Questions and answers about Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is the result of a process of processing olives that are processed mechanically. It must have good fruitiness, bitterness and spiciness, must not have nose defects and must have a low acidity level (amount of oleic acid per 100g of oil), that is, less than 0.8 grams per 100 grams, even if an excellent evo will have an acidity of less than 0.3g.

There is no such thing as the best extra virgin olive oil in the world, but rather many exceptional oils capable of satisfying more or less demanding palates and potentially perfect for pairing with different dishes.

Each producer can create extra virgin olive oils with different aromatic characteristics, shaped by countless factors: soil, climate, and many other variables can influence the flavor and aroma of the oil obtained from the processing of olives.

To produce an excellent oil, harvesting is done in advance of veraison, or ripening, of the olives. In Sicily, generally, harvesting and production operations begin in the second half of September and end at the end of November. Fresh oil from milling will be called “new”, the color of which will usually be a bright green that will then turn green-yellow.

The cultivar is the variety of olive plant from which the olives that will be processed to produce the oil are derived. In Sicily, an example of a cultivar is Tonda Iblea, whose plants grow in the Iblei Mountains area, that is, in the areas between Ragusa, Syracuse and Catania.

Think of cultivars as different varieties of the olive tree: if the olives are green and not too ripe, they will produce oils, each of which will have its own unmistakable fragrance, which also depends, in part, on the area where the plants grow. Sicilian olives, despite their aromatic uniqueness, have a hint of freshly cut grass. Which is the best, it’s up to the individual to decide!

In botany, a drupe is any fleshy fruit with a thin skin and a woody stone containing the seeds. An example? The olives!

Extra virgin olive oil is a superior product, obtained through mechanical processes that make it aromatically perfect and give it a very low acidity level.

Olive oil, on the other hand, is the result of a blend between refined oil — that is, oil treated with chemical substances to correct its defects — and virgin oil. It is often odorless and colorless, and has an acidity of less than 1g per 100g of oil, which is higher than that of EVO oil.

The monovarietal wording refers to the fact that the oil was extracted from only one variety of olives. Blend, on the other hand, is the mixture of two or more extra virgin oils from different olive varieties. As for preference, it all depends on personal taste, the vintage, and the end use that must be made of it.

Color is not synonymous with a certain quality. The oil can take on different shades, ranging from green to golden, which depend on numerous variables such as the cultivar derived from it, the degree of ripeness of the olives at the time of harvest, or the amount of chlorophyll present in them. An oil, whose olives have been harvested ahead of veraison, will usually tend to be bright green.

When extraction took place using only mechanical processes (so no chemical additive was added to make it better) at a processing temperature below 27°. This allows the nutritional characteristics of olives, such as the amount of polyphenols present, to be preserved and remain unchanged, ensuring a high concentration of antioxidants in the oil.

The olives from which EVO oil is obtained are rich in polyphenols, antioxidant and anti-tumor compounds that are beneficial to our health.

If the extraction process preserves the properties of the olives, retaining not only their flavor but also their nutrients, these will be transferred to the oil. In this case, the typical bitterness and pungency of EVO oil come precisely from the valuable polyphenols found in the olives.

To ensure this, it is important to control the temperature throughout the entire olive processing and oil production phase.

No. Let’s say straight away that bitterness and pungency are found in all good-quality extra virgin olive oils whose extraction has been carried out in such a way as to preserve the aromatic and organoleptic characteristics of the olives from which they are obtained.

These notes are therefore indicators of the product’s quality, not of the region the oil comes from. In other words, bitterness and pungency can be found in oils from different origins, and in Sicily different cultivars correspond to different intensities of bitterness and pungency.

From this region, for example, come both Cerasuola — distinctly bitter and pungent, ideal for lovers of a bold fruity profile — and Moresca, which produces a much more delicate oil.

A good extra virgin olive oil should cost at least €9 per liter, not including the container, label, cap, and so on.

Several factors influence the price of the finished product, such as the olive yield, which varies from one olive-growing season to another, and the harvesting method, which depends on the area where the olive groves are located.

The more careful and sophisticated the cultivation, extraction, and processing methods are — both in the field and at the mill — with the aim of delivering a product of superior organoleptic and aromatic quality, the higher the final cost will be for the producer.

In short, different prices may indicate very different products.

One of oil’s worst enemies is light; the other two are oxygen and heat.

Therefore, to preserve it properly, it is recommended to use dark-colored bottles or tins, avoiding transparent containers and the reuse of dirty containers that cannot be thoroughly washed. Residues from the previous oil may remain and affect the flavor and aroma of the new oil.

Away from oxygen, light, and heat! Oil is sensitive to these three elements, so we recommend taking a few simple precautions to extend its shelf life and enjoy it for longer:

Always make sure you have properly closed the bottle or container after use.

Store the product at a temperature between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius.

Always keep your oil away from direct heat sources such as ovens and stovetops.

If you have started using a 3L or 5L tin and will not consume it immediately, it may be a good idea to transfer the oil into smaller containers, to prevent too much oxygen from accumulating in the half-empty space and damaging it.

It is preferable to store oil in dark-colored containers and keep them in a cool, dark place, such as a cupboard without glass doors, to reduce the oil’s exposure to light.

This information can easily be found on the container of the extra virgin olive oil you have purchased and is indicated with the wording “best before.”

Generally speaking, it should be consumed within about a year and a half from production. However, if the oil is excellent and properly stored, it may retain its organoleptic characteristics even beyond the date indicated on the bottle.

You can check the oil’s state of preservation by testing its aroma on the nose.

No. If the oil has taken on a solid state, it is only because it was probably stored in a place with low temperatures that made it so. Simply transfer it to a warmer environment and it will return to a liquid state.

Oil can be used both raw and for cooking. Of course, using it raw is the best way to appreciate all its nuances of flavor and aroma, but even when cooked it helps enhance the goodness of our dishes.

Furthermore, research carried out by a team of researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences at the University of Barcelona, in collaboration with the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn) and the University of São Paulo, and later published in the journal Antioxidants, showed that EVO oil maintains antioxidant levels high enough to be considered healthy even after being exposed to the high temperatures of cooking (source: mdpi.com).

This discovery further confirms the healthfulness of a food that, since 2018, has been considered a true medicinal food by the American government agency known as the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, which regulates food and pharmaceutical products placed on the U.S. market.

In short, whichever way you choose to consume it, EVO oil is always rich in benefits!

First of all, let’s consider the different origins of the two foods: butter is an animal fat, while oil is of plant origin. Fats of the latter type are generally recognized as less harmful and more suitable for maintaining body weight.

EVO oil, specifically, increases the feeling of satiety, helps fight abdominal bloating, aids digestion, and prevents numerous inflammations: all important actions that contribute to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

In addition, although butter has fewer calories in absolute terms, it also has a lower lubricating power, so more of it is needed to season dishes, and its flavor cannot be compared to that of olive oil.