The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) lists five factors that define the quality of olive oil:
1) Absence of defects
Not necessarily just artificial defects; a defect can occur naturally but still lower the grade of the oil.
2) Purity
The absence of residue that contaminates the oil.
3) Genuineness
Guaranteed to be 'natural'.
4) Chemical balance
cioè l’ aderenza a standard considerati ideali.
5) Typicality
The origin of the olives is known.
The definition of defects is based on two criteria: the rate of acidity (the lower, the better) and the opinion of the Test Panel (the experts who judge the sensory characteristics of a sample of oil).
Residue is the waste that accumulates during the harvest, pressing and decanting into containers. The amount of residue left after filtration determines the level of purity.
This is the guarantee that the oil was extracted from the olives strictly through mechanical processes, without heat which could alter the character of the oil.
This refers to the percentage of acid, presence of vitamins, and the proper balance of minor components.
This is when the oil in question is produced using olives that reflect the characteristics of a particular region. These characteristics have been recognized as representing the quality of the area.
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