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We live in a time of overexposure to information. Every day we read information in which we do not know well what to expect because in many cases the information is contradictory. From Aceites Valdezarza we want to provide some information coming from truthful sources to make the clients choose better an extra virgin olive oil.

The commercial categories of olive oils are regulated by law and they are intended to protect and guarantee the rights of consumers.

European Union legislation (Regulation EC 1019/2002)4 distinguishes only four commercial categories of olive oil:

• Extra virgin olive oil: This type of oil is of the highest quality, it is obtained directly from olives in good condition only by mechanical procedures, with an impeccable and flawless taste and smell, not exceeding its acidity level 0, 8 (in another article we will explain the commercial «trap» of acidity).

• Virgin olive oil: This oil follows the same quality parameters as an extra virgin olive oil, in terms of methods of obtaining. The difference is that it cannot exceed 2° of acidity, and may have slight defects in the tasting. In other words, the defects must be virtually imperceptible to the consumer.

• Olive oil: It is a mix of refined olive oil, which is obtained from the refining of defective oils, which have not reached the quality parameters mentioned above and of extra virgin olive oil (between 10 % and 20%). As we will see, this olive oil has lost the word «virgin.» This is due to the fact that other chemical and / or thermal processes for cleaning aromas, flavors and colors are used in the process of making refined oil. The acidity degree of this olive oil cannot exceed 1.5 °. (Therefore in this case the acidity only indicates the greater or lesser percentage of the mixture that it has)

• Olive pomace oil: This type of oil is the result of refining, by chemical means, of the pomace, coming from the milling of the olive. The vegetable fat obtained is mixed with a certain proportion of virgin olive oil, and the final graduation obtained, in oleic acids, shall not exceed 1.5°.

Another type of oil, not commercial, is lampante olive oil. It is defective virgin oil and therefore can not be consumed directly like the other oils. Its name comes from the utility that was given in times past as fuel for lamps or lamps. Today it is the one that is used to be refined, a process from which refined olive oil is obtained, not marketable as is due to its absence of flavor and color, but which, mixed with virgin or extra virgin (10% – 20%) becomes marketable, being called olive oil, as we have already said. They proceed both like the virgin and the extra, only from olives, but of poor quality, mostly due to soil olives, frost, chopped, etc., but always and only of olives. After some thermal, physical and chemical processes in the refinery and a subsequent mixing with virgins, it can be marketed, so this type of resulting oil (dried olive oil) is not considered by many to be authentic olive juice since it has undergone different processes other than those of the mill.

That is why only extra virgin and virgin olive juice can be considered. In Aceites Valdezarza you will only find the highest category that has passed all legal controls.

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