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EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Most people who are just beginning to try Olive Oil quickly learn that the best oil is supposed to be
what is called "Extra virgin". This is a buyer beware situation as someone might put this on their
bottle label but the oil might not actually meet the conditions set by the International Olive Oil
Council and with some minor differences, promoted by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). In
fact the contents of a bottle you buy from someone else might not even be pure olive oil!
The general basis for Extra Virgin oil quality -
* It was produced by mechanical means, not synthesized, no solvents and no artificial refining.
* At no point in the processing of the fruit has it exceeded a temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
* The oil has been certified by a laboratory to have a Free Fatty acid as Oleic acid content of 0.5 % or
less and a Peroxide value of 20 meq O2/kg or less.
The factors above are necessities for Extra Virgin oil. Complete certification depending on where
the oil is produced may require additional steps .
Oil grown and produced from the Story Olive Oil Co. orchard by the way, is tested every year at a
laboratory listed by the California Olive Oil Council. Lab results from the fall 2007 harvest which is
considered 2008 product from J.L. Analytical Services, Inc. in Modesto, California is as follows:
Free Fatty Acids: 0.2%
Peroxide value: 12
ESTATE PRODUCED or ESTATE BOTTLED OIL
The general rule here to claim Estate bottled oil seems to be that 95 percent of the oil was grown
and bottled on the property. Of course one should expect that 100% is the number to have such a
claim on the label. Story Olive Oil grows a small amount of fruit that we nurture with great care and
then process locally through a processing facility that we consider one of the best in Northern
California.
UNFILTERED
This is a subject of great debate. There are particulates in processed oil that are simply small
elements of the olive that do not negatively impact the flavor or shelf life. It may be possible that
these particulates improve the taste. Some people may object to the visual sight of anything that
disturbs the clarity of the oil. Assuming the bottling process met processing standards, the
particulates you may see are fine and again, might actually improve the resulting taste.
COLD PRESSED
If the oil was processed at 81 degrees Fahrenheit or less, this is considered a cold press. When
the temperature is allowed to exceed this value, there is a good chance the chemical balance will
have a negative impact on the taste and overall shelf life of the oil.
Olive type information
ARBEQUINA
The Arbequina olive comes from Northern Spain from a region known as Catalona. Arbequina
olives were brought into California farming only recently and have been proven in just a few years to
do very well in our climate and soil. The fruit is small in size compared to others but will produce an
excellent tasting oil without blending with others. And the fruit will provide one of the highest
quantities of oil per fruit. This years harvest for Story Olive Oil produced 42 gallons of oil per ton of
fruit, up from 38.88 gals/ton from last years harvest. Potentially the gal/ton could be as high as 45
per ton. One nursery claims an even higher number is possible @ 50 gpt. Most of the growers I
have talked to this year are averaging about 30 to 31 gallons per ton so we are quite pleased with
our higher than average results and so far we have the highest yield per ton that I have heard of in
our area.
ARBOSANA
Often blended with other types, the Arbosona is a small fruit that typically yields 19 to 20% of oil.
OTHER TYPES
There are many other types from different areas of the world. Besides thee aforementioned
varietals from Spain, olives from Italy and Greece are two other well known locations where olives
come from. The link covers many of the popular types
WHAT OLIVE OIL IS USED FOR
Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, and soaps. It is also used as a fuel for traditional
oil lamps. For consumption, Olive oil is highly regarded for its contribution as a healthful dietary oil
because of its high content of monounsaturated fat.
For consumption, Olive oil is classified by how it was produced, by its chemistry, and by its flavor. All
production begins by transforming the olive fruit into olive paste. This paste is then slowly churned,
or "malaxed" to allow the microscopic olive droplets to concentrate into larger globules. The oil is
then extracted from the malaxed paste by means of pressing the paste via a traditional stone mill or
hydraulic pressure or by a centrifuge (modern method). After extraction the remnant solid substance,
called pomace, still contains a small quantity of oil. The oils that can be extracted from the olive fruit
can be classified as:
1. Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means and no chemical treatment. The
term virgin oil referring to production is different from Virgin Oil on a retail label.
2. Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes (characterized
as defects) and neutralize the acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded as
lower quality than virgin oil; the retail labels that indicate Extra Virgin or simply Virgin olive oil cannot
contain any refined oil.
3. Olive-pomace oil means oil has been extracted from the pomace using chemical solvents —
mostly hexane and by heat.
