Olive Oil Grades and Standards

Critical Information for Olive Oil Decision Makers

by Lori Zanteson

Top olive oil experts will share insights to help distinguish good quality olive oil from bad at a January 12 conference presented by the Culinary Institute of America and the UC Davis Olive Center.

Posted on December 06 2011

Aussie Standard Wrapped, Paul Miller Pitches New World Olive Oil Quality ‘Alliance’

by Curtis Cord

Miller leads a new alliance that aims to connect producers and consumers with an olive oil quality indexing system and restoring the "good brand" of extra virgin.

Posted on October 31 2011

International Olive Council Studying Oils Beyond the Limits of its Standard

by Curtis Cord

The IOC invited producers to help it better understand olive oils that fell outside of its standards. The limited response was discussed last week in Madrid.

Posted on October 11 2011

In Olive Council Memorandum, “Unease” Over Australian Standards

by Curtis Cord

In a memorandum sent to Standards Australia, Codex Alimentarius and Australia's agriculture and foreign affairs ministries, the IOC laid out what it sees as a troubling development.

Posted on September 30 2011

Australia Adopts New Voluntary Standards for Olive Oil

by Olive Oil Times Staff

Australian Olive Association President Paul Miller said “the standard puts consumers in a much stronger position when it comes to making informed choices.”

Posted on July 20 2011

Seville Meeting Asks “What Do Consumers Know About Olive Oil?”

by Julie Butler

Consumers' knowledge about olive oil quality, and controversial new EU rules designed to crack down on deodorized oils are on the agenda of a new annual conference in Seville.

Posted on May 30 2011

Australia, New Zealand Draft New Olive Oil Standards

by Sarah Schwager

A draft of new olive oil standards for Australia and New Zealand reveals strict labeling guidelines, while leaving a key international EVOO benchmark unchanged.

Posted on January 04 2011

New U.S. Olive Oil Standards in Effect Today

by Lori Zanteson

Producers who choose to label their product "US Extra Virgin Olive Oil" may now begin the process of having it inspected and certified by the USDA.

Posted on October 25 2010

Understanding the New USDA Olive Oil Standards

by A.K. Devarenne and P. Vossen

Next month new USDA standards for olive oil go into effect. Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne and Paul Vossen address common questions about what the standards mean for producers.

Posted on September 14 2010

Olive Pomace Oil: Not What You Might Think

by Daniel Williams

You were seduced by a nice package, low price and claims like "Premium Flavor" or "Made in Italy" before learning you didn't buy olive oil at all. You're not alone.

Posted on September 09 2010

Report: Most Imported Extra Virgin Olive Oils Aren’t Extra Virgin

by Denise Johnson

A new report found 69 percent of imported olive oils and 10 percent of California olive oils labeled as extra virgin failed to meet the IOC/USDA standards for that classification.

Posted on July 14 2010

Make Sure You’re Getting Extra Virgin

by Olive Oil Times Staff

Under the federal Food and Drug guidelines, products labeled and sold as extra-virgin olive oil must be cold pressed, have a low-acidity, and be made entirely from oil obtained from the fruit of the olive tree.

Posted on March 23 2010

Grades of Olive Oil: Know the Lingo

by Olive Oil Times Staff

Don't be fooled by words like "Pure" and "Fine" when shopping for olive oil. Only "Extra Virgin" means the oil is free of defects and was extracted without harsh heat or chemicals.

Posted on March 15 2010