The Different Varieties of Olive Oil

Products like olive oil have to meet a certain set of standards to earn their name. Unfortunately, meeting the minimum standards sometimes qualifies an olive oil to be labeled as something it really isn't - like "extra virgin". First, let's figure out what extra virgin olive oil really is.

In order for an olive oil to be labeled as extra virgin, it must have an acidity of no more than 1%. It also must be created by the first pressing of the olives. To make a long story short, the first press is the very first batch of olive oil created from the same fruits - meaning that all olive oil after that press made with the same fruits will be a bit lighter and thinner, creating a possible need for additives. Some people will even add other types of oil to the olive oil, lessening it's quality, and obviously it's price. When you're using olive oil to cook foods that need a lot of attention and pure ingredients, you don't want to accidentally buy an "olive oil" that's 50% canola oil. (Find out more about a cold press and why the first press is so important here.)

Olive fruits that are a bit more ripe are used to make regular virgin olive oil, and sometimes what is referred to as "pure" olive oil. (There are also other varieties of "pure" olive oil that are simply just bottles of oil from the second or third press.) Virgin or regular olive oil has an acidity somewhere between 1.5% and 2%. These are not necessarily low quality olive oils at all, and in fact can be some of the best tasting considering many brands and companies label their product as "extra virgin" when it barely meets the standards. Don't be afraid to buy a cheaper olive oil that looks better to your naked eye - a healthy greenish oil in a smaller bottle is most often a good sign.

Plain old olive oil is, as I said, most often just oil from the second or third press of the olive fruits. Be sure to look at the label carefully, because above or below those big letters that say "Olive Oil" there could be a tiny word that could ruin the buy for you. (They make the words small for a reason.) These words are "refined", "pomace", and anything that's called "light" or "light tasting". Allow me to explain:

"Refined" olive oil has an acidity of about 3.5% or over. It doesn't smell very good when you use it to cook and it barely tastes like anything. When they say refined, they mean it - it's gone through as many chemical processes as it can. Olive pomace oil is literally treated in order to be edible by processes using thinners and solvents. Obviously, this is a low grade oil and do not fall into any hype companies might try to give this lesser product.

Light and light tasting olive oils are simply from the last presses of the fruit, or perhaps so far refined that they're barely an oil at all. It's not to say that there aren't companies putting out some high quality olive oil that tastes a bit lighter than others, but it's always best to check the label thoroughly. It's a good habit to visually inspect the brand of olive oil you plan to purchase, but you won't truly know it's quality until you use it yourself.

Helpful Facts at :
What's Cooking America -- All about Olive Oil
The Olive Oil Source -- Chemical Characteristics of Olive Oil