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US Olive Oils and Olive-Pomace Oil Grades and Standards

US vs EU Olive Oils and Olive-Pomace Oil Grades and Standards ILOVEACEITE

Grades of Olive Oil

U.S. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is virgin olive oil which has excellent flavor and odor (median of defects equal to zero and median of fruitiness greater than zero) and a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams, and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539, as appropriate.

U.S. Virgin Olive Oil is virgin olive oil which has reasonably good flavor and odor (median of defects between zero and 2.5 and median of fruitiness greater than zero) and a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2.0 grams per 100 grams, and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539 as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Virgin Olive Oil” (this is a limiting rule).

U.S. Virgin Olive Oil Not Fit For Human Consumption Without Further Processing sometimes designated as “U.S. Lampante Virgin Olive Oil,” is virgin olive oil which has poor flavor and odor (median of defects between 2.5 and 6.0 or when the median of defects is less than or equal to 2.5 and the median of fruit is zero), a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of more than 2.0 grams per 100 grams, and meets the additional requirements as outlined §52.1539 as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above "U.S. Virgin Olive Oil Not Fit for Human Consumption Without Further Processing" (this is a limiting rule). It is intended for refining or for purposes other than food use.

U.S. Olive Oil is the oil consisting of a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption without further processing. It has a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1.0 gram per 100 grams, has acceptable odor and flavor characteristic of “virgin olive oil,” and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539 as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Olive Oil” (this is a limiting rule). The maximum level permitted of total alpha-tocopherol in the final product is 200 mg/kg.

U.S. Refined Olive Oil is the olive oil obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods that do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure (basic glycerin-fatty acid structure). It has a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams, is flavorless and odorless and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539 as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Refined Olive Oil” (this is a limiting rule). The addition of alpha-tocopherol is permitted to restore natural tocopherol lost in the refining process. The maximum level is 200 mg/kg of total alpha-tocopherol in the final product.

Grades of Olive-Pomace Oil

U.S. Olive-pomace Oil is the oil comprising a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption without further processing. It has a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1.0 gram per 100 grams, acceptable flavor and odor slightly characteristic of olive oil, and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539, as appropriate. Olive pomace oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Olive-pomace Oil” (this is a limiting rule). U.S. Refined Olive-pomace Oil is the oil obtained from crude olive-pomace oil by refining methods that do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams, acceptable flavor and odor, and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539, as appropriate. Olive-pomace oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Refined Olive-pomace Oil” (this is a limiting rule).

U.S. Crude Olive-pomace Oil is olive-pomace oil that meets the requirements as outlined in §52.1539, as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Crude Olive-pomace Oil” (this is a limiting rule). It is intended for refining for use for human consumption or for purposes other than food use.

EU Olive Oils Grades and Standards

For your consumer health and safety information, here are the commercial classifications of oil under European Union regulations (EC Regulation 1019/2002). There are only four commercial categories of olive oils:

Extra virgin olive oil

This high quality oil is obtained directly from olives that are in good condition, solely by mechanical means, with impeccable taste and odor. The olive is free from defects that do not exceed the degree of acidity of 0.8 °. The grading, given by a trained tasting panel must be equal to or greater than 6.5 points. It is 100 percent pure juice from the highest quality olives. A board of expert tasters guarantees its excellence.

Virgin olive oil

This oil has the same quality standards as extra virgin olive oil with respect to its production. It differs in that it cannot exceed 2 ° acidity, and the score obtained by a trained tasting panel must be equal to or greater than 5.5 points. In other words, the defects should be virtually imperceptible to the consumer.

Olive oil

A blend of olive oil, which is obtained from refining defective oils that have not reached the quality standards described above for virgin or extra virgin olive oil ( typically between 10% and 20%.) . Observe the word "virgin." has been lost. This is due to the preparation of this refined oil using alternative chemical processes and / or thermal cleansing of fragrances, flavors and colours. The degree of acidity of the olive oil cannot exceed 1.5 °. This refined oil, tasteless and odorless, and mixed with virgin, or rarely, extra virgin (10% - 20%), is marketed -with adjectives such as 'soft', 'intense', 'light', etc..

Pomace olive oil

This type of oil is the product of refining by chemical means pomace/marc (orujo or morcas), from the milling of olives. The vegetable fat obtained is mixed with a proportion of virgin olive oil, and final grading obtained, oleic acid, not exceed 1.5 °.

Lampante Olive oil

Another non-commercial type is the lampante virgin olive oil. This Virgin oil is defective and therefore cannot be consumed directly like the other virgins. Its name comes from its utility in the past as a fuel for lamps or candles. Today this oil used for refining, is not marketable due to its lack of flavor and colour. Nonetheless mixed with virgin or extra virgin (10% - 20%), it becomes marketable, labelled 'olive oil', as already discussed above.

It is derived with both the virgin and extra virgin, but only with respect to the olives, albeit, they are low in quality, due mostly to the olives from the ground, frost bites, etc.. but always from olives. After a thermal, physical and chemical refinery and mixing with virgin, it becomes marketable; so, this oil type is not considered an authentic olive juice as it has undergone various processes other than those within the mill.