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Extra virgin olive oil the highest quality of olive oil.
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Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality of olive oil. It is the juice of the olive fruit, produced solely by mechanical means, without having undergone any chemical or other treatment. It is a unique, traditional, Mediterranean product whose quality is directly related to the cultivation method, the way and the time of harvest, the method of extraction and the way it is finally stored. What makes it valuable, compared to other vegetable oils, is its unparalleled taste combined with its high nutritional value.
The most striking of all, however, is that the aromatic notes and its remarkable bioactive properties come from 1-2% of its composition.
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Olive oil composition
98%
Saponified fraction
2%
Unsaponifiable fraction
Saponified fraction Olive oil composition is about 98-99% triglycerides, namely fatty acid compounds (about 20 different ones) with glycerol molecules, responsible for the greasy taste in the mouth, which we designate as saponified fraction. Olive oil is probably the only fatty substance which has as one of its main structural features, a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid. Oleic acid has the following properties:
• Protects gastric mucus, reduces secretion of hydrochloric acid
and the risk of gastric ulcer
• Reduces the secretory activity of pancreas and bile, improves bile
discharge through the gallbladder, prevents the formation of stones
in the bile, facilitates the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and calcium,
acting as a laxative during fasting and helps in chronic constipation
• Reduces the creation of bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduces the risk
of cardiovascular episodes
• Protects the product from rapid oxidation The factors which determine the oleic acid concentration in olive oil are the variety of the olive fruit to a significant extent and the climate conditions. 2
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Unsaponifiable fraction The remaining 1-2% of the olive oil composition, concerns the rest of the bioactive ingredients, consisting of more than 200 different compounds, which we designate as unsaponifiable fraction. Despite their small percentage, these components play an important biological role for the health of the human body and for the product itself. In addition, they are responsible for the main flavor and smelling properties (organoleptic characteristics) that are found in an olive oil. The main ones being: •
Sterols, predominantly β-sitosterol Several studies have shown that this particular sterol reduces the concentration of bad cholesterol (LDL). Other sterols are stigmasterol and campesterol.
•
Tocopherols, mainly the α-tocopherol (vitamin E) Tocopherols are fat-soluble vitamins and contribute to the stability of olive oil and to the defense of the human body. Apart from their vitamin effect, they are the most important antioxidants that protect our cells and tissues from inevitable aging as well as from degenerative diseases and cancer.
•
Hydrocarbons, the main component being squalene Hydrocarbons act as antioxidants and contribute both to the resistance of the oil and the defense of the human body. Research has shown that squalene reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) and protects against cancer.
•
Polyphenols or phenols, mainly tyrosol, hydroxy-tyrosol
and oleuropain, oleochantal The various phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil do not exist in other fats, making it a unique product and differentiating it from other inferior quality vegetable oils such as seed oils, sunflower oil and olive-pomace oil which are extracted by chemical and not mechanical means, as well as refined olive oils.
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“I am the daughter of the sun The dearest of all. For years the love of father Has kept me into this world. Until I fall dead, My eye keeps looking for him. I am the honoured olive tree”
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Kostis Palamas
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The «renowned» phenols determine the flavor of olive oil and depending on their concentration they are responsible for the intensity of its bitter and spicy taste. Consequently, olives with a high content of phenols are strongly bitter and spicy. Phenols are an integral part of the diet, act as natural antioxidants and protect olive oil from its normal oxidation process while at the same time the health of our body. Surveys, studies and measurable results for over 30 years on phenols in extra virgin olive oil and their effect in the health of the human body have shown the following significant benefits:
➤ Antioxidant action
➤ Anti-inflammatory action
➤ Protection of the cardiovascular system
➤ Positive effect on the immune system
➤ Positive effect on the central nervous system
➤ Action against cancer
With regard to the protection of the cardiovascular system, there is the European regulation 432/2012 (Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012), of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which states: «Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of the blood lipids from oxidative stress» (table 1).
