OLIVE OIL

We asked Nancy Ash, one of the most respected tasting experts in the U.S. to write this page for The Olive Oil
Source. We think it is the best description of tasting olive oil we have read. Here is what she recommends.
INTRODUCTION
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then how many words is a taste worth? In order to appreciate the range of
flavors in olive oils, one must go beyond reading about oil and be willing to experience the act of tasting it. Flavors
in olive oil are determined by a wide range of factors including the type of olive (varietal), ripeness at harvest,
growing conditions (climate, soil type), crop maintenance (irrigation, pest control), handling of fruit from tree to
mill, and the milling process itself. For example, oil made from predominantly unripe (green) olives contain flavors
described as grassy, artichoke, or tomato leaf, whereas riper olives tend to yield softer flavors often described as
buttery, floral, or tropical. The above descriptions are associated with good olive oil quality, but trained tasters
also learn to identify negative characteristics. Flavor defects in olive oil are associated with problems with the olive
fruit (olive fly, frozen conditions), improper handling of olives during harvest (dirt, wet fruit, prolonged storage
prior to milling), certain milling conditions (unsanitary equipment, excessive heat), and improper or prolonged
storage after milling (oxidation). An oil that is determined to have flavor defects is not of genuine extra virgin
quality; according to the International Olive Council extra virgin oils must meet both chemical and organoleptic
(flavor) standards that include the absence of flavor defects. The first step in learning how to taste olive oil is to
understand how our senses work. Perception of flavor relies on both our senses of taste and smell. The ability to
taste is quite limited; receptors on our tongue can only discern sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and umami (the flavor of
protein). All other information that we think of as flavor is actually perceived by smelling food through the back of
our nostrils (retro-nasally) while it is in our mouths. To illustrate this fact, think about how little flavor we perceive
when we have a cold this is because one cannot smell food retro-nasally when ones nose is stuffed up.

TASTING
When tasting olive oil, much of the oils characteristics are perceived through the sense of smell. Though most
people enjoy olive oil with other foods, the following steps allow us to focus on the olive oils flavor without
distraction:

Pour a small amount of oil (about 1 tablespoon) into a small tapered (wine) glass.
Hold the glass in one hand and use your other hand to cover the glass while swirling the oil to release its aroma.
Uncover the glass and inhale deeply from the top of the glass. Think about whether the aroma is mild or strong.
You may want to write down descriptions of the aromas that you detect at this point.
Next you slurp the oil; this is done by sipping a small amount of oil into your mouth while sipping some air as
well. (When done correctly, you will make that impolite noise that would cause you to be scolded when you were
a child!) Slurping emulsifies the oil with air that helps to spread it throughout your mouth - giving you the chance
to savor every nuance of flavor with just a small sip of oil.
Finish by swallowing the oil and noticing if it leaves a stinging sensation in your throat.
Each of the above actions focuses our attention on a specific positive attribute in the oil. First we evaluate the olive
fruit aroma (fruitiness) by inhaling from the glass. When the oil is in our mouths we further evaluate the aroma
retro-nasally as well as determine amount of bitterness on our tongues. Lastly we determine the intensity of the
oils pungency in our throats as we swallow it. Perhaps you noticed that the oils color is not addressed during
sensory assessment. The reason is that contrary to the common belief that golden oil is mild and dark green oil is
robust, color is NOT an indicator of either the oils flavor or quality. In fact, in scientific assessments, we sample
from specially designed blue glasses that obscure the color of the oil. Tasting from a dark glass prevents us from
having preconceptions about the flavor of the oil before we actually smell or taste it.

TRY THIS EXERCISE

Once you are comfortable with the above tasting method, try the following exercise. Select three oils labeled as
extra virgin, including an inexpensive imported brand from the supermarket. In between samples, clean your
palate by eating a small piece of tart, green apple (preferably Granny Smith) and then rinsing your mouth with
water. Consider the following as you evaluate each sample:

Is the aroma pleasant or unpleasant?

Is the aroma mild, strong, or somewhere in the middle (well call that medium)? When assessing the second and
third oils, note if the aromas intensity is weaker or stronger than the previous sample.
Note 3 words (or phrases) that describe the aroma.
Is the oil bitter, which is primarily sensed towards the back of the tongue? Would you describe the bitterness as
mild, medium or strong? Is the intensity of the bitterness in balance with the intensity of the aroma?
When you swallow the oil, how does it feel in your throat? Did the oil leave a mild impression, or did it sting your
throat or make you cough? Is the intensity of the oils pungency in balance with the oils aroma and bitterness?
When you have completed the above exercise, take a few moments to review your notes. What were the
characteristics that you enjoyed the most? Were there any characteristics that you didnt enjoy? How did the
supermarket brand compare to the other oils? Even without an experienced taster sharing their thoughts about
the oils with you, there is much you can learn by tasting olive oils on your own. Using this same tasting method,
you can sample another set of oils on another day, and still be able to compare your responses to the first set; this
is how we build our personal olive oil vocabulary. You will begin to recognize flavors and may even discover
which varietals produce the flavors you prefer. You will learn to compare the level of intensity for fruity aroma,
bitterness and pungency, and will begin to identify oils as mild, medium and robust (intense). Its a good idea to
organize your tasting notes in a binder so you can review your past tasting experiences with new ones. Worldwide
over 1,000 varieties of olives are grown, which should give consumers a wide range of flavor possibilities. Taste is
personal, so not everyone will agree on which varietals, and other factors, produce the best oil. However, tasting
oils in a methodical fashion will help to educate your palate, and you will be able to select oils with flavor
characteristics that you enjoy and enhance your meals. (tasting) assessment of olive oil in order to determine an
oils quality and commercial trade value. This assessment method is based on panels of trained tasters recognizing
the absence and/or presence of specific positive and negative (defective) attributes. (Click here for IOC
definitions.) While the IOC assessment offers an objective method to determine if an oil has defective flavors or
not, this method does not allow for descriptions of flavors because descriptive language is subjective. We offer the
following terms, with positives in green and negatives in red, to help guide you through your own tasting
experiences.
Red refers to undesirable, green to desirable traits.

