How to recognize good olive oil?

Golden like the light of Mediterranean countries: extra virgin olive oil is not only one of the fundamental elements of Italian cuisine but a true natural medicine recognized for centuries by entire civilizations.

In classical Greece, athletes would anoint their bodies to escape their opponent's grip, but it was primarily used in ordinary gestures to be more pleasing.
Mixed with aromatic herbs, it retained their scent and beneficial essences, releasing beneficial substances such as those derived from the action of polyphenols, which allowed athletes to have greater stamina.

The presence of olive trees in Italy dates back approximately twenty million years, a date that was established thanks to the fossilized remains of a tree found near Livorno. Humanity, however, probably encountered the olive tree much earlier and elsewhere.

Traces of it are found on the island of Crete from 5000 BC to 1400 BC and subsequently in Syria, Palestine, and Israel.
The historian Pliny claimed that Italy had "the best olive oil in the Mediterranean" as early as the 1st century BC.
Thanks to the network of exchanges and trade between Mediterranean countries, knowledge regarding the processing of the fruits also began to spread and expand into southern Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt. Until 1500 BC, Greece, particularly Mycenae, had the most widely cultivated area.
With the expansion of Greek colonies, olive cultivation reached southern Italy and North Africa in the 8th century BC, then spread to southern France. During the Roman Empire, olive trees were planted throughout the Mediterranean basin.

As strange as it may seem today, during the classical age, the application of olive oil also met the demands and needs of medicine: for example, it was a remedy against livestock diseases, an element in the treatment of poisoning cases, and against digestive tract disorders, infections, itching, and plant or insect bites, a soothing agent in cases of burns. Oil was also used in city life, where it fueled the lighting of homes, public places, and temples, and as a beauty product to soften the skin.

Today, Italy and Spain compete for the title of major olive oil producers, followed by Greece. In Italy, there are approximately 30 varieties of olives that become extra virgin with unique characteristics identified by quality certifications.

What are the characteristics of an excellent oil?

To avoid counterfeits, it is necessary to be able to evaluate three fundamental aspects in oil analysis: color, taste, and flavor. If you are not an expert taster with a trained palate, here's how to recognize extra virgin olive oil in a few simple steps:

Visual analysis considers the color of the oil.

1. If it has a dark green color, it comes from unripe olives: it is an oil with extraordinary nutritional properties.
2. If it has a bright golden yellow color, it comes from ripe olives.
3. If it has a light yellow, almost transparent color, it is a low-quality oil.

Another indicator is density. If it has little consistency and body, it could be old or altered oil.

Taste analysis

1. On the palate, a good oil should be slightly bitter and pungent.
2. Depending on the degree of olive ripeness, blend selection, and cultivars, it presents varying hints:
   fruity
   sweet
   round
   harmonious

Olfactory Analysis

Anyone bringing an oil sample to their nose can perceive its scent. If it is a good extra virgin, we will smell that characteristic odor given by the freshness of the olives with notes of fresh grass. That slight tingling sensation sometimes felt during oil tasting indicates low acidity and recent olive processing.

A bad odor is the first sign of a very poor oil.

How to recognize a substandard oil?

Did you know that at least 7 kg of olives are needed to produce one liter of oil?
The high consumption of extra virgin olive oil and production costs mean that it is the most counterfeited product on the food market. For it to be healthy, it must derive from proper fruit pressing, and must not be extracted using chemical or industrial processes or mixed with other oils.