Table 1: Extract of European regulation
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According to the health claim, a daily consumption of at least 5 mg (about 2 tablespoons) of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives is recommended in order to have a positive effect on cardiovascular diseases by reducing the peroxidation of blood lipids. As most of the phenolic compounds found in olive oil are located in the flesh of the fruit, the phenolic composition in an olive oil is largely determined by: ➤ the genetic characteristics of each variety
(it has been proven that there are varieties which produce a higher amount
of phenols)
➤ the ripening degree of the fruit at harvest (the more mature you collect
the fruit the less concentration in phenols)
➤ the climate and soil conditions ➤ the olive oil extraction process, especially during the crushing of the fruit
and the malaxation which follows (the temperature is key in both stages
as well as the duration of the malaxation)
In conclusion, the phenolic components of an olive oil are the result of enzymatic processes that are activated through the mechanical production process (during crushing and malaxation). •
Pigments, which determine the color of an olive oil
In particular, chlorophyll gives a bright green color, carotenoids give a yellow color and finally pheophytin which is a derivative of chlorophyll gives a dark green color. All olive oils contain carotenoid pigments and are therefore based on the yellow color. •
Volatile compounds, all the pleasant or unpleasant odors
that we perceive either with the nose or with the mouth
In an extra virgin olive oil there are various volatile compounds that characterize its aroma. The most important enzymatic process that produces the positive aromas in an extra virgin olive oil is that of lipoxygenase. It is a biochemical process that is activated during the crushing process of the fruit (only by mechanical means in the crusher). 6
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The crushing of the fruit is catalytic since during this process, in a few seconds only, are generated about 70% of volatile compounds that characterize the aroma of an olive oil. The factors determining the aromatic profile of an extra virgin olive oil are: ➤ to a significant extent the variety of the fruit ➤ the maturity of the fruit when harvested
(e.g., when the fruit is unripe we detect intense and complex
aromas of green grass while in a very mature fruit we may have
unpleasant or even no aromas)
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the duration and temperature of the fruit when harvested
and until it enters the crusher
➤ the type of crusher and, most importantly the temperature
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during the crushing process and when it exits the crusher (the
optimal temperature is between 18-23° C)
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Olive oil characteristics Quality Criteria
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The quality criteria for the right categorization of an olive oil derive from the chemical analysis and the organoleptic evaluation (smell and taste assessment, only for virgin olive oils) which determine and ensure its quality.
Chemical
Sensory
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Acidity
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Number of peroxides
evaluation concerns only
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Spectrophotometric UV test
the virgin olive oils (extra
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Organoleptic
virgin and virgin)
The International Olive Council (IOC) and Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 and its amendment on 11 October 2016, regarding the characteristics of olive oil, clearly determines criteria for categorizing each oil.
The table below serves as Annex 1 (page 11) in the above stated regulation:
Table 2: Annex 1 (EC) Νο1989/2003
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According to Annex 1 of the regulation, olive oils are categorized into 8 different categories according to some physico-chemical parameters such as:
Acidity, which is an important parameter for the qualitative evaluation of an olive oil. It is the content of olive oil in free fatty acids created by the enzyme lipase, which is found in the fruit.
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The factors that negatively affect acidity are:
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Overripe or injured fruit
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Fruit affected by the olive fruit fly
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Prolonged storage of the fruit after harvest
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and until the extraction process
Number of peroxides, where peroxides are chemical compounds generated by the effect of oxygen (oxidation).
Oxidation can be enzymatic (it is created during the olive oil extraction process by enzymes present in the olives) or chemical (it is created during the storage of olive oil after the olive oil extraction). The factors that negatively influence the number of peroxides are:
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➤ injured fruit during harvesting, storage
➤ olive oil contact with vegetable water
➤ light
➤ temperature
➤ oxygen
➤ traces of metallic elements
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Spectrophotometric UV test
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Indicator K232, demonstrates the storage conditions of an olive oil
Indicator K270, demonstrates how fresh an olive oil is
Indicator Delta-K, demonstrates cases of adulteration
by mixing different qualities of olive oil
The factors negatively affecting ultraviolet absorption are:
➤ air
➤ light
➤ temperature
➤ traces of metallic elements
Organoleptic evaluation, according to the IOC* standards, concerns only the virgin olive oils (extra virgin and virgin) and not the other
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categories listed in Table 1, such as refined olive oils and olive-pomace oils, which have not been produced with mechanical methods. The organoleptic assessment concerns the following:
•
It locates and describes the characteristics (positive or negative)
•
It is a necessary qualitative criterion for the classification of an olive oil
characteristics.
