Olive Oil - What's the Difference? Questions and Answers

What is virgin olive oil? What is 'organic' olive oil?

What is Virgin olive oil?
A. Virgin means mechanical extraction. The oil or juice is extracted by machines with
no chemicals used in the process.

What is Extra'?
A. Mechanically extracted (virgin) olive oil is not all the same quality. 'Extra' is the
highest quality and is thus classified because it goes through a battery of tests, both
laboratory (analytical) as well as 'taste' (a cutting by an olive oil master similar to the
way wines are taste tested). Virgin olive oil that is judged to have no defects' is
classified as extra. So extra virgin' means - mechanically extracted olive juice that
passes laboratory and taste testing with no defects.

Olive oil with slight defects, but that is still good for human consumption is classified
as Fine'. Low quality oil with numerous defects is classified as either Ordinary' or
Lampante' (lamp oil). This oil is either used for industrial purposes or is chemically
refined, mixed and sold to consumers.

What is refined' oil?
A. Olive oil that is not suitable for human consumption is refined by a heat and
chemical process. Chemically refined oil is totally insipid (0% acidity) which means it
is flavorless and no quality standards stated or implied. Refined oil is mixed with
virgin for color and flavor.

What is pomace' oil?
A. Pomace is produced by a heat and chemical process from the waste of the 'virgin'
olive oil after the virgin olive oil is extracted. It is also insipid (0% acidity) with no
flavor and no quality standards stated or implied. Pomace is used as a cheap
alternative to refined' oil in order to lower the product cost of the packers who mix it
with virgin and refined oils.

What is pure' olive oil? What is light' olive oil? What are olive oil blends'?
A. 'Pure', 'Light', 'Extra Light', etc. are not olive oil classifications. They are mixes of
refined and/or pomace with virgin oil. Mixes (or blends as packers like to call them)
are generally 90-95% pomace/refined with 5-10% virgin oil. Some packers mix in
seed, soybean, hazelnut or other oils.

Is there a difference between extra virgin olive oil and the refined oil mixes?
A. Yes. They are two entirely different products. Refined mixes are cheap to
produce. Because they are sold at a premium price the mixes benefit the seller more
than the consumer.

What is 'organic' olive oil?
Organic in Europe is called 'Biologic' and it means controlled spraying (not 'no spraying'). As there is no wall separating their groves, if one grower controls their spraying but the grower next to them does not, what is sprayed on the uncontrolled groves ends up on the trees of the controlled spraying.

'Organic' is not an olive oil quality - organic olive oil can be as poor as 'lampante' (not apt for human consumption). Organic is considered a marketing gimmick, the certification is very time consuming and cheating is rampant. Therefore, there is no way of chemically verifying that any olive oil is 'biologic' or not as chemical residue in virgin olive oil, to my knowledge, is not detectable . The 'organic' moniker is an end around the extra virgin certification process. It is not healthier, better or more natural that virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is an entirely natural product and is more expensive to produce. Real extra virgin olive oil provides all of the flavor enhancing properties and health benefits that are associated with olive oil.

Next page: Extra Olive Oil

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