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Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine cooking without the use of olive oil, everyone liked it and found widespread use. But in fact, olive oil is not a simple product, but also an expensive one, so it is worth understanding all the details so as not to get into a mess.
Legends tell us about where they first began to produce olive oil and lead us to the island of Crete. In ancient times, Greek olive oil became one of the main currencies of the Mediterranean and is called liquid gold. Migrating to new lands, the Greeks transported seeds and seedlings of olive trees with them, thus these trees got to the western coast of Spain, to the territory of Sicilli and the Apennine Peninsula, to the south of France, and also reached the shores of the Black Sea. The ancient Romans adopted the experience of the Greeks and contributed to the spread of olive oil throughout their empire. Whole olive groves were erected in the lands of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. And it was the Romans who came up with the idea of assigning categories to oil depending on the method and time of extraction.
Today such classifications of olive oil are known:
Unrefined products:
Extra virgin olive oil of the highest quality ) – virgin oil, acidity no more than 0,8 g per 100 g.
Unrefined olive oil – virgin olive oil, acidity no more than 2g per 100g.
Refined products:
Refined olive oil – olive oil obtained from virgin oils, refined, but not subjected to processes that lead to changes in the original triglyceride structure, acidity is not more than 0,3 g per 100 g.
Refined olive oil with the addition of unrefined olive oils (Olive oil) – oil, which is a mixture of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils, acidity not more than 1 g per 100 g.
Pomace products:
Refined olive-pomace oil – oil obtained from raw olive oil from pomace, which has undergone a refining process, but not subjected to processes that lead to changes in the original triglyceride structure, the acidity is not more than 0,3 g per 100 g.
Refined olive oil from pomace with the addition of unrefined olive oil (Olive-pomace oil) – oil, which is a mixture of refined olive oil from pomace and virgin olive oils, acidity not more than 1 g per 100 g.
Additional types of olive oil labeling:
Olive oil containers have the following designations: IGP, DOP, BIO.
Designations of origin markings:
The designation of the origin of the product is an important piece of information for the buyer, since the properties of olive oils differ depending on the region of production. In addition, geographical indications are a guarantee of the high quality of the product, since there are areas for the production of olive oil, which have an established reputation in the world market. In this case, the concept of “region of origin” includes not only a geographic area, but also its traditional production method.
IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) means that raw materials are subject to the strictest control, but some of the operations for the production of olive oil can be carried out in different regions.
DOP (Denominazione d ‘Origine Protetta) or PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) means that all operations for the production of a product, from growing olives to filling into packaging containers, are carried out in the same region, respecting local traditions. The geographic name of the area is indicated next to the DOP (PDO) mark.
Organic labeling:
BIO means that this olive oil is an organic product. For its production, olives were used, grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, collected by hand. The packaging of the product must also be environmentally friendly.
At the moment, there are three leaders in the production of olive oil – Greece, Spain and Italy.
The Greeks are the leaders in the consumption of olive oil, therefore they produce more for their domestic market than for export. The production takes place, to a greater extent, by semi-artisan methods, passed down from generation to generation, therefore, Greek oil has a richer color and taste. Also, Greek oil is distinguished by honey notes and fruity aromas.
Italians enjoy automated liquid gold production, with the exception of a small number of farmers who continue to produce oil by hand. Italian olive oil is mild in taste, slightly sweet and has a slight herbal scent. It was the Italians who diversified the range of oils and began to offer the consumer oil with the addition of various spices and spices.
Spain is the leader in the production of olive oil, it is the Spanish, fully automated production technology that makes it possible to produce the largest amount of this product. Spanish olive oil has a rich aroma and a bitter taste. It is it that is closer in taste to the taste of olives. The Spaniards often mix oils from different varieties of olives.
The debate about whose oil is the best continues to this day. Therefore, when choosing an oil for yourself, look for a 100% natural product and be guided by your taste.