Is all olive oil good? Does extra virgin olive oil matter? Are we clear about what this terminology means? Today, to highlight our selection and the work of the 45 olive mills we work with, we want to explain to you that not all olive oil has the same quality and that extra virgin olive oil is not the same as virgin olive oil .
What makes an extra virgin olive oil different from any other?
Everyone is aware that extra virgin olive oil, our beloved EVOO, is the highest quality possible. But what requirements must an oil meet to be granted this distinction? Just as not every olive oil can claim to be organic, a number of considerations also come into play when classifying olive juice as extra virgin.
The process of extracting extra virgin olive oil
There are three methods of extracting olive oil: pressing, centrifuging and refining. The first two involve mechanical extraction that does not alter the flavour or properties. The third is a way of using the remains of the olive, with much less quality and even with some additives that we do not want to have in our diet. A virgin or extra virgin oil is always obtained by pressing or centrifuging and oils from refined processes are usually identified as olive oil or mild olive oil, so if it is not virgin or extra virgin, it is refined oil and will always be of much lower quality and, of course, in no case will it be organic olive oil.
Acidity in an extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin oil is not only so because of its production, but also because of its chemical composition. It has been established that EVOO can never exceed 0.8% acidity . Acidity is the presence of fatty acids in the oil and is expressed in degrees or percentages, like alcohol. Fatty acids are one of the components of triglycerides, the molecule that makes up olive oil. The degradation of the fruit increases the decomposition of triglycerides into fatty acids, which increases acidity. As a general rule, the lower the acidity, the higher the quality. A virgin oil, on the other hand, has between 0.8% and 2% acidity and an oil with more than 2% has a bad taste and cannot be consumed.
Tasting an extra virgin olive oil
However, the extraction method and acidity are not the only criteria when it comes to classifying an olive oil as extra virgin. An oil also receives this rating if its tasting score is 6.5 or higher. If you want to find out what goes into an olive oil tasting, we recommend this other article on our blog. A virgin oil must achieve a tasting score of at least 5.5.
As a summary
Conditions for an oil to be considered extra virgin
- Acidity less than 0.8%
- Tasting note above 6.5
- Extraction by pressure or centrifugation
If you do not comply with them you can still be called a virgin …
Conditions for an oil to be considered virgin
- Acidity less than 2%
- Tasting note above 5.5
- Extraction by pressure or centrifugation
If it does not meet these conditions, it must either be refined or cannot be marketed under either of the two distinctions.
All OrigenOliva oils are extra virgin
It couldn't be any other way. With fewer fatty acids and an unbeatable flavour, extra virgin olive oil has been our culinary choice since day one. Browse our selection and discover the flavours of our land.