of an olive oil using the senses of smell and taste from a specialized tasting panel.
in the categories of extra virgin or virgin or lampante depending on its organoleptic
• •
It is equivalent to the other quality parameters and irreplaceable
It uses a group of selected, qualified testers (recognized by the IOC) to classify
virgin olive oils according to the perceived intensity of the predominant defect and the presence or not of fruity. *IOC standards are stated in document COI/T.20/Doc. No 15/Rev. 10 2018 Θετικά χαρακτηριστικά
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Organoleptic characteristics The organoleptic characteristics of an olive oil are divided into two categories as they derive from the general basic vocabulary of the IOC (IOC/T.20/Doc. No 15) and are incorporated in the EEC Regulation No 2568/91 and its amendments (Annex XII 1991/2568 / 2016 p.71).
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Positive attributes
Fruity Spicy
Bitter Negative attributes Fusty
Muddy Vegetable water
Musty-humid Cucumber
Grubby
Greasy
Wet wood Metallic
Figure 3: Organoleptic characteristics of olive oil
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Salty Rancid
Heated-burnt
Hay-wood
Winey-vinegary
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Fruity: It involves all olfactory sensations. It derives from healthy, fresh olive fruits and it is the first thing we can directly perceive through the nose. It is the most important attribute in the assessment process, because if it is not detected, an olive oil cannot be classified as extra virgin or virgin.
Bitter: Characteristic primary taste of olive oil obtained from green olives or olives turning colour. It results from the action of phenolic substances (mainly oleuropein) and we can perceive it, depending on its intensity, through the entrapped tasting nipples on the V region of the tongue. It gradually disappears after tasting and in no case can it be considered as a defect.
Spicy: Biting tactile sensation characteristic of early harvest olive oils deriving from olives that are still unripe. It results from the action of certain phenolic substances (mainly oleochantal), can be perceived in the entire oral cavity, starting with the pharynx, and gradually disappears after tasting.
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Negative attributes
Fusty: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil derived from fruit stacked in piles or stockpiled in poor conditions and in an advanced stage of anaerobic fermentation. Muddy: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil that has remained in contact with the sediment that precipitates in the tanks. Musty-humid: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil derived from olive fruits which are infected by fungi or are stored for long in a humid environment. Winey-vinegary: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil that reminds us of wine or vinegar. Rancid: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil that has undergone an intense process of oxidation. Metallic: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil that reminds us of metal, which comes from long-term contact of the olives with metal surfaces during the olive oil extraction or storage process. Heated-burnt: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil derived from high temperature or prolonged heating during the malaxation process. Vegetable water: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil resulting from fermentation due to its prolonged contact with the vegetable water of the mill.
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Cucumber: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil which has remained hermetically sealed in containers. Grubby: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil that comes from an olive fruit which has been badly affected by the grubs of the olive fly. Salty: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil derived from an olive fruit which has been preserved in saline. Greasy: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil that resembles petrol oil, lubricants or mineral oil and derives from the presence of residues of the above substances in the olive press machine. Hay-wood: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil derived from dehydrated olive fruit. Wet wood: Smell and taste characteristic of olive oil extracted from olives which have been injured by frost.
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Olive oil categories
Annex VII (Part VIII) of Regulation (EC) No 1308/2013, expressly provides descriptions and definitions of olive oils and olive-pomace oils, while the same regulation provides the marketing standards for the edible categories of olive oil sold within the countries of the European Union (category 1, 2, 5, 8).
