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"Extra Virgin". . . What's it Mean?"
"Extra Virgin", like "Virgin "or simply "Olive Oil", are quality standards. Just like the USDA's "Prime" and "Grade A" standards for meat and dairy products.
In many parts of the world, the various grades for olive oil are tightly regulated. Not so in the United States:
- Federal olive oil quality standards are voluntary, not mandatory
- Imported oils are not required to meet international or European extra virgin standards
- Enforcement typically occurs only after problems are reported
- Labels often rely on self-declared quality claims
As a result, your "extra virgin" olive oil may be:
- Old or oxidized
- Chemically refined
- Defective in flavor or aroma
"Extra virgin", the highest standard for olive oil, means that the oil was produced without usiong heat or chemicals—essentially raw or "cold pressed". In addition, the oil must have no defects in taste or odor, according to a qualified third-party inspector. If the oil has some defects, it qualifies as virgin. If the oil is a blend of virgin and refined olive oil, it is classified as "olive oil".
Another quality control item, the amount of free oleic acid in the oil (which essentially measures how good (or bad) the olives were before being pressed will be below a certain amount. In Europe, that amount is 0.8 grams of free oleic acid per 100 grams. In California, the limit is even lower, 0.5 grams per 100 grams. Virgin olive oil will be below 2 grams per 100.
Surveys have found that a least two-out-of-three bottles of olive oil labeled "extra virgin" in U.S. really weren't. Other estimates put that figure as high as nine-out-of-ten. A key reason is no federal or state standards.
California Sets a Higher Bar
California is the only U.S. region with mandatory olive oil quality standards for large-scale producers. Under California law, qualifying producers must:
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Meet strict chemical limits for freshness and purity
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Pass sensory panel evaluations that detect defects
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Undergo regular testing and compliance oversight
These standards are enforced by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and are among the most rigorous in the world.
Independent Third-Party Certification: The Gold Standard
Beyond state requirements, many California producers use third-party certification to verify that their oils meet the true criteria for extra virgin. This independent verification provides consumers with something rare in the olive oil world: objective proof of quality.
Keith with COOC Executive Director Patricia Darragh
What's the California Olive Oil Council?
The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) represents over 90 percent of all olive oil production in California. Today, the COOC has over 400 members including olive growers and oil producers, service providers, and retailers.
Among its most important contributions to the U.S. olive oil industry is its certification program. Created in 1998, the program annually awards the COOC seal to those olives oils produced within the state that meets the COOC's strict standards for extra virgin. To earn the COOC seal, olive oil producers must send in samples of their olive oils each year for testing. The olive oils we sell all carry the COOC seal.
For more information about the California Olive Oil Council, please click here.
Keith (on the right) judging olive oils for the Good Food Awards in San Francisco
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