Apple/Green Apple: indicative of

certain olive varietals
Almond: nutty (fresh not oxidized)
Artichoke: green flavor
Astringent: puckering sensation in
mouth created by tannins; often
associated with bitter, robust oils
Banana: ripe and unripe banana
fruit
Bitter: considered a positive
attribute because it is indicative of
fresh olive fruit
Buttery: creamy, smooth sensation
on palate
Eucalyptus: aroma of specific olive
varietals
Floral: perfume/aroma of flowers
Forest: fresh aroma reminiscent of
forest floor, NOT dirty
Fresh: good aroma, fruity, not
oxidixed
Fruity: refers to the aroma of fresh
olive fruit, which is perceived
through the nostrils and retronasally when the oil is in ones
mouth.
Grass: the aroma of fresh-cut
(mowed) grass
Green/Greenly: aroma/flavor of
unripe olives
Green Tea: characteristic of some
unripe olive varieties
Harmonious: balance among the
oils characteristics with none

Acetone: aroma of nail polish

remover, associated with winey
defect
Blue Cheese: aroma associated
with muddy sediment defect
Brine: salty taste indicating that
oil was made from brined olives
Bacon: smoky essence that may
indicate oxidation
Burnt/Heated: caused by
processing at too high a
temperature
Cucumber: off flavor from
prolonged storage, particularly
in tin
Dirty: oils which have absorbed
unpleasant odors and flavors of
dirty waste water during milling
Dreggish: odor of warm
lubricating oil caused by the
poor execution of the decanting
process
Esparto: refers to straw-like
material in mats occasionally
used in older mills that may
create a hemp-like flavor in oil
Fiscolo: refers to coconut fibers
in mats occasionally used in
older mills that may create a
hemp-like flavor in oil
Flat/Bland: oils which have no
positive or negative aroma or
flavor characteristic of olive oil;
may indicate presence of
refined olive oil
Frozen/Wet Wood: sweet, dry,
and untypical aroma/flavor
derived from olives which have
been exposed to freezing

overpowering the others

temperatures

Hay/Straw: dried grass flavor

Fusty: anaerobic fermentation

that occurs when olives are
stored in piles too long before
milling

Herbaceous: unripe olive fruit

reminiscent of fresh green herbs
Melon: indicative of certain olive
varietals
Mint: indicative of certain olive
varietals
Pear: indicative of certain olive
varietals
Peach: indicative of certain olive
varietals
Peppery: stinging sensation in the
throat which can force a cough (see
pungent)
Pungent: stinging sensation in the
throat which can force a cough (see
peppery)
Ripely: aroma/flavor of ripe olive
fruit
Round/Rotund: a balanced,
mouth-filling sensation of
harmonious flavors
Spice: aroma/flavor of seasonings
such as cinnamon, allspice (but not
herbs or pepper)
Sweet: characteristic of mild oils
Tomato/Tomato Leaf: indicative of
certain olive varietals
Tropical: indicative of ripe olive
fruit with nuances of melon,
mango, and coconut
Walnut/Walnut Shell: nutty (fresh

Greasy: flavor of diesel or

gasoline caused by equipment
problems
Grubby: flavor imparted to oil
by olive fly damage to olives
Hay-wood: flavor of dried
olives
Muddy Sediment:barnyard-like
aroma caused by olives'
prolonged contact with dirt
before or after milling
Musty: moldy, humid flavor
created by wet olives that have
been stored too long before
pressing
Metallic: oils that have had
prolonged contact with reactive
metal surfaces either during
processing or storage
Rancid: the flavor of oxidation
that occurs as the oil ages,
often described as stale nuts
Rough: pasty, thick, greasy
mouth feel
Sour Milk: aroma associated
with muddy sediment defect
Stale Nuts: flavor of oxidized
oils, rancidity
Unbalanced: oils with
overwhelming flavors of
bitterness and pungency
Vegetable Water: oils that have

not oxidized)
Wheatgrass: strong flavor of some
green olive fruit
Woody: indicative of olive varietals
with large pits

been stored in contact with the

water content of the olive after
processing
Winey: sour/vinegary flavor
caused by aerobic fermentation
of olives during processing (see
vinegary)
Vinegary: sour/vinegary flavor
caused by aerobic fermentation
of olives during processing. (see
winey)
Yeasty: aroma of bread dough;
associated with winey defect

