L’extra virgin olive oil is essential on the table of Italians: a symbol par excellence of the Mediterranean diet. But beware, not all oils are the same, in fact nowadays it is easy to find poor quality or counterfeit products on the market. To ensure that consumers are always aware at the time of purchase, we provide this brief guide explaining how to recognize a good extra virgin olive oil through five key elements: the price, the label, the olfactory and taste test, and the characteristics of the bottle.
Okay, the price is right
The first thing that catches the eye when purchasing a product of any kind is undoubtedly the price. The cost tells us a lot about the value of what we want to buy. Regarding extra virgin olive oil, there is a minimum price per liter below which it would be advisable not to go, according to what is reported by Coldiretti. A good olive oil cannot cost less than 6/7 euros per liter. Behind a bottle of oil, there is a long supply chain that starts with labor and ends with labeling, passing through pest control treatments, maintenance of systems, and irrigation. Every step of this process has a cost, so the final price of olive oil cannot be too low. Therefore avoid ridiculous selling prices like the plague, perhaps passed off as unmissable offers: they undoubtedly hide a poor quality oil – obtained from overly ripe and damaged olives – chemically treated to correct aroma and flavor.
Knowing how to read the label
The second thing to do when purchasing a bottle of oil is to read the label but above all to learn to know and decipher all the wording that is reported on it. The more information there is, the better. Knowing, for example, where the olives come from, where they were pressed, where the oil was bottled, are all pieces of information that allow you to trace back to the name and place of the producer. Those who produce a good extra virgin olive oil have nothing to hide.
But what are the terms that allow us to recognize an excellent olive oil? Here they are:
- 100% Italian: meaning it must have been produced in Italy, extracted from olives grown in the same territory. This information is important for traceability
- Cold pressing or cold extraction: means that the temperature during crushing did not exceed 27 degrees, according to what is established by the European Community. Low temperatures prevent oxidation processes, which alter the flavor and quality of the oil. Conversely, high temperatures cause the oil to lose some of the organoleptic properties that distinguish it
- Mill or farm: within a farm or mill, the production of oil occurs differently than in large distributions. A mill or a small to medium enterprise independently controls all phases of the supply chain, from harvesting to bottling: this ensures greater safety and transparency
- Certifications such as D.O.P. and BIO: these are marks of guarantee and quality to protect the consumer.
A bottle that reports all these terms on the label undoubtedly contains excellent extra virgin olive oil. The oils Seena and Ruxia from the Sommariva mill are a perfect example.
The senses do not lie
You do not always have the opportunity to test an oil through sight, smell, and taste. But if you are given this opportunity, take advantage of it: there are many indicators that allow you to recognize a good extra virgin olive oil. Let's see what they are.
The eye also wants its part, but..
Can sight help us in cases like this? What criteria are effective and which are not?
- Color: it is not a judgment parameter on which to base the quality of an oil. It can have various shades, from bright green to straw yellow, but one rather than the other tells us nothing about its goodness
- Clarity: this is also not indicative. Both industrial oils and those produced in a mill are filtered: thus both appear clear and without residues
- Fluidity: it should be medium-low. A good oil is generally quite dense, so be wary of oils that are too liquid
A good nose does not lie
The olfactory test is very significant and important. How to do it correctly?
- Pour two tablespoons of oil into a small glass
- With one hand cover the glass, with the other warm it
- Once a higher temperature – of about 27 degrees – is reached, the oil should release all its fragrances, so bring the glass to your nose
A good oil emits a fruity aroma, of cut grass, with notes that vary from artichoke, to almond, to green apple. Similarly, any unpleasant odors should also be detected: smell of mold, rancid, or a hint of vinegar are signs of defects and therefore of poor quality of the oil in question.
The taste says a lot
This is undoubtedly a crucial moment that allows you to recognize a good extra virgin olive oil. To do it correctly, a technique called stripping is used. Here’s how to proceed:
- inhale air inside your mouth while keeping your teeth clenched
- put a small amount of oil in your mouth, passing it through your teeth while inhaling at the same time: this creates a sort of vaporizer that allows you to perceive the flavor in all its nuances
The characteristics of a quality oil are bitterness and spiciness. Responsible for the pungent flavor are polyphenols and tocopherols: their presence tells us that we are tasting a fresh oil, recently pressed, obtained through the milling of olives that have reached the right degree of ripeness. In addition to this, fruity, full-bodied, and enveloping notes can be perceived.
The extra virgin olive oil Maina signed by Sommariva has a fresh and fruity fragrance and a strong flavor that enhances the tastes without covering them. A true elixir of goodness and quality, perfect for cooking and accompanying every dish
Final details: the packaging, the cap, and the expiration date
Extra virgin olive oil is an enemy of light and heat, for this reason a dark bottle is capable of protecting it better from these atmospheric agents. The cap must be anti-drip to avoid mixing with other lower quality oils. The expiration date is an important piece of information that can suggest when the oil was produced, in fact it must be consumed within 18 months from the moment of bottling.
How to recognize a good olive oil in 5 simple steps
To summarize, do not trust prices that are too cheap, always read carefully the wording on the labels of the bottles, when possible do the olfactory and taste test and take a look at the characteristics of the bottle and the expiration date.