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Extra virgin olive oil is an essential component of every healthy diet. This oil is extracted from the fruit of the olive tree without using chemical processes or blending it with other oils, keeping the flavor, the aroma, and all the vitamins of the fruit used for producing it.
Extra virgin olive oil contains vitamin A, vitamin E, polyphenols, antioxidants, all of which give olive oil the following characteristics:
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Cholesterol regulation |
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Protection of the cardiovascular, digestive, and endocrine systems |
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Therapeutic action on skin (thus it is widely used in the cosmetic industry |
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Sight protection |
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Cellular antioxidant, as it delays cell aging by means of the inhibition of genes related to cancer or oncogenesis, being able to interrupt the degenerative process by which normal cells become cancer cells, or reduce the growth of the latter. |
Nowadays, there is a marked tendency among people of all ages to the acceptance of this product and an increase in its consumption, due to its proven benefits for human health. However, these benefits are not offered by any olive oil. It must be an oil of the best guaranteed quality.
Just as there exist parameters for defining the quality of some food —such as those for rice and wheat flour— olive oil quality is also regulated by the European Community (EC) and is classified into types.
TYPES OF OLIVE OIL
European regulations classify olive oils according to the procedure used to obtain the oil and its acidity degree. Olive oil acidity is determined by the free fatty acids it contains and is expressed by the grams of oleic acid as per 100 grams of oil. These acidity degrees are not related to the intensity of the flavor, but constitute a measure so as to classify oils and their quality. When comparing two bottles of the same type of olive oil, for example, two bottles of extra virgin olive oil, the one which is less acid will be of a higher quality.
| Virgin Olive Oils |
Regulation (EU) No. 1638/98, OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) 210, July 27th, 1998
Oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree by mechanical or other physical processes only, under conditions, especially thermal ones, which do not cause alterations in the oil. The oil must not undergo any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation, and filtering. This category does not include oils that have been obtained by using solvents or by a re-esterification process or any mixture with oils of different characteristics.
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
Virgin olive oil whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, is equal to or not higher than 0.80g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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Virgin Olive Oil |
(The term "fine" could be used during production and wholesale trading.)
Virgin olive oil whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, is not higher than 2g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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Ordinary Virgin Olive Oil |
Virgin olive oil whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, is not higher than 3.3g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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Lampante Virgin Olive Oil |
Virgin olive oil whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, is higher than 3.3g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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| Olive Oils |
Regulation (EU) No. 356/92, OJEU 39, February 15th, 1992
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Refined Olive Oil |
Olive oil obtained by refining virgin olive oils using techniques that do not alter in any way the initial triglyceride structure, whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, cannot be higher than 0.3g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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Olive Oil |
Olive oil that consists of a mixture of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils, fit for consumption in the way they are obtained, whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, cannot be higher than 1.0g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
Among those mentioned above, only Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Virgin Olive Oil, and Olive Oil are directly offered to the consumer. In turn, Ordinary and Lampante Virgin Olive Oils are only available on a wholesale basis.
Sometimes, due to unfavorable climate conditions or deficiencies in the production process, virgin olive oils have a high degree of acidity or a defective flavor, color, or aroma. These oils, called Lampante Virgin Oils, must go through a refining process in order to correct these defects. Due to this process, the degree of acidity is reduced and the defective color and aroma are eliminated. This is how Refined Olive Oil is obtained, which is a product that maintains the chemical structure of olive oil, but does not have any aroma or flavor. This product is not marketed, but a certain quantity of Extra Virgin, Virgin, or Ordinary Virgin Olive Oil is added to the oil to give it aroma and flavor. This is how the category called "Olive Oil" is obtained.
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| Olive Pomace Oils |
Regulation (EEC) 356/92, OJEU 39, February 15th, 1992
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Crude Olive-Pomace Oil |
Oil obtained by treating olive pomace with solvents or other physical procedures, not including oils obtained by re-esterification procedures and from any mixture of oils with other properties, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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Refined Olive-Pomace Oil |
Oil obtained by refining crude olive-pomace oil, whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, cannot be higher than 0.3g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
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Olive Pomace Oil |
Oil that consists of a mixture of refined olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oils, fit for consumption in the way they are obtained, whose free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, cannot be higher than 1.0g per 100g, and whose other characteristics are in accordance with those established for this category.
Olive pomace is the solid residue or paste obtained from the olive oil production process (during pressing or centrifugation). This residue is treated with solvents to extract the oil it contains, obtaining Crude Olive-Pomace Oil. As it is not fit for consumption, it has to undergo a refining process, which is similar to the lampante virgin olive oil process, to obtain Refined Olive-Pomace Oil. This oil, with no flavor, aroma, or color, is improved with edible virgin olive oils (other than lampante) to obtain the oil known as "Olive-Pomace Oil". |
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