Olive Oil Tasting Sheets

IOC Organoleptic Profile (Assessment) Sheet
Mario Solinas Quality Award Sensory Assessment Sheet
University of California Cooperative Extension Tasting Sheet
University of California at Davis Olive Oil Taste Panel
University of California Cooperative Extension Panel Results Example
These are different tasting sheets that are used to evaluate olive oils.
IOC ORGANOLEPTIC PROFILE (ASSESSMENT) SHEET
This is the official scoring sheet used by IOC recognized panels. In objective assessments, tasters serve as the
scientific instrument that measures specific attributes (properties) in oil samples. When a taster perceives an
attribute, he/she marks the line according to the attributes intensity beginning with zero at the left and continuing
across the line to the right for higher intensities. Upon completion of the tasting, the marks are measured in
centimeters to create the tasters score, which is then compared with other tasters to create an aggregate panel
score. PDF of International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) Profile Sheet


MARIO SOLINAS QUALITY AWARD SENSORY ASSESMENT SHEET
The Mario Solinas Competition is sponsored each year by the IOC. This scoring sheet is used for the subjective

assessment of oil samples as tasters score qualities such as the harmony/balance and complexity of flavors, which
are not scientific concepts. In this assessment method, a perfect score is 100 with up to 35 points awarded for the
oils aroma, 45 points for the oils flavor (including retro-nasal aroma), and the final 20 points split between
complexity and persistence (how long the flavor lingers in ones mouth). Although there is only one Mario Solinas
Competition each year, this assessment sheet is used by several other competitions throughout the world. PDF of
Mario Solinas Quality Award of the International Olive Council International Competition for Extra Virgin Olive Oils
Sensory Assessment Sheet


UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION TASTING SHEET
Paul Vossen, the panel leader for the University of California Cooperative Extension Olive Oil Research Taste Panel,
has developed an assessment method that combines the objective scoring of attributes with the subjective
designation of descriptions of the oil. This is the tasting sheet the panel uses. An example of the results is shown
below. PDF of University of California Cooperative Extension 15 Point Olive Oil Profile Sheet


UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS OLIVE OIL TASTE PANEL
PDF of University of California at Davis Olive Oil Taste Panel

COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL

Olive oil has been used for thousands of years in cooking and is one of the cornerstones of the
healthy Mediterranean diet. It is very versatile and, with its unique flavor and aroma, has become a must-have in
the American kitchen. Different olive oils complement different foods and uses. Olive oil can be used for sauting,
browning, stir-frying, deep frying, as an ingredient in marinades and sauces such as mayonnaise, pesto, or
romesco, and as a condiment, drizzled over various dishes. It is of course always appreciated as a bread dipper or
simply dabbed on a toasted piece of country bread that has been scratched with a clove of garlic. Think about
olive oil as you would of wine. Use different olive oils for different purposes. Strong and robust extra virgin olive
oils can be used for cooking fish, meat, to make marinades, or to drizzle on strongly flavored ingredients like
peppers or garlic. A medium intensity, well-rounded extra virgin olive oil is great on mozzarella or for bread
dipping. We love it in vinaigrette or sprinkled on various steamed vegetables and on baked potatoes. A mellow late
harvest oil could be used in baking a cake or to make mayonnaise. Olive oil orvirgin olive oil are good for frying and
sauting. Excessively heating olive oil will evaporate the alcohols and esters that make up its delicate taste and
fragrance. Use a less expensive olive oil that doesn't have much flavor to begin with if you want to fry with it, add a
more flavorful olive oil after cooking or at the table. In the end, what matters most is your personal taste! Keep in
mind, however, that a tablespoon of olive oil has roughly 120 calories. See our recipes for various dishes prepared
with olive oil. We get a lot of questions about how long olive oil lasts and what the best way to preserve it is, as
well as what happens to olive oil when it is heated. For detailed information about these two subjects, see our two
pages Keeping Olive Oil Fresh and Heating Olive Oil.
KEEPING OLIVE OIL FRESH
When olive oil is exposed to oxygen, light, and heat, it is subject to oxidation and may become rancid. Proper
storage can prevent this. Depending on the quality of the oil and on how it was made, extra virgin olive oil in a
sealed bottle may last from 3 months to 2 years.Click here for a more detailed discussion of storage conditions and
rancidity. As soon as you open the bottle, the oxidation process accelerates and the oil will degrade fairly rapidly.
Make sure you keep your oil in a closed bottle, in a dark container or closet, away from sources of heat like your
stove. You do not have to refrigerate it, although refrigeration will not hurt the oil. Buying your oil in bulk is a great
way to save money. If you do so, the best way to preserve it is to keep it in a stainless steal container, called fusti.
Fusti are an excellent way to preserve olive oil. For even better preservation, you can top your fusti off with inert
gasfrom a small spray can. If you are using a regular bulk container, try not to open it too often. Fill a couple of
bottles for day-to-day use and leave the bulk container carefully closed the rest of the time.
HEATING OLIVE OIL
HEATING OLIVE OIL AND SMOKE POINT
One of the questions we are asked most often is what happens when olive oil is heated and/or used for frying. The
important thing about cooking with any oil (olive or otherwise) is not to heat the oil over its smoke point (also
referred to as smoking point). The smoke point refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to
break down. The substance smokes or burns, and gives food an unpleasant taste. But what is the smoke point of
olive oil? Depending on where you look for an answer, you may get vastly different ideas.
Relationship between Smoke Point and Quality of Olive Oil
The smoke point of oil varies with its quality. High quality extra virgin olive oils (with low free fatty acids) have a
high smoke point. They are an excellent choice, but an expensive one. Mass produced, low quality olive oils have a
much lower smoke point. At the Olive Oil Source, we believe that extra virgin olive oil smokes roughly between
400 and 365F (204 and 185C) depending on its free fatty acid content. Here is what the International Olive Oil
Council (IOOC) has to say about frying food with olive oil: When heated, olive oil is the most stable fat, which
means it stands up well to high frying temperatures. Its high smoke point (410F or 210C) is well above the ideal

temperature for frying food (356F or 180C). The digestibility of olive oil is not affected when it is heated, even
when it is re-used several times for frying As a reference point, the table from the IOOC shows standard cooking
temperatures:
Type of Food
High
water
content:
vegetables, potatoes, fruit
Coated in batter, flour or
breadcrumbs, forming a crust
Small, quickly fried: small fish,
croquettes

Cooking Temperature
Medium (266-293F or 130145C)
Hot (311-338F or 155-170C)
Very Hot (347-374F or 175
190C)

How does Olive Oil Compare with Other Cooking Oils?