Quantitative analytical methods determine the oil's acidity, defined as a percent, measured by
weight, of free oleic acid in it. This is a measure of the oil's chemical degradation. As the oil
degrades, more fatty acids get free from the glycerides, increasing the level of free acidity. Another
measure of the oil's chemical degradation is the peroxide level, which measures the degree to
which the oil is oxidized. The higher the level of oxidation, the more rancid the oil becomes and is
readily apparent by taste.
In order to classify olive oil by taste, it is subjectively judged by a panel of professional tasters in a
blind taste test. This is also called its organoleptic quality.
Grades you will see on retail labels
The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) standards are complicated to decipher. The labels in
stores, however, clearly show an oil's grade provided the label is stating the truth:
1. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8%
acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Virgin olive oil will have an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be
no refined oil in virgin olive oil. Olive oil not labeled as Virgin or Extra Virgin is a blend of virgin oil
and refined virgin oil, containing at most 1% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.
3. Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for
consumption, but it may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found in a grocery store; it
is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants.
4. Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption; lampante comes from olive oil's ancient use
as fuel in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market.
Label wording
Olive oil vendors choose the wording on their labels very carefully.
"Imported from Italy" produces an impression that the olives were grown in Italy, although in fact it
only means that the oil was bottled there. A corner of the same label may note that the oil was
packed in Italy with olives grown in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Tunisia. Since Spain produces nearly
half of the world's olive harvest, it is likely the oil "imported from Italy" comes from olives grown in
Spain.
"100% Pure Olive Oil" sounds like a high-end product, but in fact is often the lowest quality available
in a retail store. Better grades will note "virgin" on the label.
"Made from refined olive oils" suggests that the essence was captured, but in fact means that the
taste and acidity were chemically produced.
"Lite olive oil" suggests a low fat content, whereas in fact it refers to a lighter color. All olive oil—
which is, after all, fat—has 120 calories per tablespoon (33 kJ/ml).
"From hand-picked olives" gives the impression that extraordinary care went into the oil's
production. For some of us growers, I think it may also attempt to impart that it took a lot of manual
work to harvest the olives and somebody should know about that! However it is unclear yet whether
hand-plucking olives from trees produces better oil than the tree shaking method.
Most people who are just beginning to try Olive Oil quickly learn that the best oil is supposed to be
what is called "Extra virgin". This is a buyer beware situation as someone might put this on their
bottle label but the oil might not actually meet the conditions set by the International Olive Oil
Council and with some minor differences, promoted by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). In
fact the contents of a bottle you buy from someone else might not even be pure olive oil!
The general basis for Extra Virgin oil quality -
* It was produced by mechanical means, not synthesized, no solvents and no artificial refining.
* At no point in the processing of the fruit has it exceeded a temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
* The oil has been certified by a laboratory to have a Free Fatty acid as Oleic acid content of 0.5 % or
less and a Peroxide value of 20 meq O2/kg or less.
The factors above are necessities for Extra Virgin oil. Complete certification depending on where
the oil is produced may require additional steps .
Oil grown and produced from the Story Olive Oil Co. orchard by the way, is tested every year at a
laboratory listed by the California Olive Oil Council. Lab results from the fall 2007 harvest which is
considered 2008 product from J.L. Analytical Services, Inc. in Modesto, California is as follows:
Free Fatty Acids: 0.2%
Peroxide value: 12
ESTATE PRODUCED or ESTATE BOTTLED OIL
The general rule here to claim Estate bottled oil seems to be that 95 percent of the oil was grown
and bottled on the property. Of course one should expect that 100% is the number to have such a
claim on the label. Story Olive Oil grows a small amount of fruit that we nurture with great care and
then process locally through a processing facility that we consider one of the best in Northern
California.
UNFILTERED
This is a subject of great debate. There are particulates in processed oil that are simply small
elements of the olive that do not negatively impact the flavor or shelf life. It may be possible that
these particulates improve the taste. Some people may object to the visual sight of anything that
disturbs the clarity of the oil. Assuming the bottling process met processing standards, the
particulates you may see are fine and again, might actually improve the resulting taste.
COLD PRESSED
If the oil was processed at 81 degrees Fahrenheit or less, this is considered a cold press. When
the temperature is allowed to exceed this value, there is a good chance the chemical balance will
have a negative impact on the taste and overall shelf life of the oil.
