One of the most common questions I receive from a someone curious about olive oil is, "How do I know how to choose a good olive oil?" In light of an article posted in the Huffington Post this week: Olive Oil 'Virginity' Questioned in California Lawsuit, I would like to give a little advice on what you should be looking for when you find yourself caught in bewilderment in the Olive Oil isle at your local supermarket.
First let's talk Italian oil. If the bottle says it's a product of Italy or that it is produced or packaged in Italy, it means just that - the oil was literally filled into the bottle in a factory in Italy. Now where that oil actually came from is another story. Because Italy is the top player in the Olive Oil market, meaning, most people recognize Italy as being known for producing olive oil above any other country, they are required to put out massive amounts of production, right? The problem is, Italy cannot possibly grow the amount of olives on their own soil to produce the amount of oil needed for export. So what do they do? They buy oil from Spain, Tunisia, Morocco and other surrounding countries that can offer them a large quantity of bulk oil for a good price, and unfortunately, that often means lower quality. So that fine bottle of Italian oil you have sitting in your kitchen? Yes, it's a pretty good bet it's actually a cheap oil from Spain.
Another good indicator of a high quality oil is the price. Again referring mostly to Italy, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Now, that's not to say there aren't some great reasonably priced oils out there, you just have to know what you're looking for. I'm sorry to be picking on the Italians so much, as they do produce some of the most astounding oils in the world, unfortunately you just have to pay for it.
For a more affordable high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, look to Greece. Yes I know, I do love Greece, that is true, but because the Greeks dedicate 60% of their cultivated land to growing olives, they actually produce most of their own oil, and because Italians have been savvy for years in selling delicious food products, the Greeks tended to just sell their good oil to the Italians only to be labeled as 'Product of Italy'. Well now the Greeks are trying to get into the market themselves and show-off their local golden nectar. So next time you find yourself looking at a Greek oil in the supermarket, chances are, it is actually a real Greek oil. This could be true for many other countries that don't have the massive production demands that Italy has. So all I'm saying is, watch out for those Italian oils.
Another way to know that the oil in your bottle is produced where it says, is by looking for the PDO certification on the label. This stands for Protected Designation of Origin which is a European certification that the oil in the bottle does in fact come from the specific region it states. Other versions of this certification are PDI or Protected Geographical Indication, DOP or Denominazione di Origine Protetta and AOC or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. These certifications are becoming more common on products exported to the USA so you should keep an eye out for them.
Great news is that in October the US Department of Agriculture will be implementing new standards for labeling olive oils more comprable to the International Olive Oil Council, which has been setting the standards for olive oil in Europe for years. Hopefully this will make it a little easier on us all next time we're faced with that great wall of olive oil at the local grocery.