The table below shows the smoke point of a few other cooking oils. Keep in mind that the smoke point for a
vegetable oil will vary according to the variety and growing conditions, and how the oil was produced. Various
manufacturers and sources cite different numbers.
Type of Oil
Grape Seed
Avocado
Sesame
Canola
Macademia

Smoke
Point Temperature
485F or 252C
480F or 249C
410F or 210C
400F or 204C
385F or 196C

Having read all of the above, you may be fairly confused by now. Dr. John Deane wrote the following excellent
article about the smoke point of olive oil and various cooking considerations. This is the most comprehensive
discussion of smoke point that we know of.
Smoke Point of Olive Oil by John Deane (updated 09/20/2007)
Pumpkin seed oil, avocado oil, borage and camellia oil; it used to be that a choice of oil for cooking was simple. You
used a liquid canola or corn oil for frying or sauting and a hardened oil such as Crisco for baking. We now live in
the age of boutique oils. All seeds have oil in them as the energy source for the growing seedling. Man's ingenuity
and desire to create a niche market has led to the extraction of many unusual oils. The marketing angles on these
oils are manifold. Some claim to have health benefits, others to have flavor. Buyers of argan and shea butter oils
may be supporting women's cooperatives in developing nations. Hemp seed oil diehards are sticking it to the man.
Grapeseed oil has the romance of the vine. JoJoba oil is a earth friendly alternative oil. While it is hard to compare
or argue some of these points, there is one point which should be easy for comparison: the smoke point. A high
smoke point is desirable for a cooking oil. When frying, best results occur when the oil is very hot. The food is
placed into the hot oil and the natural sugars caramelize and proteins denature into a thin shell which protects the
food from soaking up the oil. The outside is crisp and the interior is just cooked. One of the bibles of cooking, Irma
Rombauer's The Joy of Cooking recommends frying at 365F for best results. When heated oil smokes, it is not just
a nuisance. Besides coating your home interior with a varnish like substance, where there's smoke there's fire. An
oil at its smoke point is closer to its flash point - the point where it will burst into flame. So a high smoke point is
one yardstick for a good oil If you go to the internet or the market to look for smoke points you will see
something interesting. Every oil claims to have the highest smoke point. One website for macadamia nut oil puts
their oil at the top of the list with a smoke point of 410F. On their chart, olive oil comes in at a measly 190F. This
is below the temperature of a hot cup of tea! Avocado oil sites say their oil has the highest smoke point and claim
nut oils are terrible for frying. The smoke point for a vegetable oil will vary according to the variety and growing
conditions, and how the oil was produced. The smoke you see may be impurities in the oil which are burning.
Unfiltered olive oil has small bits of olive in it. When the oil is heated these bits will burn and smoke before the oil

itself. A well-filtered or clarified oil will have a higher smoke point generally. Oil which has oxidized because of
exposure to air, heat and light will have a lower smoke point. Using oil repeatedly will also make it smoke sooner.
When looking for the smoke point of an oil you should expect a range of values. The Olive Oil Source claims that
extra virgin olive oil smokes from 400 to 365F, according to its free fatty acid content. But the macadamia nut folk
say that olive oil smokes at the temperature of hot water out of the tap. When I suggested to the macadamia
people that it seemed unlikely that olive oil smokes at temperature lower than boiling water and that maybe they
were confusing centigrade with Fahrenheit they insisted they were right. So who do you trust for the real smoke
point? The industry group which is advertising and promoting the oil, a random website or a food chemistry text?
Here is what some research yielded:
The International Olive Oil Council: 410F
Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils: 420F
Or why not get some olive oil off the shelf and heat it up in a saucepan with a frying thermometer. This is properly
done in a lab with special lighting which shows the first hint of smoke. My stovetop experiment yielded 350F for a
jug of discount store oil which had been sitting open in the garage for a few years and 380F for a premium fresh
extra virgin oil. Olive oil is fine for frying. It is annoying to counter these conflicting claims when most people
would not fry with olive oil anyway. A cheap, flavorless oil with a high smoke point is usually recommended something like canola, soy or peanut oil. Avocado, macadamia and premium olive oils can cost up to a dollar per
ounce. It is unlikely that you are going to deep fry that Thanksgiving turkey in 5 gallons of oil at that price. Besides,
if we are so worried about our health, why fry at all? Better to talk up the flavor qualities of olive oil, an area where
it shines compared to bland seed oils. An excellent resource with voluminous bibliography is a monograph entitled
"Frying Food in Olive oil" by Gregorio Varela, Professor of Nutrition, Madrid University. It is available from
theInternational Olive Council (IOC).

