How to Read the Olive Oil Label

When looking at the label of a quality olive oil, a lot of information is displayed - and at time some is missing. A small summary on what to look out for and what it really means - but remember .....

The cost of an organic extra virgin olive oil will always be higher than a non-organic. It is a superior product that has not been tainted by chemicals or pesticides.

"Max. Acidity 0.3%": This refers to the proportion of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid: the lower the acidity, the finer the oil, up to a point. The difference between two and three hundredths of 1%, for example, is indistinguishable. Remember, if the label says "Extra Virgin", the acidity of the oil must be less than 0.8%. High acidity is produced when the oil is made of the olives that have dropped from the tree and have burst open on the ground; or if the fruit is stored too long before pressing. However if it is less than 0.3% (three-tenths of one percent), the consumer is in the presence of perfection.

"First pressing": The olives were only pressed once and hence only the best quality oil was extracted. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is ALWAYS first press.

"Cold Pressed": This means that during the milling process, no thermal processes were carried out. Applying heat (or hot water) can yield more oil from the olives, but obviously has on effect on the flavour and quality of the oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is ALWAYS cold pressed

"Filtered" or "Non-Filtered": If the label says, "unfiltered", it means that the oil has been left to naturally decanter and remaining sediments will slowly settle on the bottom on the storage tank before bottling. A light deposit might be present at the bottom of the bottle. If the label says "filtered", the oil has undergone a filtering process to remove all minute particles of olive.

"Produced by": A single producer or is the oil a blend of many - if the producer is even mentioned. Quality producers are usually proud of their own products and will always have their name on the label.

"The colour of the bottle": A dark bottle is by far preferred as it protects the oil from alterations caused by light. Leaving some oil in a transparent jar and exposed to light or near a source of heat for a couple of days for instance, will alter the taste of the oil immediately.

"Organic Farming": If written and with the EU logo for organic farming indicates that the olives have been grown and the oil produced according to the strict guidelines issued by the EU, and continuously inspected by the local representatives. A superiour product, free from pesticides.



The price of extra-virgin olive oil varies greatly. Two factors are influential: where the olives are grown and which harvesting methods are implemented. Certain locations yield more bountiful harvests; consequently their oil is sold for less. Olive trees planted near the sea can produce up to 20 times more fruit than those planted inland, in hilly areas like Tuscany, however it is in these land-locked areas that the olive trees' habitat is pushed to the extreme (like here in Tuscany). If the conditions were just a little more severe, the trees would not survive. Extra-virgin oils produced from these trees have higher organoleptic scores - ie more of the good stuff!!!

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