Did you know that extra virgin olive oil is often a target of food fraud?
With mega-droughts and heatwaves hitting the main olive-growing regions, the price of olive oil has skyrocketed. Unfortunately, this sharp increase has led to a spike in fraudulent practices, with counterfeit extra virgin olive oils flooding the market.
This has serious consequences for consumers. When a tampered oil makes its way onto store shelves, it’s not just a matter of taste at stake, but also health. These adulterated oils often diluted with lower-quality ones, strip away the benefits of extra virgin olive oil, such as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, and its positive effects on digestion and the cardiovascular system.
Moreover, they erode consumers’ trust in premium olive oils. When fraud is exposed, it impacts the entire industry, casting a shadow of doubt and leading to a drop in demand, even for products crafted with integrity.
Addressing this issue is a serious commitment for us at Maison Orphée. That’s why we’re all about arming our customers with the knowledge to recognize top-tier olive oil, helping them avoid counterfeits.
In previous blog posts, we shared some tips on how to identify quality olive oil and explained what makes our olive oil truly ‘extra virgin’. Among other things, we discovered that the three positive attributes of extra virgin olive oil can be summed up with the acronym PBF: Peppery, Bitter, and Fruity. But there’s more to it. For olive oil to fully deserve the extra virgin label, it has to be free of any negative traits. That’s why today, we’re bringing you an article designed to help you spot the flaws that could strip an oil of this coveted label.
But what exactly is a flaw?
In extra virgin olive oil, a flaw refers to any characteristic that compromises its aroma and flavour integrity. In other words, it’s an imperfection that impacts the oil’s expected quality.
The most commonly observed flaws include hints of rancidity or mustiness – attributes that are immediately noticeable both in smell and taste. An oil with any of these flaws simply cannot be labelled as ‘extra virgin’, as it no longer meets the strict quality standards set by experts.
As for their origin, our olive oil sommelier, Anthony Dewald – trained at the prestigious International Culinary Center in New York and the principal technical advisor at Maison Orphée – explains: ‘defects in olive oil mainly stem from poor production practices, such as delayed harvesting, extraction at overly high temperatures, or improper storage conditions’.
Now, let’s dive into the key flaws that can affect olive oil.
The main flaws in olive oil
According to the International Olive Council, there are 16 different negative attributes that can be detected in olive oil.
Here are the most important ones:
1. Rancid Smell
Rancidity is a major flaw in olive oil, caused by the oxidation of fatty acids. This process not only alters the taste, giving it an unpleasant and acrid flavour, but also affects the oil’s nutritional quality. Oxidation can occur due to improper storage, exposure to heat, light, or air, especially over time.
In fact, at the 2024 New York International Olive Oil Competition, rancidity was identified as the most common defect by the analysis team.
2. Fusty Character
Neither fresh nor pleasant, this flaw arises from olives that have been stored in conditions conducive to anaerobic fermentation, meaning without oxygen. This lack of air encourages the growth of microorganisms that produce acids and gases, leading to flavours reminiscent of tapenade, with a tangy taste and notes of overripe fruit.
Surprisingly, some consumers find these aromas appealing because they remind them of canned black olives, even though this is not what one would typically expect from extra virgin olive oil.
3. Musty Smell
‘Mustiness,’ or the smell of mould, is a flaw that occurs in oils made from olives where a significant amount of fungi and yeast have developed, often due to storage in damp conditions for several days.
It’s the kind of odour you might encounter in places that haven’t been aired out in a long time, like an old basement.
4. Winey Character
The winey flaw in olive oil is characterized by a taste and smell reminiscent of wine or vinegar. This occurs when olives undergo fermentation after being stored for too long or in unsuitable conditions before pressing. Prolonged exposure to oxygen promotes the formation of substances like acetic acid, ethyl acetate, and ethanol, which are responsible for this sour odour and taste. It’s not uncommon to pick on notes of nail polish or even nail polish remover.
How to identify flaws in olive oil
Just as a sommelier can tell the difference between a corked wine and a fine vintage, an olive oil enthusiast can learn to distinguish a high-quality oil from a flawed one. With a bit of practice, you can do it too!
Here are a few simple methods:
Trust your nose
Pour a small amount of oil into a glass and gently warm it between your hands. Take a moment to inhale its aromas. A premium extra virgin olive oil will often release notes of tomato stems or freshly cut grass. However, if you detect any of the negative attributes mentioned earlier, it’s a strong indication that the oil is of poor quality.
Taste (if you wish)
Take a small sip of olive oil and let it spread across your tongue. A quality olive oil will have a rich, complex taste with a fruity, bitter and peppery character, reminiscent of greens, tomato, and green apple. If the oil tastes rancid or unpleasant, you might be dealing with a product of questionable quality.
Check the texture
A sticky bottle neck could be a sign that the oil is starting to degrade.
If the oil leaves an overly greasy feeling on your lips, it might indicate the beginning of rancidity, although this flaw isn’t always easy to detect for beginners. A good tip: regularly wipe the bottle’s neck with a paper towel to prevent the oil under the cap from turning rancid.
Conclusion
Fraud in the olive oil industry is a significant issue that affects every link in the chain, from producers to end-users.
Choosing a good olive oil isn’t just about reading the label (although it often reveals a lot about the product and the company behind it) – it’s an art that requires discernment and a bit of knowledge. So, the next time you purchase some, take a few seconds to apply these valuable tips and let your senses guide you.
As our president and CEO, Élisabeth Bélanger, wisely says, ‘The best way to protect yourself from food fraud is to develop your palate and work with people you trust.’