Nowadays, olive trees are grown in different parts of the world, but they maintain their special link with the Mediterranean Sea, the most important olive oil production area in the world.

 

And within this area, Spain is the first producer and exporter. The range of aromas and tastes of olive oil varies depending on the olive variety and crop conditions, and
the huge diversity of autochthonous varieties and production systems present in Spain result in a olive oil range unique in the world. 

 

Extra virgin olive oil is olive juice. It is the only oil among those usually found at the market obtained from fresh fruit without the use of solvents. It is therefore an entirely natural product whose outstanding aroma and taste come directly from the fruit.

 

Even though olive oil has been produced and consumed at the Mediterranean Basin for millenniums, its knowledge and consumption worldwide have intensified in the last thirty years, and nowadays olive oil is one of the most appreciated edible oils both for its nutritional values and for its important gastronomic qualities. Its high contents in monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, natural antioxidants and other nutrients make medical science consider it one of the healthiest oils available. Its extraordinary aroma and taste, as well as its high stability and the versatility of its uses have been recognised by consumers and professionals from the food field worldwide.

 

 

Quality criteria

 

Extra virgin olive oil is a natural product, a real “fruit juice” and as such it represents a series of wholesome and quality values characteristic of this certain oil.


Virgin olive oil is a juice obtained from the fruit, at its optimum ripeness, of healthy olive trees. It is obtained from fresh fruit in an optimum ripeness and conservation state after its harvest and transport and is then transformed at the mill after a minimal period, under strict control and quality criteria.

The final quality of the product thus obtained depends on a combination of factors in addition to the ones previously mentioned: climate conditions during the campaign, type of land, care in the production, harvest, transport and production processes, and its storage and bottling.

The quality of the olive oil does not depend on the olive variety used.

The quality of extra virgin olive oil is determined mainly by two criteria: physicochemical processes and organoleptic characteristics (aroma and taste), defined by experts through sensory or tasting analysis.

Olive oil is subject of quality controls in every phase of the producing process. Controls are carried out at the mills in order to establish the yield of the olive and its acidity level. Temperature is also controlled during the production process, as well as conservation, bottling and transport conditions. 

 

 

Tasting

 

Nowadays, olive oil tasting is increasingly popular among gastronomic enthusiasts, as it is a pleasant and agreeable way of exploring the different aroma and taste subtleties of the product.

 

In Spain, where we have such a wide olive oil range, this experience can be great fun.
Each olive, coming from a tree adapted to a certain land and climate characteristics, produces a variety of olive oil with specific physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics.

Therefore, olive oil of the same variety produced in different geographical areas can present different aroma and taste. Likewise, one olive variety may produce oil of different characteristics depending on the fruit’s ripeness in harvest time. There may also be variations in the aroma and taste from one year to another, depending on the conditions of each campaign.

Tasting is necessary to establish the character and personality of virgin olive oil. Each olive oil has a characteristic aroma and taste. It is important to be aware of the fact that colour is not the only factor that reflects the quality of the product. Therefore, professional tasters use dark blue crystal glasses so as to not be influenced by the shade of the product.


When tasting, the aroma of olive oil can be appreciated by slightly heating up the glass and breathing its emanations several times to identify them with vegetable smells (fresh cut grass, apple, green almond, etc).


As for taste, a small quantity is enough to appreciate olive oil’s taste. Mouth can reveal the bitterness or itch, positive attributes of the product. Oil is usually first tasted in the top of the tongue. Subsequently, by slowly and continually breathing in, it slips to the palate and then down the throat. Either bread or green apple may be used between each tasting to clean the mouth.

 

 

 

The terms used in virgin olive oil tasting somehow remind to wine tasting. Good olive oil should be balanced and harmonic. They are described in general terms such as fruity (green or ripe), spicy, bitter or sweet or in more specific terms such as grass, green leaves or other references to vegetables (artichoke, tomato…) and fruit (almond, apple, banana).

 

Virgin Olive Oil

 

Virgin olive oil can only be obtained through mechanical or other physical processes from the fruit of olive trees. They do not undergo any treatment in addition to washing, decanting, centrifugation and/or filtration.

Virgin olive oil is divided in extra virgin, virgin and lampante olive oil. Only extra virgin and virgin olive oil can be used for direct consumption.


The following are olive oils available in the market:

■  Extra Virgin Olive Oil: First-class olive oil directly obtained from the fruit through mechanical processes. It presents an excellent aroma and taste and its acidity is below 0.8º (in compliance with current regulation).

â–  Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil directly obtained from the fruit and just through mechanical processes. It presents good aroma and taste and acidity below 2Âş (in compliance with current regulation).

The third type of virgin olive oil, Lampante Olive Oil, due to unfavourable climate conditions, over- or under-ripeness or defective production processes, presents a high acidity level (above 2Âş) or a defective taste and smell and must therefore undergo a refining process in order to correct said flaws.

 

Olive Oil - contains exclusively refined and virgin olive oil

 

Lampante olive oil must undergo a refining process in order to remove possible defective smells or tastes and to reduce its acidity level.

Some virgin olive oils, because of their commercial strategy, also undergo refining processes.

This is the process used to obtain Refined Olive Oil. It conserves its basic chemical structure and is then added a certain quantity of Virgin Olive Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which contributes with its aroma and taste, to obtain “olive oil – contains exclusively…”. The acidity of these olive oils, by law, must be less than or equal to 1º.