MYTHS ABOUT COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL

There are some myths that have recently circulated about olive oil that we are constantly answering via email and
our newsletter. Following are the two most common.
Myth: Heating Olive Oil Will Make it Saturated or Trans-fatty.
One common myth is that heating olive oil will make it saturated or trans-fatty.
This is not true. As far as making a saturated fat, according to Dr. A. Kiritsakis, a world renowned oil chemist in
Athens, in his book Olive Oil from the Tree to the Table -Second edition 1998, all oils will oxidize and hydrogenate
to a tiny degree if repeatedly heated to very high temperatures such as is done in commercial frying
operations. Olive-pomace oils and virgin olive oils are both highly monounsaturated oils and therefore resistant to
oxidation and hydrogenation. Studies have shown oxidation and hydrogenation occurs to a lesser degree in olive
oil than in other oils. But in any case, the amount of hydrogenation is miniscule and no home cook would ever
experience this problem. The large refinery-like factories that take unsaturated vegetable oil and turn it into
margarine or vegetable lard do so by bubbling hydrogen gas through 250 to 400F (121 to 204C) hot vegetable oil
in the presence of a metal catalyst, usually nickel or platinum. The process can take several hours. You cannot
make a saturated product like margarine at home by heating olive oil or any other vegetable oil in a pan. We don't
know where this weird notion has come from. For more details, see Olive Chemistry. Changing a cis-fat to a transfat does not occur on a home stove.
Myth: Cooking in Olive oil Diminishes The Nutritional Value of the Food.
Another myth is that cooking in olive oil diminishes the nutritional value of the food. This a misconception. The fact
is that heating food will break down its nutritional value. High heat such as frying is worse than moderate heat
such as steaming, which is worse than eating vegetables raw. It is not the cooking oil per se, but the high heat of
frying. We are not aware of any edible cooking oil which by itself diminishes the nutritional value of the food

cooked in it. Most nutritionists recommend lightly steaming vegetables or eating them. A touch of a flavorsome
extra virgin olive oil added at the table will add taste and healthful anti-oxidants. Such is the Mediterranean diet
which has been shown to help prevent coronary disease and have other health benefits.
CONVERSION CHART
Butter/Margarine
1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons
1/4 cup
1/3 cup
1/2 cup
2/3 cup
3/4 cup
1 cup

Olive Oil
3/4 teaspoon
2 1/4 teaspoons
1 1/2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons
1/4 cup
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon
3/4 cup

Olive oil can be readily substituted in most main course dishes where margarine or butter is used for frying or
sauting. In olive oil producing countries, olive oil and butter/margarine are sometimes also used together to
enhance each other's flavor in some recipes. The conversion chart above is appropriate for most cake and pastry
recipes where quantities are critical. Keep in mind, however, that it is not always a good idea to use liquid
shortening (olive oil/vegetable oil) instead of solid shortening (butter/margarine). For instance, since cake frosting
must stay solid at room temperature, butter and powdered sugar work nicely, but olive oil and powdered sugar
dont. You should also consider the taste factor. A mild tasting late harvest olive oil could be used in most cake
and pastry recipes because cooking will get rid of the aromatic olive oil flavors. Uncooked confections such as cake
frosting would taste more than a bit unusual if made with olive oil.
INFUSING OLIVE OIL
It is possible to make excellent infused oil at home using dried wild herbs. The intensity of the flavor varies with
the season, whether the herbs are wild or domestic, how the local growing conditions have been, etc. It takes a lot
of trial and error. It is more art than science and the people who are good at it are reluctant to share their trade
secrets. The oil will pick up the flavor fairly quickly, in the first few weeks, and then slowly intensify. It is fine to
leave the herbs in for a long time; eventually all the flavor leaves the herbs and the oil flavor stabilizes. Most oil
sellers keep it simple and use one herb at a time. We have seen smoke flavoring added to an herb or peppers
added to any one of the herbs. When mixing herbs, think salad dressing. Look at some recipes for dressing and
substitute the dried herbs for any fresh herbs called for in the recipe. A dipping blend is like an Italian dressing with
much more oil than vinegar. Flavored olive oils and dressings make great gifts but watch out; there are safe
and unsafe ways to make infused olive oil. The unsafe way is to put anything in the oil that contains any trace of
water or moisture. That would include garlic, lemon peel, fresh peppers, fresh herbs and spices. The oil will not
support bacterial growth but the water containing herbs will. Botulism bacteria can grow in this type of
environment, even in a sealed bottle. There are several things you can do to avoid this problem.
1. Mix
all
the
ingredients,
refrigerate
them
and
use
them
within
a
week:
This is the best way if you are using fresh ingredients such as fresh basil, fresh rosemary or garlic. Garlic is ideal for
adding to pasta dishes, that you can then top with a little grated dry cheese. Fill a decorative 1-litre bottle with
extra virgin olive oil. Add a clean head of garlic (whole if desired), and leave to marinade for a few days. You can
also use lemon peel, fresh or dried peppers, ginger, rosemary sprigs, etc. Alternatively, you can use a recipe for
Italian salad dressing but cut down on the vinegar or lemon juice.

