The world of Olive Oil is vast and full of wonder, especially of late, as the industry begins to receive more global attention.
Within this wealth of flavor, you’ll find robust ranking systems and thousands of brands vying for the same badge of prestige: Extra Virgin Oil.
But what does that really mean about the oil?
That it’s clean? Pure? Tasty? Sure, all of those things can be true, but the system is a bit more complex than that.
These regulations behind the label are tightly determined and monitored by international rules. The International Olive Council (IOC), set up in 1959 by the United Nations, was tasked with the lofty task of coming up with the criteria to judge the quality and purity of any given olive oil. As the system has evolved, different specialized tasting judges have created their own sets of rules, nevertheless still stringent. After all, the people deserve to know what’s in their oil!
While the selection process and criteria are long and sometimes laborious, we’ll give you a skyline summary of the main characteristics of the top-level grade.
All olives are pressed somehow, but ‘Extra Virgin’ grade oils are crushed into a paste, then mixed to allow oil to come together, and then they face the centrifuge to get separated into oil and water/solids. The unique part? No chemical touches the oil at any point in the process, ensuring you’re receiving a natural, pure product.
Then we’ll turn to the lab; the oil must additionally have…
- A free fatty acid content of 0.8% or less
- A peroxide value under 20
- AND the oil needs to pass ultraviolet light absorption tests to detect any possible degradation
Even beyond the technical inspection, nothing beats a trained palate; after all of the previous process has been verified, a tasting panel must then confirm the oil has zero flavor defects and at least some detectable fruitiness. This panel can be quite the tough crowd. Our founder, Claudia Hanna-Veysel, is on international tasting panels! So rest assured, Olive Oil Flights is the real deal.
Extra virgin olive oil is the top tier, valued for its low acidity and a strong, fresh taste. Virgin olive oil has a bit more acidity, and the grade typically implies that there has been heat applied to it during the extraction process, thereby usually reducing the polyphenol count and health properties. Refined oils go through extra work to remove off notes and reduce color, so they’re better for cooking at higher temperatures.
With every system, some seek to get around it: Olive Oil Fraud!
Good quality comes at a price at both ends, production and the grocery store. So, to get around it, some brands mix their oil with tasteless, odorless vegetable or lampante oils. These oils are not allowed to be sold under the ‘Extra Virgin’ label; if they do, it can carry the charge of fraud and false advertising.
If you want to be sure your oil is exactly what you think it is, especially if your source is any mainstream grocer, look at this guide for reading olive oil labels and learn a bit more about what common phrases are used to deceive unsuspecting people.
Here’s what you can look for:
- Packaging (dark glass)
- Harvest date within the last 1–2 years
- Single or fewest-source origin
- Recognized certifications like PDO, PGI or USDA Organic
- Price range that reflects quality ($15–$30 per 500mL).
A better place to shop for high-quality olive oil and a more surefire way to know that you’re getting what’s on the label is in specialized shops or websites, or directly from a producer. One great source is Olive Oil Flights; We buy directly from producers - no middle man, always have a harvest date, and always sell fresh!
Fun Historical Fact!
You’ll usually also see “cold pressed” or “first cold pressed” alongside that ‘Extra Virgin’ declaration. This is more of a nod to tradition than a literal label to say your olives were juiced with top-tier AC privileges. Historically, olives were pressed in mills, with the initial extraction before any hot water was added for a second pass for straggling oil. Nowadays, through the press and centrifuges, no hot water is necessary, so every press is a cold one.
However, temperature does matter as it is the difference between retaining nutrients and losing them all for a lower-quality, albeit higher-yield oil. That’s true quality over quantity in action. Highest-quality extractions keep paste temperatures as low as they can manage, typically around 72°F (22°C) or slightly above.
Recipe of the Week: Seafood Pasta
Nothing like some comforting pasta and sophisticated seafood to elevate any evening; this dish is suited for class but easy enough that any beginner could tackle it.
Here’s what you’ll need →
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 4 ounces thin spaghetti, or mix it up with any pasta you’d like!
- 1/4 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 pound bay scallops
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Croatian Bianchera Olive Oil
Directions:
First, start off with a medium skillet/pan where you’ll sauté 1 garlic clove in 1 tablespoon butter for 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, and tarragon; sauté for 2 minutes longer. Then add the broth and bring it all to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture reaches your desired thickness.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta of your choice according to package directions. In another skillet/pan, sauté the remaining garlic in the remaining butter for 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook while stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add the scallops and cook 3 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are firm and opaque. Add all of this to your tomato mixture.
