• Types of Olive Oil
• Olive Oil Tasting
• Tasting Notes
• Olive Varieties

The Village Press

Types of Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil

• It must have an acidity level of not more than 0.8% and have perfect colour, flavour and aroma.

• Each pressing of oil must be certified as meeting the required standard by an international panel before producers can use the label "extra virgin olive oil".

Virgin olive oil

• A very good oil, but with a higher acidity level than extra virgin olive oil of not more than 2%.

• It must have the colour, flavour and aroma of extra virgin olive oil.

• It is processed by pressing only.

Olive oils

• A blend of refined and "virgin" oil.

• It must have an oleic acid level of not more than 2%.

• Refined oil has no taste or smell and extra virgin olive oil is added to give it flavour.

Olive pomace oil

• The lowest grade of olive oil approved for human consumption.

• Pomace oil is obtained by treating the olive residue or pomace from previous pressings with solvents to extract any residual oil.

• It could have an oleic acid level of possibly more than 2% and, like ordinary olive oil, it is flavoured with extra virgin olive oil.