How to Tell If Olive Oil Is Adulterated
Are you jumping for joy because your last bottle of extra virgin olive oil was so cheap? Sorry to say this, but there’s probably something fishy going on. It’s very likely to be an adulterated oil and you’ve fallen victim to a food fraud that, unfortunately, is quite common.
Having a fraudulent product like this at home is not ideal for anyone but, how can you tell if olive oil is adulterated? Is there any sign that helps you avoid falling into the trap? We reveal it all in this post!
Why is olive oil adulterated?
If you’re a lover of liquid gold, you probably already know that the so-called International Olive Council is one of the bodies responsible for regulating its sale. The IOC sets out the chemical and sensory properties that every extra virgin olive oil must meet to guarantee maximum quality.
However, there are many producers who break the rules and put fraudulent oils on the market that do not meet these standards. And what’s worse: they sell them while promising consumers exactly the opposite.
But why? What’s the point of selling fake olive oil?
The high market value of EVOO
The main reason is, without a doubt, the cost of producing it. The production of extra virgin olive oil is limited because it depends directly on the olive harvest, it requires very careful processes to preserve its quality, and it must meet strict standards of purity and flavour.
Because of all this, it is one of the most expensive oils on the market. And in recent years, with droughts and wars, prices have risen even more. You know what we’re talking about, right?
Despite that, there’s huge demand, and EVOO is increasingly popular for its flavour and its many health benefits. Inevitably, there are producers who don’t want to miss out on that sales opportunity but aren’t willing to pay the true cost of producing real EVOO, so they resort to adulteration.
Main adulteration practices
Before we get into how to tell if olive oil is adulterated, it’s important that you know which adulteration practices exist.
The most common ones include:
- Mixing different vegetable oils. When EVOO is mixed with other cheaper vegetable oils, such as palm or sunflower oil.
- Mixing with lower-quality olive oil. For example, when lampante oil (very low quality and not suitable for direct consumption) is mixed with virgin or refined olive oil.
- False labelling. This happens when producers label their oil as “extra virgin” when it actually isn’t.
- Use of additives to mimic characteristics. Sometimes colourings are used to make the oil look greener, or artificial aromas to imitate the flavour of fresh olives.
- Chemical manipulation. This consists of using chemical processes to alter the fatty-acid profile or volatile compounds so that the oil passes basic checks.
Signs that an olive oil may be adulterated
So, how can you tell that olive oil is adulterated?
It’s hard to identify just by looking at it, we won’t lie. But there are certain signs that can help you tell a fake oil from a quality one.
Let’s take a look:
Suspicious colour, smell and taste
Colour, smell and taste are the three unmistakable organoleptic properties of EVOO, in other words, the ones you can perceive with your senses.
If it’s extra virgin, it will have an intense green or golden colour, its aroma will be fresh and fruity and its flavour will also be fruity, with a slight bitterness and peppery kick.
If it’s not, it may fail in one or more of these aspects. For example, you might notice a metallic taste or a very weak colour.
Changes in texture or thickness
Texture can also help you identify a non-virgin or adulterated oil, basically because EVOO is a little thicker than other vegetable oils.
If your oil seems very runny or not at all unctuous, it may be a blend of different oils and someone may have tried to pull the wool over your eyes. Be careful!
Presence of residues or impurities
A well-made extra virgin olive oil should look clean, with no particles or sediment floating around or at the bottom (though a slight cloudiness is normal if it’s unfiltered, and that’s not a bad thing).
If you see dark specks, lumps, sludge or strange residues, your oil may be poor quality or, quite simply, a fraud.
Home methods to detect adulterated oil
Looking for a home tip to tell if olive oil is adulterated? Of course there is! As expert EVOO producers, these are the best tricks we can share with you:
The freezer test
The first one is very easy: pour a little oil into a glass and put it in the fridge for a few hours. If it doesn’t thicken at all, it could be adulterated oil.
The light and colour test
Another useful test? Pour the oil into a clear glass and hold it up to natural light. As we said before, a good EVOO usually shows shades ranging from deep green to golden, depending on the olive variety and its stage of ripeness.
If the colour is too pale or yellowish, or looks extremely transparent, it may be mixed with refined or low-quality oils.
Basic tasting: what you should notice
You’ll like this last trick (at least if it’s a good oil!): taste a teaspoon of it directly or with a bit of bread.
As we already mentioned, if the oil is authentic it should have a fruity flavour, with a slightly bitter and peppery finish, which comes from the polyphenols. If the taste is flat, very greasy or even sweet, be suspicious: it could be an adulterated or refined oil with hardly any character.
How to read the label to avoid fraud
Even though you now know how to tell if olive oil is adulterated, remember that there’s another habit that will always help you spot low-quality oil: reading the label!
Designation of origin and country of production
What should that label include? First of all, detailed information about the origin of the liquid gold. For example, the region where it was produced, or even the olive mill.
Types of oil: virgin, extra virgin, refined
Make sure the label clearly states that it is “virgin” or “extra virgin” olive oil. If it doesn’t say so, it most likely isn’t.
Also check the acidity level: ideally, it should be below 0.8%.
Dates and quality seals
Finally, how many dates appear on the label? There should be two: on the one hand, the best-before date, like any other product; and on the other hand, the harvest date of the olives. Above all: transparency!
And if the product has certified quality seals, it’s definitely one of the good ones.
Tips for buying authentic, high-quality olive oil
So, everything clear so far on how to tell if olive oil is adulterated, right?
Even so, at BelOleum we want to make sure you know how to choose a premium olive oil and that you always opt for quality.
So here are a couple more tips:
Trusted brands and specialised shops
First: avoid buying your oil in supermarkets, because that’s where adulterated oils are most common. Instead, go for specialised shops and trusted brands, like BelOleum.
You can find our premium oil in any of these gourmet shops in Zaragoza. Hurry— it flies off the shelves!
What to avoid when choosing olive oil
Two more things you should avoid: plastic bottles and deals that seem too good to be true:
- A quality oil will always come in a dark glass bottle, a material that helps preserve the product’s maximum quality.
- And producing olive oil requires a lot of money, work and dedication, so no good-quality oil is going to be extremely cheap. It’s just impossible!
We say this because we’ve been EVOO producers in Aragón since time immemorial, and we know what we’re talking about. If, as well as avoiding adulterated oils, you want to try a truly great olive oil, the best recommendation we can give you is to choose ours: BelOleum!
There’s not much more to explain—once you taste it, you’ll understand. Don’t put it off… try it as soon as you can!
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