Study Shows Many “Extra Virgin” Olive Oils Aren’t Truly Extra Virgin

I have read a lot of claims about the bottles in the supermarket labeled extra virgin olive oil. We know that extra virgin olive oil is a good fat, especially when left unheated, but is the greenish liquid in these bottles truly extra virgin olive oil?

It turns out the short answer is no. I received an email recently from Chris Kerston of Chaffin Family Orchards, a farm passionate about growing fruits and olives beyond organic standards. That email linked to a UCDavis study done last month, July 2010.

This study, done by the Institute for Wine and Food Service, finds "Tests indicate that imported “extra virgin”olive oil often fails international and USDA standards." Well, what does that mean exactly?

Basically they performed sensory (smell) tests indicating a rancid of musty order. They then corroborated this with chemical data in 86% of the sensory cases. Page two of the study states the following:

Our chemical testing indicated that the samples failed extra virgin standards for reasons that include one or more of the following:

• oxidation by exposure to elevated temperatures, light, and aging;

• adulteration with cheaper refined olive oil;

• poor quality oil made from damaged and overripe olives, processing flaws, and/or improper oil storage.

If you skip to page eight of the study you will find a handy table listing many common brands and under the heading "sensory" you can determine whether it is considered extra virgin or not. I’d go read the whole study, though, for final conclusions.

Just one more reason to buy from a trusted source. The best remedy is always to know where your food comes from. 

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