What is extra virgin olive oil?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is the highest quality of olive oil.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is
- cold pressed (at a temperature of 26 degrees celsius or less)
- crushed by mechanical means only (no chemicals can be used)
- and be tested in a lab for a range of chemical composition parameters and have a free fatty acid content of less than 0.8% (0.8 mg per 100 gram)
- It must also be tested by a panel of expert tasters (called a sensory panel) and confirmed to be free of sensory defects.
The quality and flavour profile of EVOO is influenced by a number of factors including the terroir and climate in which the olives were grown, varietal, timing of the harvest, pest and disease control, and methods of harvesting and processing ad storage.
There are literally hundreds of varieties worldwide used in the production of extra virgin olive oil, with varying level of yield and a wide variety of flavour profiles from the delicate and fruity, floral to the big spicy, bold and robust.
Whilst yields may vary enormously season to season, on average it takes 5kg of olive fruit to make just 1 litre of extra virgin olive oil.
You may come across olive oil labelled as "pure olive oil" "olive oil" or "light olive oil" on supermarket shelves. These are refined olive oils that have been treated and processed using heat and chemical means. They do not meet the strict quality standards of extra virgin olive oil.