Frequently Asked Questions
Here you can find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about us. Please select a topic to find the contents you were looking for.
- What is the difference between extra virgin olive oil and pure olive oil?
- The extra virgin olive oil is produced from the pressing of the olives and does not receive any manipulation before being packed. To be classified as an extra virgin olive oil, it has to have a natural acidity not higher than 0.8%, and after being tested in a panel test, it has to have well-defined values: for example the median of the defect has to be equal to zero and the median of the fruity greater than zero. Pure olive oil is instead a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil.
- What is acidity?
- Free Fatty Acids may already be formed in the olive fruit by enzymatic hydrolysis (lipases) from triglycerides depending on ripeness, storage time and conditions causing any damage of the fruits by cell rupture or attack of microorganisms like olives in direct contact with the ground. Acidity is expressed as a percentage of oleic acid.
We can definitely say that the acidity is not the only parameter that can define the oil quality.
- How can we recognize a quality extra virgin olive oil?
- Quality parameters can be directly checked by consumers:
• The sensorial evaluation, that is to say, the presence of an olive taste together with more or less intense bitter and spicy sensations; the evidence of a fresh olive taste; the absence of defects due to excessive ripening of the olives or bad oil extraction. This evaluation is called panel test.
• The acidity percentage
• The number of peroxides
• UV Spectrophotometric index
• Total alchilesters
- Are there organoleptic differences in the extra virgin olive oil produced in Italy?
- There are several factors that influence the organoleptic characteristics of oils produced in Italy:
• Cultivar, that is the variety. In Italy there are over five hundred of cultivar
• Climatic characteristics
• Ground
• Altitude
As for organoleptic characteristics, there's no doubt that there are big differences in extra virgin olive oil produced in Italy. For example extra virgin olive oil Ligure D.O.P. is sweet, while the Coratina from Puglia is strongly fruity and peppery.
- When is olives harvest-time?
- In the Italian regions, olives reach maturity between November and February, depending on the latitude, the growing conditions and the variety of olive tree. The timing of the harvest can vary in the Mediterranean upon the weather conditions and the latitude. Some countries harvest their crops too early, while others may harvest the olives too late. Italians make it an art, monitoring trees every day and allowing the olives to reach full maturity.
- What types of olives are used to produce olive oil?
- The olives vary by geographic region. Here are the most popular types in the different parts of the country: Taggiasca in the north, Frantoio and Leccino in the centre (Leccino type hold up well in cold weather), Coratina in the south, especially in Puglia and Molise, together with Ogliarola variety. Biancolilla and Nocellara del Belice are the most common in Sicily.
- How can be olive oil correctly stored at home?
- It must be stored in places not exposed to light directly and away from ovens or heat sources. Cold weather makes the oil thick, but it does not affect its quality; heat and direct light, instead, accelerate its oxidation increasing rancidity.
- What is the colour of a good extra virgin olive oil?
- Colour is not the only indicator of an extra virgin olive oil quality. It depends on the olives type, their ripeness degree and their chlorophyll and carotenes contents. The colour of a good extra virgin olive oil can therefore vary year after year from green to yellow to yellow-greenish.
- Is an oil with solid particles in the bottle bad for you?
- The presence of solid parts - similar to grains of rice - indicate that the oil was stored at a low temperature and it has frozen. This fact does absolutely not alter its quality; on the contrary, it guarantees that the product was stored away from heat. Once the bottle is kept in a room temperature such as that of your kitchen, it will slowly return crystal clear.
- Is the olive oil good for frying?
- Since it contains fatty acids which are more stable than those contained in seed oils, olive oil is ideal for frying. In fact, its critical frying temperature is definitely higher than the usual frying temperature of food.
The extra virgin olive oil, otherwise from the olive oil, contains many antioxidants, just because it is obtained by methods that preserve the content, and this makes it particularly stable in frying.
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