Olive Oil Expert

•Olive Oil production cycle •Olive Oil quality •Faq

Olive Oil quality
Once the olive oil production is finished, the oil must pass through a complex analysis which determines its quality. Olive oil is the only food product that is classified by law according both to sensory and compositional analysis.

In 1991 a European Community standard was introduced: EEC regulation 2568 relating to the characteristics of olive oil. This standard establishes that olive oil must be tasted according to the rigid standards and regulations of the "Panel Test" that is carried out by a group of at least 8 professional tasters and 1 chief.
The different categories of olive oil are classified according to their acidity, peroxides and other parameters.
Olive oil controls are periodically reviewed and renewed by the International Olive Oil Council, the European Commission and the Codex Alimentare. In general the sensorial analysis has three stages: visual, aroma, and taste.

Visual Analysis
This is carried out by holding up an olive oil bottle to the light, for the tester to look at three main features: clarity: which is obtained by filtration; density: the quality difference between a dense or a freely running oil is purely subjective color: the difference between a green oil or a yellowish oil depends on the origin and the ripeness and of the olives.

Aromatic Analysis
This is carried out by repeatedly breathing in sharply and deeply, with a long pause between each breath, as our sense of smell tends to get used to a scent.

Taste Analysis
The organoleptic evaluation of olive oil is achieved by taste tests that follow the rules above. The taster holds a little olive oil in his mouth, tasting its quality in a highly professional and skilful manner, in order to discern the various oil characteristics. The main parameters that identify the best oils are fruity, green, bitter, spicy and sweet qualities.