Extra Virgin Olive Oil: let’s get to know it.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced in many countries around the world. The main volumes come from Spain, Italy and Greece. There are many varieties of olive trees, called cultivars, each one that generates oils with distinctive organoleptic characteristics. In Italy we have over 600 different cultivars.

The quality of an EVO oil is defined through 5 physical-chemical and sensorial parameters indicated by the community legislation:

The level of acidity : which must never exceed 0.8%.

The number of peroxides : a good value is below 10.

Ultraviolet absorption : measured through spectrophotometric analysis.

The quantity of waxes : the maximum allowable dose is 250 mg per kilo.

Sensory analysis : through the organoleptic judgment of a panel test. Sensory analysis in addition to laboratory analyzes is essential to define an “Extra Virgin Olive” oil, which must be free from any defect.

In Italy, there are different types of oil for food use on the market:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil : obtained by pressing the olives without adding any additives. It retains all the flavor and aroma of the olives, as it is obtained naturally through cold pressing. The acidity cannot exceed 0.8 grams per 100 grams. Sensory analysis must not detect defects.

Virgin Olive Oil : it is produced with lower quality olives than extra virgin olive oil, its acidity is greater than 0.8 and can reach 2%. Sensory analysis can detect defects, which in any case must be low.

Olive oil : it is the product of the blending of Refined Oil with Virgin Olive Oil. Although the percentages of refined and virgin olive oil involved in the blending are not known, this oil is also suitable for food use.

An olive oil loses its organoleptic characteristics if left exposed to sunlight, if heated, if exposed to air.

Unlike some wines, which improve over time, Evo oil is better when it is young, and for this reason it is good practice to consume an Extra Virgin no later than 12 months from the date of production.

It is advisable to consume a bottle of oil opened in a few weeks, not to store it near heat sources or in transparent containers because it could lose its olfactory, gustatory and health qualities.