How to recognize if extra virgin olive oil is fake or low quality

Food products made in Italy are They are among the most wanted in the world. Their richness in terms of biodiversity, tradition and the search for high quality standards, as demonstrated by the numerous Italian regulations, make them highly coveted and in demand.

Among all products, oil Olive oil, the "king" of Mediterranean cuisine, is one of the most sought-after products, but also one of the most counterfeited in the world. In fact, it is not uncommon for bottles of foreign non-extra virgin oil to be sold through Italian or counterfeit brands, or oils produced with imported olives, of very low quality, which are often colored and mixed with beta-carotene and chlorophyll. to hide the bad taste. .

The authentic olive oil extra virgin, if it is such and is not Mixed or "adjusted" with other oils, solvents and additives, it is the most powerful antioxidant that exists. On the contrary, if unsafe oil is consumed for a long time, it can become a real health risk.

Unfortunately extra virgin olive oil , due to its high production cost (between 5 and 7 kg of olives are needed to obtain one liter of oil), it is the most counterfeited product on the food market.
The first warning sign for the consumer is the price of the oil: to be a good olive oil Extra virgin cannot cost less than 6.50-7 euros per liter. A lower figure, in fact, does not even cover the costs of collection and production and may indicate poor quality and uncertain origin of the oil.

Always read the label.

Reading the label is the first step to recognize the origin and quality of the oil. In fact, the origin of the oil must be present: community, non-community, attributable to mixtures of community or non-community oils. However, this data is not always indicated. In this case, the recommendation is to check the production and expiration date of the oil, preferring products from more recent production and favoring those from new vintages. The presence of the DOP mark is another endorsement, because it is synonymous with a certain origin.

Inclusion on the label of the extraction method (preferably if it is "cold extraction"), of the nutritional table and of symbols attributable to consortia of producers and distributors, allows the consumer to better understand the product. Therefore, in general, the more detailed the label is, the more the level of security increases.

The main characteristics of a quality olive oil

Learn to recognize olive oil Good quality extra virgin in an increasingly sophisticated and global market is not easy. Knowing the main characteristics certainly helps to distinguish a well-made oil from one of poor quality.

The first recognition of EVO oil ( extra virgin olive oil) is the visual. Generally, if there are no counterfeits, a green oil indicates that it has been made from green olives (also called "green" oil), while if it is golden yellow it comes from more ripe olives. If, on the other hand, it is pale yellow and transparent, it comes from poor quality olives.

To evaluate the flavor, instead , you must pay attention to the nuances of flavor. A good EVO oil should have a slightly bitter and spicy taste. It should also be slightly fruity, although the perception varies depending on the maturity of the olives, the cultivar of origin and the type of olive.

Finally, to recognize a good oil EVO, the sense of smell can come to our rescue. The oil should give off the characteristic smell of fresh olives, while if it smells bad or has no smell it means that it has been poorly stored or made with poor quality olives or that the oil has been damaged. in poor condition.

The best tool to recognize an oil quality, therefore, continue to be our senses and especially the palate.

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