2. Preserve the added ingredients:

Maybe you have seen garlic or herbs mixed with oil. The way it is done commercially is to first preserve the watercontaining garlic, herb, etc. with a strong brine or vinegar solution, then put it in the oil. The vinegar solutions
used commercially are up to 4 times stronger than the vinegars you find in the supermarket. You can find them at
commercial food supply outlets. Many of the herb mixes have both salt and vinegar which both prevent bacterial
growth. Commercial vinaigrettes and sauces also have chemical preservatives not usually available to the home
cook.
3. Dry the herbs to remove all water, leaving the essential oils:
This can be done with a food dehydrator or just by leaving in the sun. After the spices and herbs are dry, you can
add them to the olive oil. Whole sprigs of thyme, rosemary, dried peppers, etc. can decorate the inside of the
bottle this way.
4.Press the olives with the spices:
Putting lemon, garlic, etc. in the olive press with the olives is the safest way to flavor oil. You must have your own
olive press (see our First Press). The oils from the added ingredients mingle with the olive oil and the watery part
of the spices is removed along with the olive water.
You could add essential spice oils to the olive oil to achieve the same effect.
LABELING REGULATIONS
Product labels usually convey five things: content, quantity, company brand, contact information, and nutritional
information. For olive oil producers in the United States who intend to provide their product for retail sale to
consumers, there are general regulations about labeling laws and, in a few states, specific regulations regarding
olive oil labeling. Almost all food labeling regulations are enforced by the FDA. While there are specific
requirements about things like type size, prominence, and conspicuousness of the information, there are a few
basics to be aware of. We would strongly encourage you to visit the FDA sites listed below for detailed
information. In sum, make sure your product labeling includes the following:

The PRIMARY DISPLAY PANEL (PDP) must include the name of the product (e.g. Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and net
quantity (in both Metric and U.S. Customary). This area is also the obvious place to put your company brand
information, although not legally required if the packaging has two label areas.
The INFORMATION PANEL (secondary display) typically includes the name and address of the manufacturer,
packer or distributor, the ingredient list, nutrition labeling, and UPC scanning codes. If there is only one label area
(PDP), company contact information must be included in that label.
The following sections provide a brief summary of this required information:
PRIMARY DISPLAY PANEL LABELING
That is the dominant label that consumers will see when purchasing the product.

Statement of Identity (name of food): Identify the oil on the basis of its certified quality (for example, EXTRA
VIRGIN OLIVE OIL) and, if it has been organically produced in accordance with U.S. regulations, as ORGANIC.
Net Quantity Statement (amount of food): Food labels must show the net contents in both metric (grams,
kilograms, milliliters, liters) and U.S. Customary System (ounces, pounds, fluid ounces) terms. The metric
statement may be placed either before or after the U. S. Customary statement, or above or below it. Consult
our Useful Number Conversions page for conversion numbers.
Most producers will also use another label area, the INFORMATIONAL PANEL LABELING, to comply with other
requirements. If you only plan to use one label, then the PDP must satisfy these requirements as well (see
below).


INFORMATIONAL PANEL LABELING

Name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor: This is a core requirement for all food labeling.
Unless the name given is the actual manufacturer, it must be accompanied by a qualifying phrase that states the
firm's relation to the product (e.g., "manufactured for "or "distributed by").
Ingredient list: If appropriate to the product content, identify any added ingredients beyond olive oil (flavoring,
herbs, etc.) in this area.
Nutrition labeling: This is a requirement unless your business does less than $500,000 in gross product sales, or
has an average of fewer than 100 full-time employees and you sold fewer than 100,000 units in the U.S. in the
prior twelve months. You must apply for this exemption to the FDA.
UPC scan code: This is not a requirement of the FDA, but may be for store retailers.

DETAILED LABELING DIRECTIONS REFERENCES

For detailed directions on creating a product label, we strongly encourage you to consult two sites that have
exhaustive details about product food labeling:

FDA Food Labeling Guide: the FDA has an easy to follow question and answer type format.
NAOOA Brief Labeling Guide for Olive Oil The North America Olive Oil Association has put together a brief
labeling guide for olive oil that can answer most questions specific to olive oil product labeling.

HEALTH CLAIMS
In addition to general product information, any statements that make specific health claims are investigated by the
FDA. If you make health claims in advertising materials or on your website, then the FTC has jurisdiction. If you
wish to claim specific health benefits from your product, there are three broad categories that health claims can go
into:

Health claims such as "reduces cancer" or "decreases chance of heart disease" are claims that must be
extensively documented with clinical trials. These types of claims are by far the most difficult to gain approval of.
Structure or function claims such as "supports heart health" which are made on the label are easier to justify as
there are thousands of substances that can satisfy this limited statement.
Generally recognized as safe and effective (GRAS) is a new FDA safe area. A substance that will be added to a
food needs pre-market approval by the FDA unless its use is GRAS. There is a long list of substances that have
extensive research which you can borrow to assume the ingredient is GRAS.

STATE-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Until recently, olive oil importers had effectively blocked passage of more meaningful labeling. With the passage of
California State Senate Bill SB634 in 2008, olive oil labeling requirements are now much stronger for products sold
in California. The same has happened in Connecticut, New York, and Oregon. As of December 2009, legislators in
Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland are actively working on similar laws. These laws can guide any statespecific laws you may want to be aware of.
USDAS NEW GRADE STANDARDS