Olive type information
ARBEQUINA
The Arbequina olive comes from Northern Spain from a region known as Catalona. Arbequina
olives were brought into California farming only recently and have been proven in just a few years to
do very well in our climate and soil. The fruit is small in size compared to others but will produce an
excellent tasting oil without blending with others. And the fruit will provide one of the highest
quantities of oil per fruit. This years harvest for Story Olive Oil produced 42 gallons of oil per ton of
fruit, up from 38.88 gals/ton from last years harvest. Potentially the gal/ton could be as high as 45
per ton. One nursery claims an even higher number is possible @ 50 gpt. Most of the growers I
have talked to this year are averaging about 30 to 31 gallons per ton so we are quite pleased with
our higher than average results and so far we have the highest yield per ton that I have heard of in
our area.
ARBOSANA
Often blended with other types, the Arbosona is a small fruit that typically yields 19 to 20% of oil.
OTHER TYPES
There are many other types from different areas of the world. Besides thee aforementioned
varietals from Spain, olives from Italy and Greece are two other well known locations where olives
come from. The link covers many of the popular types
WHAT OLIVE OIL IS USED FOR
Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, and soaps. It is also used as a fuel for traditional
oil lamps. For consumption, Olive oil is highly regarded for its contribution as a healthful dietary oil
because of its high content of monounsaturated fat.
For consumption, Olive oil is classified by how it was produced, by its chemistry, and by its flavor. All
production begins by transforming the olive fruit into olive paste. This paste is then slowly churned,
or "malaxed" to allow the microscopic olive droplets to concentrate into larger globules. The oil is
then extracted from the malaxed paste by means of pressing the paste via a traditional stone mill or
hydraulic pressure or by a centrifuge (modern method). After extraction the remnant solid substance,
called pomace, still contains a small quantity of oil. The oils that can be extracted from the olive fruit
can be classified as:
1. Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means and no chemical treatment. The
term virgin oil referring to production is different from Virgin Oil on a retail label.
2. Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes (characterized
as defects) and neutralize the acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded as
lower quality than virgin oil; the retail labels that indicate Extra Virgin or simply Virgin olive oil cannot
contain any refined oil.
3. Olive-pomace oil means oil has been extracted from the pomace using chemical solvents —
mostly hexane and by heat.
Quantitative analytical methods determine the oil's acidity, defined as a percent, measured by
weight, of free oleic acid in it. This is a measure of the oil's chemical degradation. As the oil
degrades, more fatty acids get free from the glycerides, increasing the level of free acidity. Another
measure of the oil's chemical degradation is the peroxide level, which measures the degree to
which the oil is oxidized. The higher the level of oxidation, the more rancid the oil becomes and is
readily apparent by taste.
In order to classify olive oil by taste, it is subjectively judged by a panel of professional tasters in a
blind taste test. This is also called its organoleptic quality.
Grades you will see on retail labels
The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) standards are complicated to decipher. The labels in
stores, however, clearly show an oil's grade provided the label is stating the truth:
1. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8%
acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Virgin olive oil will have an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be
no refined oil in virgin olive oil. Olive oil not labeled as Virgin or Extra Virgin is a blend of virgin oil
and refined virgin oil, containing at most 1% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.
3. Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for
consumption, but it may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found in a grocery store; it
is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants.
4. Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption; lampante comes from olive oil's ancient use
as fuel in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market.
Label wording
Olive oil vendors choose the wording on their labels very carefully.
"Imported from Italy" produces an impression that the olives were grown in Italy, although in fact it
only means that the oil was bottled there. A corner of the same label may note that the oil was
packed in Italy with olives grown in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Tunisia. Since Spain produces nearly
half of the world's olive harvest, it is likely the oil "imported from Italy" comes from olives grown in
Spain.
"100% Pure Olive Oil" sounds like a high-end product, but in fact is often the lowest quality available
in a retail store. Better grades will note "virgin" on the label.
"Made from refined olive oils" suggests that the essence was captured, but in fact means that the
taste and acidity were chemically produced.
"Lite olive oil" suggests a low fat content, whereas in fact it refers to a lighter color. All olive oil—
which is, after all, fat—has 120 calories per tablespoon (33 kJ/ml).
"From hand-picked olives" gives the impression that extraordinary care went into the oil's
production. For some of us growers, I think it may also attempt to impart that it took a lot of manual
work to harvest the olives and somebody should know about that! However it is unclear yet whether
hand-plucking olives from trees produces better oil than the tree shaking method.
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| Story Olive Oil Co. |
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