Learn all about olive oil

True Oil can be filtered naturally by decantation, or by using cellulose to catch any vegetable particles. A filtered oil will be clear, while an unfiltered oil will be cloudy and have a stronger taste. The vegetable remains in an unfiltered oil accelerate the degradation process. These oils should be consumed soon after the harvest, otherwise they become rancid.

False Each olive variety has unique characteristics, making for a wide aromatic palette to suit every consumer's taste. In any region of the world where olive are grown, excellent oils can be produced. There is no truth in claims that oils from a particular country are superior to another's. In fact, we could say that each olive variety is "innocent," and that the quality of an oil is determined by the producer's know-how. We should focus our attention on producers from the start.

True There is a demonstrated correlation between the intensity of an oil's bitterness and pungency and its richness in antioxidants. In other words, the more bitter and pungent an oil is, the healthier it is. Polyphenol content, calculated in mg/kg, depends on a multitude of factors such as the variety and ripeness of the olives, climate conditions and agricultural practices. A number of scientific studies on the Mediterranean diet suggest that the polyphenols found in olive oil provide a range of health benefits: they absorb free radicals, have a positive effect on heart disease and some forms of cancer, and also act and anti-inflammatories.

False The oil should not necessarily taste like ripe olives, the same way wine does not taste like grapes. In fact, a black olive tapenade taste is a sign that the oil is fusty (fermented). A fusty oil was produced with olives in an advanced state of anaerobic fermentation or has been in contact with olive paste residue left on the inner surface of the equipment.

True Early in the season, all olives are invariably green. They only turn black if they are left to ripen. There are 1,552 olive varieties. Over 400 are grown in Italy alone. Here are the five most widely grown varieties in the world, with their country of origin: 1. PICUAL (SPAIN), 2. FRANTOIO (ITALY), 3. ARBEQUINA (SPAIN), 4. KORONEIKI (GREECE), 5. LECCINO (ITALY).

True Since the polyphenol content in olives naturally decreases with ripening, a late or early harvest has an influence on the proportion of polyphenols found in an oil. Green olives picked early in the season yield a smaller volume of oil, but this oil will be intensely fruity, with a bitter finish characteristic of an early harvest, and richer in antioxidants. Ripe olives, on the contrary, yield a greater quantity of oil, with more delicate fruity aromas and a lower antioxidant content. This oil will also sell for a lower price. In short, paying less means getting a lower quality oil.

False False. All olive oils with an "extra virgin" designation are not of the same quality. Premium oils have a fresher taste, a higher antioxidant content and a greater tolerance to heating. When faced with a store display filled with bottles at various price points, consumers can only feel perplexed. Although the standards of the International Olive Council (IOC) rate them in the same category, these "extra virgin" oils are very different in terms of olive ripeness, freshness, aromatic complexity, origin, antioxidant (polyphenol) content and resistance to frying temperatures. We believe the time has come for the IOC to redefine the criteria that make an "extra virgin" olive oil. Stricter parameters would help consumers understand why some oils are more expensive than others and make an informed choice, with full knowledge of the facts.

False Since modern equipment makes it possible to extract the near-totality of the oil from the olives on the first pressing, a second pressing has become unnecessary. The "First cold pressed" mention is therefore no longer an indication of quality. As a matter of fact, most oil producers have stopped including it on their labels.

False According to the North American Olive Oil Association, this DIY test is completely false and misleading. While it is true that the waxes and long-chain fatty acids found in extra virgin olive oil become solid at a low temperature, it is just as true that the proportion of these components varies hugely from one oil to the next. For instance, a Favuzzi Intense extra virgin olive oil made from Coratina olives, which have a low wax content (30 mg/kg), will solidify much more slowly than an oil made with Arbequina olives, which have a higher wax content (130 mg/kg). It is a fact that refined oils do not coagulate in the cold, but it is also true that some varieties of olive oil do not coagulate in the cold either. The "fridge test" would be effective if all extra virgin olive oils contained 100% monounsaturated fats and all other oils contained 100% polyunsaturated fats, but in reality, all oils generally contain a combination of fats. Even blended with a bit of canola oil, an extra virgin olive oil can solidify in the fridge and pass the test, when it is no longer pure.