Expert explains: how to recognize good olive oil
Do you always randomly grab a bottle of olive oil from the supermarket shelf? The olive oil you use for salads, pasta and delicious tapenades too? You can do much better, according to this olive oil expert.
Vice spoke at length with Giulia Vittoria Hanke, who makes organic olive oil in Umbria. She knows what she’s talking about, so we’ve listed her tips for finding the perfect olive oil for you here.
1. Only buy extra virgin
‘This olive oil has a low acidity, and the lower the acidity, the better the quality of the oil,’ says Giulia.
2. PDO or PGI on the label
PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin, while PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication. These abbreviations appear on bottles of olive oil from certain regions. Usually, this means small-scale production, so it’s not olive oil that has been shipped around the world in containers.
3. Cold-pressed is key
Check whether the oil is cold-pressed, Giulia advises. ‘That preserves the olive oil’s aroma and color best.’ With cold-pressed olive oil, the temperature of the oil does not rise above 27 degrees during pressing.
4. Dark bottle
If the olive oil comes in a clear bottle, you really shouldn’t buy it, says Giulia. ‘A dark bottle protects the oil from oxidation.’ Oxidation? That means rancid oil, and no, you don’t want that.
5. Don’t be stingy
A bottle of olive oil should cost at least 7 euros, the experts say. A lower price would not even cover the production costs. But Giulia also considers 7 euros too little. ‘Add a few euros, and you’ll also support smaller businesses and buy a better product.’
6. Taste it!
Have you ever properly tasted the olive oil you usually use? Giulia says good oil should smell of freshly mown grass and vegetables, and shouldn’t taste too greasy. Doesn’t your oil have that fresh, green aroma and flavor? Time to switch.
Read also:
- Invest a few euros and pour olive oil like a pro
- Olive oil in pasta water: fact or fiction?
- How long can you keep olive oil?
Source: Vice
