Fact: You simply cannot measure the quality of an extra virgin olive oil by its color. Sure, a rich and bright green/golden colored olive oil might look fresh and delicious but unfortunately it may not be a superior quality olive oil. Both green and golden yellow oils can be of extra virgin grade. Here are some valuable tips for those of you know would like to find a good extra virgin olive oil.
Look for harvest or batch date on the back of the label.
Olive oils typically have a shelf life of approximately 2 to 3 years (depending on polyphenol content/storage temperature/exposure to air and light, described further down). Olive oils that have exceeded their shelf life end up becoming rancid. You can recognize a rancid olive oil by its aroma or taste. Rancid olive oils will smell like crayons (stale smell) and will most likely taste like old nuts or clay putty and leave a greasy feel in the mouth.
Olive oils typically have a shelf life of approximately 2 to 3 years (depending on polyphenol content/storage temperature/exposure to air and light, described further down). Olive oils that have exceeded their shelf life end up becoming rancid. You can recognize a rancid olive oil by its aroma or taste. Rancid olive oils will smell like crayons (stale smell) and will most likely taste like old nuts or clay putty and leave a greasy feel in the mouth.
Scan to see if the oil is recognized as a PDO or PGI
Does the oil taste bitter?
Unlike many other food products, an extra virgin olive oil with a peppery, bitter bite at the finish is a highly positive characteristic and signifies that the olive oil is fresh and loaded with antioxidants (particularly polyphenols). Tasting panel experts use this characteristic of bitterness as one of their criteria when judging olive oil quality.
Does the oil taste fruity?
Like bitterness, olive oil experts also place a great deal of importance on fruitness of an olive oil. A fruity olive oil is generally preferred by many as it is defined as a fresh olive fruit taste. Good olive oils can have certain fruity notes such as green apple, apricot, fresh cut grass, bananas, etc.
Like bitterness, olive oil experts also place a great deal of importance on fruitness of an olive oil. A fruity olive oil is generally preferred by many as it is defined as a fresh olive fruit taste. Good olive oils can have certain fruity notes such as green apple, apricot, fresh cut grass, bananas, etc.
Is the oil Artisanal?
Chances are that if your extra virgin olive oil is artisanal, then it is a higher quality extra virgin olive oil that hasn’t been blended with other cheap and inferior olive oils. Also, the producer is typically choosing which olives to press or centrifuge.
Is the oil low in Free Fatty Acids?
Abbreviated as FFA, this acidity ratio is a very important measure for olive oils. The higher the free fatty acids (FFA) in an olive oil, the greater the chance the oil was extracted carelessly meaning it wasn’t pressed right away or was extracted from damaged, bruised or lower quality olive fruit. Always try to look for FFA % on the label and choose olive oils with low FFA content. The International Olive Council (IOC) in Madrid along with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have determined that an “extra virgin” olive oil MUST have a free fatty acid content of 0.8% or less.
*As a side note, Greek olive oils generally have very low free fatty acid %. For this fact, it is no wonder Greece produces the largest quantities of "extra virgin" quality olive oils year after year.
Is the olive oil high in Polyphenol Content?
These are natural antioxidants found in olive oil which give an olive oil its peppery bite. The more peppery the bite means that an oil is loaded with these antioxidants. Not only do polyphenols benefit your health (lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and help to sooth burns) they also increase the oil’s shelf life! Also to note, the more polyphenol content in an olive oil, the lower its smoke point. In other words, olive oils high in polyphenols should not be used for frying at very high temperatures.
Hopefully this articles helps you choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil. For those of you who may be interested in an olive oil recommendation from an expert, my olive oil of choice happens to be Eulogia from Sparta, Greece. It is a blend of 80% Koroneiki and 20% Alenolia olives, just the perfect balance of bitter, fruity, fresh and a spicy kick at the finish. Love it!
Hopefully this articles helps you choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil. For those of you who may be interested in an olive oil recommendation from an expert, my olive oil of choice happens to be Eulogia from Sparta, Greece. It is a blend of 80% Koroneiki and 20% Alenolia olives, just the perfect balance of bitter, fruity, fresh and a spicy kick at the finish. Love it!
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