Have you ever wondered how to ensure that the olive oil you use in your kitchen is really good quality? What exactly does "extra virgin" olive oil mean? How can you identify real olive oil?
Have you ever caught the smell of fruit, peanuts or even arugula when you smelled it? olive oil? This is a good sign of quality. On the other hand, the smell of vinegar, wax or even the lack of smell is a bad sign that can indicate a mixture of different oils. You may be surprised by the fact that it is as much as 70 percent olive oil, which is sold worldwide, in fact fake. This means that the oil is often mixed with other types of oil.
Real extra virgin olive oil, as defined by the regulations, it is obtained exclusively from olive fruits using mechanical processes and contains a maximum of 0.8 grams of free fatty acids (expressed as oleic acid) per 100 grams of oil. Virgin olive oil obtained using the same procedures contains a maximum of 2 grams of free fatty acids per 100 grams of oil.
Olives. Photo: Polina Tankilevitch / PexelsHow to identify quality olive oil?
The color of the oil can be deceiving as it can be artificially altered while the flavor remains true to its nature. The specific and intense taste is difficult to confuse with other types of oils. The smell of the oil may resemble grass or other plants.
Oils to which other oils or substances have been added may contain soybean, sunflower, palm or rapeseed oil. Acidic oils with an unpleasant taste and smell are the result of improper feeding and exposure to strong light, heat or air.
It is also important proper storage of olive oil, as light, heat and air harm it. Therefore, choose bottles of darker colors, which preserve the quality of the oil.
Great taste of olive oil. Photo: Ron Lach / PexelsAlso check it out olive harvest date, which must be 18-20 months before the moment of purchase. But it's also key to test the taste - if the oil smells like plastic, butter or doesn't have a distinct taste, it's probably of poorer quality.
