and via the internet. You can link to individual producers whose oils have been certified via the COOC website (www.cooc.com). These olive oils tend to be expensive compared to supermarket brands, but at least you can be sure you're getting what you pay for. Be skeptical of any California olive oil lacking the logo of the COOC on the label.
* Make sure the oils you buy are no more than one year old. If stored properly, olive oil has a shelf life of about two years so the older the oil, the more likely it is to turn rancid. Good oils will be stamped with a packaging date.
* Don't focus on the color of the oil. Good olive oil can range in color from light yellow to green depending on the variety of olives used. Color is no indication of the quality of the oil.
* Choose oils contained in dark-colored or opaque containers. Light damages oils. At home, store the oil in a cool, dark place.
* If you're buying olive oil in a store that is offering tastings, avoid any with a chemical flavor or odor (the oil is no good if the taste reminds you of nail polish, rubber or PLAY-DOH). You should note the flavor of olives. Good oils also taste fruity, peppery, or may remind you of grass. A little bitterness is okay as long as the taste doesn't overwhelm the oil's flavor.
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What Do You Think Of This Olive Oil Issue?
I want to hear from you
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kay
May 5, 2012 @ 7:24 pm | delete
- very appreciated! thank you
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veryirie
Mar 13, 2012 @ 8:44 pm | delete
- I appreciate all the research done on this page. We use a LOT of olive oil in our cooking. I just checked our bottle in the kitchen. Its marked with a NAOOA seal (North American Olive Oil Association) . It says "has been tested and meets the International Olive Oil Council's stringent standard for quality recognized worldwide." This is great information!
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CruiseReady Feb 28, 2012 @ 11:09 am | delete
- Glad to know about this.
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OhMe Feb 28, 2012 @ 8:17 am | delete
- Thank you for all this helpful information regarding Olive Oil.
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Theodore Pong,
Feb 5, 2012 @ 7:57 pm | delete
- That COOC seal is worthless. My wife and I bought a bottle of California Ranch extra virgin olive oil from Wal Mart, which had that COOC seal. When we got home we put the bottle in the refrigerator over night. It did not solidify at all the way true extra virgin olive oil will. It remained totally clear liquid.
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