 

Olive - Pomace Oil

 

Olive-pomace oil is the solid sub-product or paste obtained in the virgin olive oil production process after the pressing or centrifugation. Raw Pomace Oil is obtained when this sub-product undergoes physical (centrifugation) or chemical (with solvents) treatments. It must then undergo a refining process, similar to that of lampante olive oil, to become Refined Olive Oil. A percentage of virgin or extra virgin olive oil is added so that it reaches the commercial category of Olive Pomace Oil, with acidity inferior or equal to 1Âş.

To be published soon

Each olive oil producing country in the European Union has its own designations of origin, governed by European regulation. The designation of origin certifies the origin of olive oil, its production methods, the variety used, the parameters of the final product, etc. which must be specifically approved by the Commission.


Even though by European regulation virgin olive oil can have a designation of origin, only Extra Virgin Olive Oils have designation of origin in Spain. There are 20 national designations of origin recognised by the EU and, to date, 31 recognised at a national level.

For further information, visit the website of each D.O.

 

Â
D.O	Comunidad AutĂłnoma
Aceite Campo de Montiel	Castilla la Mancha
Aceite de Baix Ebre-MontsiĂ	Catalonia
Aceite de la Alcarria	Castilla la Mancha
Aceite de la Comunitat Valenciana	Community of Valencia
Aceite de La Rioja	La Rioja
Aceite de Madrid	Madrid
Aceite de Mallorca	Balearic Islands
Aceite de Monterrubio	Extremadura
Aceite de Navarra	Navarre
Aceite de Terra Alta	Catalonia
Aceite del Bajo AragĂłn	AragĂłn
Aceite del Empordá	Catalonia
Aceite Montes de Alcaraz	Castilla la Mancha
Antequera	Andalusia
Baena	Andalusia
Campiñas de Jaén	Andalusia
Campos de Calatrava	Castilla la Mancha
Estepa	Andalusia
Gata-Hurdes	Extremadura
Les Garrigues	Catalonia
Lucena	Andalusia
Montes de Granada	Andalusia
Montes de Toledo	Castilla la Mancha
Montoro-Adamuz	Andalusia
Poniente de Granada	Andalusia
Priego de CĂłrdoba	Andalusia
Sierra de Cádiz	Andalusia
Sierra de Cazorla	Andalusia
Sierra de Segura	Andalusia
Sierra Mágina	Andalusia
Siurana	Catalonia

To be published soon

HOW TO USE SPANISH OLIVE OIL?

 

Olive oil provides a pleasant aroma and taste to different dishes. In addition, there is a great commercial selection (extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil or olive oil) so olive oil can be chosen depending on each person’s taste or the menu and aroma desired: more or less fruity or intense, or a little differentiated product, with limited aroma or taste.

 

Raw extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salads, sauces and for dressing vegetables. It is olive juice and therefore it keeps all its aroma and taste. It can also be eaten raw, along with toasts or dipping bread in it, and even with smoked fish or meat, table olives, meat, sandwiches, cold meat, etc. It is very versatile and can be used in the preparation of all kinds of sauces.


In light frying and stews, always over a low heat and temperature and especially with pulses and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil keeps all its properties.


Olive oil is the most stable of all vegetable fats and, under normal conditions, it does not produce toxic reactions when fried, roasted or boiled, improving the gastronomic quality of food. Thus, olive oils are perfect for cooking at high temperatures to cook sautéed, roasted, stewed or fried dishes.


High-temperature frying - between 130 and 180 degrees Celsius - evidences the benefits of olive oil. At this temperature, olive oil creates a thin but dense superficial layer, golden and crunchy, that prevents the product from absorbing more oil. Therefore, the food manages to keep its juice, resulting in appetizing dishes whose nutritional value has not been reduced. In addition, as olive oil hardly penetrates into the food, the latter becomes lighter and digestive. Olive oil fries but does not boil, as other oils do.



It is advisable, when frying, to use a container with tall and straight walls and a reduced diameter so more oil can be held in a smaller surface. It is also advisable to fold the food to be fried little by little in order to prevent the temperature of olive oil from descending sharply.

 

Did you know that...

 

• Olive oil is excellent for greasing barbecue meat, as it helps it keep its natural juice.

 

• Charcoal-grilled meat is tastier if olive oil is added when it is browning.

 

• Any meat, fish, or vegetable fried with olive oil becomes tastier, as it creates a thin and crunchy layer around it that prevents it from absorbing more oil and becoming greasy.

 

• Meat marinated in olive oil before cooking is tastier. As olive oil is a delicate product, it is ideal for mixtures with aromatic herbs and spices.

 

• If you wish to prepare a delicious appetizer, spread some garlic on a toast and then add a splash of olive oil.

 

• Using olive oil to cook pasta prevents it from sticking.

 

 

• To achieve best results, dry all ingredients before frying them

 

• Make sure the frying pan contains enough olive oil to cover all the ingredients. If there is not enough olive oil in the frying pan, food will either be too soft or it will burn.

 

• Before frying any food, olive oil must be hot, but it must not smoke.

 

• Food must be fried in small quantities so as to prevent the frying temperature of olive oil from descending.

 

• Olive oil expands when heated, so it goes further than other oils.

 

• When olive oil reaches temperatures of up to 180 degrees Celsius its structure stays unaltered, so it can be re-used up to 3-4 times with absolute guarantees, as long as it is filtered after every frying to remove any solid waste left.

 

• Frying oil should be kept in an enamel, ceramic glaze or stainless steel recipient to prevent its oxidation.