By Caroline J. Beck
02/01/2011
While other industry resources like the UC Davis Taste Panel, the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) and the
American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) have embraced and supported the roll-out of new standards for olive oil
grades established in 2010, participation in the USDAs own certification program has been slow to materialize. In
fact, no producer to date has yet received USDA certification. Whether this has been due to lack of knowledge
about program implementation or lack of clarity about costs or marketing value remains to be seen. After some
months of seeking more information about the program, with the help of Jimmie Turner, spokesperson for the
USDA, we were able to clarify some of the steps on the path towards USDA certification. The full text of his
interview is published below. First announced in April 2010, new USDA standards became effective on October 24,
2010. According to the USDA, the revised standards are intended to provide a common language for the trade and
provide consumers more assurance of the quality of olive oil that they purchase. These standards were long in
development, designed to make the U.S. competitive with worldwide standards, and have been widely embraced
by the industry. As part of the new program, the USDA announced that they would offer a voluntary certification
to producers interested in securing USDA-authorized inspection and grading. To that end, the USDAs Science
Specialty Laboratories in Blakely, Georgia completed training and staffing for chemical and organoleptic (taste)
evaluation. Recently, the lab confirmed that they are ready to fully support testing of the new standards. The
challenge has been that producers were stymied when investigating how to participate in the program and what
costs they can expect to incur. It became a labyrinth of exploration starting with the USDAs Processed Products
Branch and answers were not easy to come by. Further, there is concern that the USDA certification program
might create a double-edged sword if consumers come to believe that quality oil can only be guaranteed by a
USDA shield of certification - an issue that will be especially challenging for smaller producers with less capital
resources to put toward becoming USDA-certified. According to Turner, the following information should provide
better direction on how to achieve USDA certification. This electronic interview with Mr. Jimmie Turner of the
USDA was conducted January 7, 2011. If growers are interested in obtaining USDA certification, who do they
contact? The Processed Products Branch (PPB) of USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). PPB, a unit of
AMSs Fruit and Vegetable Programs, has 14 nationwide field offices and 15 additional inspection points. Growers
can contact the nearest PPB field office listed on our PPB Offices web page. What applications need to be filled
out? An application for inspection service may be made to the PPB Inspection Office or to any PPB inspector, at or
nearest the place where the service is desired. An up-to-date list of the PPB Inspection Offices of the Department
may be obtained on our PPB Offices web page. Satisfactory proof that the applicant is an interested party with a
financial interest in the product shall be furnished. Information required in connection with application:
Application for inspection service shall be made in the English language and may be made orally (in person or by
telephone), in writing, or by fax. If an application for inspection service is made orally, written confirmation may be
required by the inspection service involved. In connection with each application for inspection service, there shall
be furnished such information as may be necessary to perform an inspection on the processed product(s),
including but not limited to, the name of the product, name and address of the packer or plant where such product
was packed, the location of the product, its lot or car number, codes or other identification marks, the number of
containers, the type and size of the containers, the interest of the applicant in the product, whether the lot has
been inspected previous to the application by any Federal agency, and the purpose for which inspection is desired.
Is there a published fee structure? We understand it is based on number of samples and extent of analysis, but as a
grower, what information could I receive that would give me an idea on how much it will cost? Fees for PPB
inspection and certification are provided in PPB regulations, located in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at: 7
CFR 52, and can also be found on our PPB Fees web page. PPB fees are based on a lot inspection rate of $62 per
hour; this fee includes: travel time, sampling, grading and certification. The fees are based on the size of the lot
and the time required to provide services. Additional information regarding fees can be obtained from any PPB
Inspection Office. In addition, there is a separate fee for the laboratory analyses required for grading olive oil.
Laboratory fees are based on a current rate of $81 per hour, which can be found in 7 CFR 91. The laboratory fees
include all required analyses, both chemical and sensory, as well as sample storage, recordkeeping and reporting.
For more information, growers may go to the website of the AMS Science and Technology Laboratory in Blakely,
Ga., or contact Michael Miller at (229) 723-4570 or James Falk at (202) 720-8369. Fees and charges for any
inspection service shall be paid by the interested party making the application for such service. An advance of

funds prior to rendering inspection service or a surety bond shall be required as a guarantee of payment for the
services rendered. All fees and charges for any inspection service shall be paid by check, draft, credit card or
money order payable to the United States Department of Agriculture. Payment shall be sent to the address
specified on the bill for collection on or before the due date to avoid a late payment charge. What is the actual
process for certification? Is it to first contact someone at the USDA Processed Products Group, then be directed to
Blakely lab? Or is it all handled through the PPB once the process gets started? Please contact the nearest PPB
Inspection Office of the product to be inspected and complete the FV-356 Form: Application for Inspection and
Certification of Sampling. The office can also give you an estimate of the fees for the inspection and certification.
How much time does the process take? Once the sampling is scheduled and the product is available for sampling,
the process may take up to 15 business days to complete. Do you know who I should contact at the FDA regarding
enforcement of the revised standards or have any suggestions of where I should start? USDA is responsible for
enforcing grade statements that include the official U.S. prefix, marks or seals. All other labeling requirements
are the enforcement responsibility of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At FDA you may contact Felicia
Billingslea from the Center for Food Science and Applied Nutritions Labeling and Food Standards office at (301)
436-2373. Pressing Times, February 2011
WHAT IS IN OLIVE OIL?
What are the components that make adding olive oil to your daily diet such a smart idea? So far, medical research
has focused on three core areas of nutritional value.