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1 Extra virgin
Virgin
2
3
Processed
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Virgin
Edible Not edible
Intense defects
4
5 Refined olive oil
Mechanical Means
Olive oil
Refining
6 Crude olive-pomace oil
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7 Refined olive-pomace oil
Olive -Ελαιόλαδο pomace oil
Figure 4: Olive oil categories
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All olive oil categories (edible and non-edible) are analyzed as follows:
Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin
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It is the highest and most expensive category of oil which is obtained directly from the fruit of the olive, by mechanical means only, under conditions which do not degrade the product and which has not undergone any other processing (chemical or industrial). To put it in simple terms, it is the juice of the olive fruit that has a perfect aroma (mainly freshly sliced olive fruit) and a strong fruity taste with remarkable nutritional and beneficial properties for the human health.
In order to classify an olive oil as extra virgin, its acidity should not exceed 0,8%, its other chemical characteristics must comply with those laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91, and it must not have any organoleptic defect.
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Virgin
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Virgin olive oil It is of inferior quality than extra virgin, it is also obtained directly from the fruit of the olive, by mechanical means and has not undergone any other processing (chemical or industrial). The main difference with extra virgin is in the appearance of some negative attributes (defects) in its organoleptic characteristics capable of degrading it in quality.
In order for an olive oil to qualify as virgin, its acidity should not exceed 2%, its other chemical characteristics should comply with those laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 and its organoleptic defects must not exceed in intensity 2.5 units.
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Lampante
3
Lampante Lampante is a non-edible category of oil either because its acidity is rather high (more than 2%) or because its defects are so intense that it is unpleasant to the nose and the mouth.
For such an oil to become edible, it must first undergo a process called refining.
In order for an oil to qualify as lampante, its acidity should exceed 2%, its other chemical characteristics should comply with those laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 and its organoleptic defects must exceed 3.5 units.
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Refined olive oil
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Refined olive oil Refined olive oil is a category of oil that is still not edible (in EU countries)*, and is obtained from the refining of defective olive oils belonging to category 3.
The main stages of refining are: neutralization of acidity (with caustic soda) neutralization - deodorization of disturbing aromas and unpleasant taste (in vacuum and temperatures above 250°C) discoloration (in vacuum with activated carbon) Conditions during the process of refining an oil adversely affect its characteristics and quality. When the refining phase is completed, the resulting oil is odorless, colorless and tasteless. *(In markets, mainly in the American continent, it is considered edible and it is marketed under names like light olive oil or extra light olive oil)
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Olive oil
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Olive oil Under EU law, in order for a refined olive oil to be released on the market, a small percentage of virgin or extra virgin olive oil should be added to it so that its taste, color and aroma can slightly improve. «Olive oil» is therefore a category of oil derived from the blending of refined olive oil (category 4) with a small percentage of extra virgin or virgin (category 1 or 2) so that it becomes edible. It is inferior to the virgin quality (category 2) and exhibits defects in both aroma and taste. It is however better than the various seed oils available on the market.
In order for an oil to qualify as ‹olive oil›, its acidity should not exceed 1% and its other chemical characteristics should comply with those laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91.
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Crude olive-pomace oil Crude olive-pomace oil is a category of oil obtained from the core of the olive after chemical treatment and is not edible.
Crude olivepomace oil
In order to become edible, such an oil should first go through the refining process.
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Refined olive-pomace oil Refined olive-pomace oil is a category of oil that is not edible and is obtained from the refining of crude olive-pomace oils belonging to category 6.
Refined olive-pomace oil
When the refining phase is completed, the resulting oil is neutral (odorless, colorless, tasteless and acid-free). 24
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Olive-pomace oil Based on EU legislation, in order for a refined olive-pomace oil to be released on the market, a small percentage of virgin or extra virgin must be added to it so that the taste, color and
Olive-pomace Ελαιόλαδο oil
aroma can slightly improve.
Thus, ‹olive-pomace oil› is a category of oil which comes from the blending of refined olive-pomace oil (category 7) with a small percentage of extra virgin or virgin (category 1 or 2) in order for it to become edible. It is inferior in quality to «olive oil» (category 5), but it is better than all the seed oils available on the market as it keeps its basic composition and main structural feature of monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid.
In order for an oil to qualify as ‹olive-pomace oil›, its acidity should not exceed 1% and its other chemical characteristics should be in line with those laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91. 25