So how do we know whether or not the olive oil we are buying is not fake?
1. Harvest Date: Check the Bottle for a Harvest Date Before Buying that Expensive “Extra Virgin” Olive Oil. The key to picking a good olive oil? Check the label for freshness. If the bottle you’re holding doesn’t have the date, that should tell you something on its own.
2. The region: Where it comes from? This means the specific region not just the country.
3. The cultivars: Or what olives the oil is composed of.
4. The Grade: Pay attention to the grade of the Olive oil.
– “Extra virgin” is the highest grade for olive oil.
– “Pure” which is such a great word from a marketing standpoint, indicates to a lot of consumers. that they’re buying the very best olive oil but in fact, it’s a lower grade.
– “Refined” doesn’t mean elegant or high class. Refined means just the opposite. Refined olive oil has been processed with solvents to mask off odours and flavours since the first pressed was done with low grade olives and refining would cover that up.
If these essential elements are missing, it doesn’t speak well to the quality of the oil or the producer.
We have collected some of the best Olive Oils harvested around the world here in our blog.