Once it’s cooked, drain the pasta; transfer to a bowl. Pour seafood mixture over pasta, and then toss it until everything is coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan and finish it with a dash of olive oil.
Then lastly and most importantly, enjoy!
EVOO Classifications
The world of Olive Oil is vast and full of wonder, especially of late, as the industry begins to receive more global attention.
Within this wealth of flavor, you’ll find robust ranking systems and thousands of brands vying for the same badge of prestige: Extra Virgin Oil.
But what does that really mean about the oil?
That it’s clean? Pure? Tasty? Sure, all of those things can be true, but the system is a bit more complex than that.
These regulations behind the label are tightly determined and monitored by international rules. The International Olive Council (IOC), set up in 1959 by the United Nations, was tasked with the lofty task of coming up with the criteria to judge the quality and purity of any given olive oil. As the system has evolved, different specialized tasting judges have created their own sets of rules, nevertheless still stringent. After all, the people deserve to know what’s in their oil!
While the selection process and criteria are long and sometimes laborious, we’ll give you a skyline summary of the main characteristics of the top-level grade.
All olives are pressed somehow, but ‘Extra Virgin’ grade oils are crushed into a paste, then mixed to allow oil to come together, and then they face the centrifuge to get separated into oil and water/solids. The unique part? No chemical touches the oil at any point in the process, ensuring you’re receiving a natural, pure product.
Then we’ll turn to the lab; the oil must additionally have…
Even beyond the technical inspection, nothing beats a trained palate; after all of the previous process has been verified, a tasting panel must then confirm the oil has zero flavor defects and at least some detectable fruitiness. This panel can be quite the tough crowd. Our founder, Claudia Hanna-Veysel, is on international tasting panels! So rest assured, Olive Oil Flights is the real deal.
Extra virgin olive oil is the top tier, valued for its low acidity and a strong, fresh taste. Virgin olive oil has a bit more acidity, and the grade typically implies that there has been heat applied to it during the extraction process, thereby usually reducing the polyphenol count and health properties. Refined oils go through extra work to remove off notes and reduce color, so they’re better for cooking at higher temperatures.
With every system, some seek to get around it: Olive Oil Fraud!
Good quality comes at a price at both ends, production and the grocery store. So, to get around it, some brands mix their oil with tasteless, odorless vegetable or lampante oils. These oils are not allowed to be sold under the ‘Extra Virgin’ label; if they do, it can carry the charge of fraud and false advertising.
If you want to be sure your oil is exactly what you think it is, especially if your source is any mainstream grocer, look at this guide for reading olive oil labels and learn a bit more about what common phrases are used to deceive unsuspecting people.
Here’s what you can look for:
A better place to shop for high-quality olive oil and a more surefire way to know that you’re getting what’s on the label is in specialized shops or websites, or directly from a producer. One great source is Olive Oil Flights; We buy directly from producers - no middle man, always have a harvest date, and always sell fresh!
Fun Historical Fact!
You’ll usually also see “cold pressed” or “first cold pressed” alongside that ‘Extra Virgin’ declaration. This is more of a nod to tradition than a literal label to say your olives were juiced with top-tier AC privileges. Historically, olives were pressed in mills, with the initial extraction before any hot water was added for a second pass for straggling oil. Nowadays, through the press and centrifuges, no hot water is necessary, so every press is a cold one.
However, temperature does matter as it is the difference between retaining nutrients and losing them all for a lower-quality, albeit higher-yield oil. That’s true quality over quantity in action. Highest-quality extractions keep paste temperatures as low as they can manage, typically around 72°F (22°C) or slightly above.
Recipe of the Week: Seafood Pasta
Nothing like some comforting pasta and sophisticated seafood to elevate any evening; this dish is suited for class but easy enough that any beginner could tackle it.
Here’s what you’ll need →
Directions:
First, start off with a medium skillet/pan where you’ll sauté 1 garlic clove in 1 tablespoon butter for 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, and tarragon; sauté for 2 minutes longer. Then add the broth and bring it all to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture reaches your desired thickness.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta of your choice according to package directions. In another skillet/pan, sauté the remaining garlic in the remaining butter for 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook while stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add the scallops and cook 3 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are firm and opaque. Add all of this to your tomato mixture.
Once it’s cooked, drain the pasta; transfer to a bowl. Pour seafood mixture over pasta, and then toss it until everything is coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan and finish it with a dash of olive oil.
Then lastly and most importantly, enjoy!