You might have noticed the sign “Extra Virgin Olive Oil” – “EVOO” for short – on your bottle of olive oil and you might wonder what are the main differences between Extra Virgin Olive oil and standard olive oil.
Is this extra virgin olive oil bottle worth the price? Why are there so many differences in price within the EVOO category? Should I get a bottle of simple olive oil instead?
In this article I will outline the main differences between olive oils, showcasing why you want to choose a high-quality bottle of Extra Virgin olive oil over other olive oils.
olive oil categories
Within the category “olive oil” you can find 4 main categories suitable for consumption:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVO oil)
- Virgin Olive Oil
- Olive Oil
- Pomace Oil
Extra Virgin and Virgin olive oils are both obtained through the extraction of the olives only with mechanical means or processes that do not alter the oil, and which have not been subject to any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration.
When analyzed chemically, EVO oil (#1) has a free fatty acid content of no more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams of oil. When tasted by a panel, it has no organoleptic defects and some frutiness.
Virgin oil (#2), on the other hand, can have a free fatty acid content of 2 grams per 100 grams of oil. When tasted by a panel, it has only slight organoleptic defects.
Wait, did you say a panel?
Yes, there is an actual panel of olive oil tasters that judge whether an olive is extra virgin. To refresh your memory on how to taste an olive oil like a pro, check out my insta reel here:
Back to our categories:
Olive oil (#3) is made by blending of refined olive oil with some virgin olive oil different from lampante oil. It has a maximum free fatty acid level of 1 gram per 100 gram of oil.
Pomace oil (#4) is made by blending of refined pomace oil and some virgin olive oil different from lampante oil. It has a maximum free fatty acid level of 1 gram per 100 gram of oil.
The pomace in itself is the solid leftover material after oil extraction. It is possible to extract small amounts of oil (3-6% by weight) from the pomace through pressing or centrifugation. This extracted oil is not suitable for consumption. However, by refining this oil, it can be purified to produce refined pomace oil.
Lampante is not fit for human consumption. The Olive Oil Times – a well-known olive oil online magazine – describes in the following way:
“Lampante oil is a term used to describe a type of olive oil that is considered inedible or unfit for human consumption in its raw state due to its poor quality and strong, unpleasant taste. It is often produced from overripe or damaged olives and may undergo poor processing and handling practices.”
Again, lampante – originally used for oil lamps – has to be refined and blended with higher quality oils to make it safe for cooking and thus consumption.
is it really “extra virgin”?
You can already deduce that EVOO has superior taste, organoleptic and health properties.
Olive oil, instead, is a refined oil with some defects and should be used – at best, if no EVOO is available – for cooking.
Of course, as you know, the extra virgin olive oil category is vast. You will find many cheap blends with dubious origins (try to avoid the mention on label “Made with EU olives” as this not guarantee use of high-quality, single origin olives).
Often times cheap means fake, as proved by the Carabinieri NAS – food police in Italy – that seized a large amount of counterfeit EVO oil in Rome. They found restaurants that were using very cheap supposedly Puglia EVOO which instead proved to be counterfeit and contained chlorophyll.
Therefore, to get the best health and gastronomic benefits, you should purchase high-quality extra virgin olive oil, which thanks to its high smoke point of up to 240 degrees celsius, can be used not just for garnishing dishes but also for cooking and frying.
Choosing a good bottle of EVOO can be challenging, but you should always focus on the freshest products available (look for the latest harvest) and the actual information on the producer.
What is Special about High-Quality Extra Virgin Olive oil?
High-quality EVOO oil has the unique characteristic of displaying unique aromas. When tasting an EVO oil of high-quality you will get a kick in the end of your throat, this is the Oleocanthal polyphenol that has antinflammatory properties and help in the fight against diseases as Alzheimer’s.
In EVO oils you will find different levels of fruitiness, pungency and bitterness. According to your preferences you might select a more gentle and fruity oil like our Blend Masciantonio for salads and for cooking. While a more spicy Puglia blend can be used to top up a sirloin.
In short, always look for the “Extra Virgin” sign on that olive oil bottles, but keep in mind that the producer plays an important part in the quality of the oil.
Just like when you are picking a good wine based on the winery, you want to select a great producer when buying the EVO oil.
Be open to try EVO oils from a wide variety of cultivars (ie. olive varietal) and terroir. Italy has the largest diversity of olive cultivars, with more than 400, and here at Oleocanthal we are proud to showcase unique monovarietals such as the Slow Food Presidium Intosso and Crognale, voted best EVO of the year Flos Olei.
In Vancouver you can trust Oleocanthal for your EVO oil purchases. Like other serious importers, we do not make compromises on quality and we only work with small producers who give the utmost attention to the land and use top-level mill to produce outstanding EVO oils year after year.
Giuseppe
