Proper olive oil storage is crucial; it should never be refrigerated and should be kept between 14 °C and 18 °C, away from light. Frying with olive oil is safe and recommended due to its resistance to oxidation. Freshness is key, so it’s best consumed within a year of harvest. Cloudy oil may not be superior and often has a shorter shelf life. Olive oil is a healthy fat linked to reduced cardiovascular risks, and its higher price reflects the complex extraction process involved.
Proper Olive Oil Storage
It’s essential to avoid storing olive oil in the refrigerator, as the low temperatures can cause it to partially solidify. The optimal storage temperature for olive oil is between 14 °C and 18 °C. To maintain its quality, it’s crucial to keep olive oil away from light.
Specialty retailers understand this and typically do not display high-quality oils under direct sunlight or harsh artificial lighting. If they do showcase their products, only empty bottles are usually on display. Exposure to light, heat, and oxygen can significantly degrade the oil’s quality.
Frying with Olive Oil: Is it Safe?
Not only is frying with olive oil permissible, but it’s also recommended! Due to its single double bond, olive oil is less prone to oxidation compared to polyunsaturated fats that have multiple double bonds. Additionally, the polyphenols found in top-tier extra virgin olive oil bolster its resistance to oxidative damage. The German Society for Fat Science suggests keeping frying temperatures below 180 °C, ideally between 160-175 °C.
For centuries, people in Mediterranean countries have demonstrated that olive oil is an excellent choice for cooking. It is commonly drizzled over pasta, meat, and vegetables, and is also a popular option for frying, deep-frying, and baking.
Olive Oil Shelf Life: How Long Does It Last?
Olive oil, derived from the juice of olives, is best consumed shortly after harvest for maximum flavor and nutritional integrity. It is advisable to use olive oil within a year before the next harvest season in the fall.
Understanding the Best Before Date of Olive Oil
There are no specific regulations regarding the best before date (BBD) for olive oil. Instead, the production and bottling dates provide more relevant information. Quality producers typically include these dates on their labels.
Cloudy Olive Oil: A Sign of Quality?
Cloudy olive oil is often seen as more natural; however, not all natural products are appealing. Aside from freshly pressed olive oil, cloudy varieties are neither healthier nor superior to filtered options. In fact, they tend to have a shorter shelf life and can quickly lose their flavors, colors, and health benefits. The cloudiness is mainly due to water and dissolved matter, which can compromise the oil’s quality. Therefore, premium olive oil is usually filtered right after extraction.
The Health Benefits of Olive Oil
Olive oil is an incredibly healthy fat, packed with beneficial substances such as monounsaturated oleic acid, antioxidants, vitamins, and more. Research indicates that consuming olive oil can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, combat free radicals, and mitigate other health risks when it replaces less healthy fats in one’s diet.
Why is Olive Oil Often Priced Higher?
Extracting oil from tree fruits is inherently more complex than harvesting seeds with combines. Even in fully mechanized olive groves that focus on mass production, the oil extraction process remains intricate.
In traditional high-stem systems that require extensive manual labor, the production becomes even more challenging and costly. Furthermore, producing premium olive oil incurs higher expenses since the process must be swift, and olives must be processed in cutting-edge facilities.
About Andreas März
Andreas März is the publisher of ‘Merum’, a magazine that features a special edition dedicated to the finest olive oils from Italy. This edition, available in stores since April 20, 2024, is priced at 9.90 euros. It highlights a curated collection of 140 exceptional oils from the recent harvest in Italy, selected through a blind tasting from 307 candidates and evaluated across three distinct quality levels. Alongside the oil reviews, the guide includes practical tips and insightful background information.