Olive Expert

Virgin Olive Oil Classification

Olive oil has become one of the most regulated commodities in the EU and Brussels has not been tardy about applying some rigid guidelines for its marketing and labeling.

Below is an extract from a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods leaflet OMS 2 (Rev 9/99) entitled Olive Oil Marketing Standards - Explanatory Leaflet.

Virgin Olive Oils

Oils obtained from the fruit of the tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alteration in the oil, which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration, to the exclusion of oils using solvents or re-estrification processes and any mixture with oils of other kinds. (Phew! Bet you can't understand that on first reading)

Virgin Olive Oils are classified and described as follows:

Extra Virgin Olive

Oil Virgin olive oil having a maximum free acidity, in terms of oleic acid, of 0.8g per 100g, the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down from this category.

Virgin Olive Oil

Virgin olive oil having a maximum free acidity, in terms of oleic acid of 2g per 100g, the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down from this category.

Olive Oil

Olive oil obtained by blending refined olive oil and virgin olive oil, other than lampante oil, having a free acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1.5g per 100g and the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down from this category.

Olive Pomace Oil

Oil obtained by blending refined olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oil other than lampante oil, having a free acid content expressed as oleic acid of not more than 1.5g per 100g and the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down from this category.