The rules to be respected to produce high quality extra virgin olive oil
The history of the olive oil is divided between truth and legend: for the Egyptians it was introduced as a gift by the goddess Isis, for the Greeks it was Minerva who brought out the first olive tree from the earth. Whatever its origin, even today it is very important to respect the quality assessment in olive oil production. Let’s find out how!
The regulation for the quality in olive oil production
The EEC Regulation 2568 of 1991 is the most important legal text regarding the characteristics of olive oils and pomace oils and for the methods of determining the related chemical parameters.
The text is the reference point for the whole olive oil sector to define the various types of oil in an unambiguous way and the methods for checking the conformity of an oil sample to the declared category.
Among the compliance parameters covered by the legislation in this sector are acidity, peroxides, waxes and ultraviolet analysis.
Acidity is a very important parameter that gives us information on the quality of the olives. Attacks of fly, poor conservation and other defects on the fruit affect this parameter. The extra virgin must have an acidity lower than 0.8% but oils of excellent quality has values under 0.1-0.2%.
Peroxides, on the other hand, are an important parameter in the conservation phase of the product and are influenced by light, temperature and the presence of oxygen.
The waxes are generally low, but they are much higher on an oil obtained with solvents, such as a pomace oil. So it is a main “anti-fraud” parameter.
The ultraviolet analysis has a dual value both in terms of quality and conformity.
The Classification of Olive Oil
Olive oil, due to its balanced composition, has a certain protective effect on the arteries, on the stomach, on the liver, while allowing, for its organoleptic characteristics, a gratification of the palate.
According to the regulation for the quality in the production of olive oil, it can be classified into:
- EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
- VIRGIN OLIVE OILS
- REFINED OLIVE OIL
- OLIVE OIL
- RAW SANSA OIL
- REFINED SANSA OIL
- OLIVE POMACE OIL
How to recognize a high quality extra virgin olive oil
The sensory seminar in Oil tasting that we offer at the Villa Campestri Oleoteca revives traces of a forgotten age-old culture which now flourishes thanks to the studies and perseverance of the owner of Villa Campestri, Paolo Pasquali.
During the seminar you will learn how to smell, taste, and observe in order to discover the incredible flavors of fine Olive Oils. You will learn the true meaning of “extra virgin” as well as how to describe it correctly with terms such as “fruity”, “bitter”, and “spicy”.
You will discover how to recognize a defective Oil from a good one as well as how to correctly combine specific Olive Oils with different foods in order to transform a simple dish into something extraordinary.
To learn how to recognize a high quality extra virgin olive oil, we are waiting for you at Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort!
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