Olive oil is mainly comprised of monounsaturated fatty acids. A healthier type of fat, it reduces total and lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL or bad) cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, while raising high-density lipoprotein
(HDL or good) cholesterol levels.
High quality extra virgin olive oil, in particular, provides a high content of antioxidants, like polyphenols, vitamins
E & K, chlorophyll and carotenoids. Antioxidants are key to strengthening the immune system and protecting the
body from the damaging effects of free-radical molecules.
Olive oil contains anti-inflammatory agents, like oleocanthal, that act as a natural ibuprofen-like substance.
Before we go through each of these areas in detail, it is important to point out that not all olive oils are created
equal! Extra virgin olive oil is considered the best grade to deliver healthy benefits because it is the least-processed
of all olive oils. It could be described as natural olive juice. Without any processed manipulation like excessive heat
or chemicals that would change its chemical makeup, extra virgin olive oil maintains the highest levels of healthy
components. See our How to Pick an Olive Oil page for more details. There are wide differences even among extra
virgin olive oils, in terms of their healthy benefits, depending on how they are made, what type of and how ripe
the olives were when they were harvested, how the oil was stored, and many other factors.
CHEMICAL INFORMATION
For a full description of the chemical characteristics of olive oil, please refer to our Olive Chemistry section.
.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The nutritional benefits of olives and olive oil are directly related to the types of fatty acid and the significant
amounts of anti-oxidants derived from Vitamins E and K. The following information provides detailed information
for both.
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) of Olive Oil
Energy 3,701 kJ (885 kcal) Carbohydrates 0 g Fat 100 g

saturated 14 g monounsaturated 73 g polyunsaturated 11 g omega-3 fat <1.5 g omega-6 fat 3.5-21 g Protein 0 g
Vitamin E 14 mg (93%) Vitamin K 62 g (59%)
100 g olive oil is 103 ml Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
Nutritional value of Olives
Calories per olive: It depends on how big the olives are and what their oil content is. The large black canned olives
are actually quite low in oil - sometimes only 7%, which is why they are table olives and are generally not used to
make oil. Some smaller olives used primarily for oil making can have more than 20 to 25% in oil content. Olives can
range from 1 to 14 grams in weight. There is about 1 tablespoon of olive oil (and about 120 calories) in: 20 medium
Mission olives that have an oil content of 20%, or 40 small ripe black olives, or 20 jumbo ripe black olives, or 7
super colossal ripe black olives.
BEAUTY & OLIVE OIL
Sales of skin and hair care products in the U.S. are a multi-billion dollar business and growing. Many of the latest
miracle in a jar options are marketed as high-end, but costly, solutions to everyday challenges: how to keep skin
moisturized, hair healthy, and facial skin free of wrinkles. Some of the most popular products, promoted as
natural solutions, even incorporate olive oil as a key ingredient in their formulas. But what many consumers
dont realize is something that people living millennia ago in ancient Greece took for granted; that extra virgin olive
oil, all by itself, is one of the best beauty secrets. In addition to being a natural, hypoallergenic way to moisturize
skin, extra virgin olive oil has the added advantage of providing strong antioxidants, like Vitamins A and E that help
repair and renew skin that has been damaged from overexposure to sun, air pollution, and other modern-day
environmental hazards like cigarette smoke and fast food. These antioxidants have the natural ability to
stimulate cells and return skin to a firmer, smoother, and healthier state. To provide a slightly more scientific
explanation, this damage is related to the destructive activity of oxygen-related free radicals produced by skin
cells. Polyphenolic components of olive oil have been compared to traditional antioxidants, such as tocopherols,
used by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry to prevent skin damage. There are a number of simple and
inexpensive ways to get the best skin care and beauty benefits out of a single bottle of extra virgin olive oil. The
rich emollients in olive oil allow just a little to go a long way.
SKIN CARE AND OLIVE OIL
Skin Moisturizer
Whether applied to face or body, olive oil will penetrate deep into the skin and provide a long-lasting shield of
moisture to keep skin smooth and supple. Used either as a night cream or daily moisturizer, it is best applied to
damp skin, when water can help reduce any feeling of greasiness. We recommend using extra virgin olive oil. Our
readers have also suggested that a little lemon juice mixed with olive oil can provide a more bracing and refreshing
feeling. In her best-selling book The Passionate Olive, Carol Firenze suggests making a moisturizer made of Italian
parsley, water, and extra virgin olive oil. Expect the natural benefits of olive oil to take a bit longer to be absorbed
into the skin than most lightweight packaged skin products. But the advantages can be longer lasting too.
Exfoliator
If dry and scaly skin is a problem, Carol Firenze also suggests mixing olive oil and sea salt in a rub and massaging it
into the affected area to slough off dead skin and enrich the healthy layer beneath it. Or add a few tablespoons of
olive oil with a drop or two of lavender essential oil in a bath. This is a luxurious way to relax, soothe and
moisturize the whole body.
Nail and Cuticle Care
Extra virgin olive oil makes the perfect, simple solution for dry nails and cuticles. Simply rub a few drops into the
cuticle area and around the nail. Cuticles stay plump and moist, and nails respond with a natural shine.

Eye Makeup Remover

Just a drop or two of extra virgin olive oil on a cotton pad is all it takes to gently and effectively remove eye
makeup without irritating the delicate skin around the eye area. The biggest added advantage is that when used
consistently, olive oil can soften the skin around the eyes and smooth out wrinkles.
.
HAIR CARE AND OLIVE OIL
When used on hair and scalp, olive oil can be considered two products: a deep conditioner and a dandruff
controller. After shampooing, massage a mixture of equal amounts of olive oil and water into your hair. Leave on
for 5 minutes, then shampoo and rinse. Your scalp will benefit from healthy conditioning; your hair will respond
with more shine and strength.
Reference: http://www.oliveoilsource.com/

February 16, 2011