Any American olive oil consumer who has been paying attention to the news in recent months is probably reeling. The announcement last April that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was adopting standards for olive oil was the first eye-opener. This was the first time many consumers realized that there had been no definition in the U.S. for the term "extra virgin."

Then came the report on supermarket olive oils from the University of California, Davis: 69 percent of imported olive oil samples and 10 percent of California olive oil samples labeled as extra virgin failed to meet the International Olive Council (IOC)/USDA sensory standards. That's when the shouting really started. Press releases flew back and forth, attacking and defending the study. Lawsuits were filed on behalf of consumers and chefs, alleging mislabeling and fraud. The blogosphere exploded with discussion about free fatty acid levels, diacylglycerols and truth in labeling. The battle was on.

Low-quality olive oil labeled as extra virgin in American markets is not a new problem. In addition to the maximum free fatty acid level and other chemical standards, the IOC (and now the USDA) definition of extra virgin includes a sensory standard: the oil cannot have any sensory defects and must have some olive fruitiness. So no matter what the chemical analyses say, if an oil tastes of fermented olives or advanced oxidation, it isn't extra virgin. And despite the outraged denials from some sectors of the olive oil industry, any trained olive oil taster can tell you that in years past when we wanted samples of "fusty" or "rancid" defects, we just went to our local supermarket and grabbed a few bottles of familiar name brand oils off the shelf.

Although the process has been messy, and the tone often strident, there is an upside to all this fuss: American consumers are talking about olive oil quality. My fear is that, in all this sound and fury, many misconceptions are setting in among consumers. Among the many I've heard in the last few months are these three misguided conclusions:

Wrong conclusion No. 1: The industry is so messed up, I'll just stop using olive oil.
It's true that the industry has its dark side and some extremely dysfunctional moments, but olive oil is still a wonderful part of a healthy diet and belongs on your table every day. Americans would benefit from using more olive oil, not less. It is the industry's job to clean up its act and give the consumer truthful labeling. A proposed standard in Australia, for example, would require that products containing refined olive oil must make that distinction on their label.

Most consumers don't realize that "extra light" and "pure olive oil" are blends of refined olive oil with only a little virgin olive oil. Under the draft Australian standards, these product labels would have to say "refined olive oil blend." A regulation like that here would go a long way towards giving American consumers some real information about what they are buying.

Wrong conclusion No. 2: All imported oil is bad.
This is utter nonsense. There are excellent oils being made by ethical producers all over the world. If there is an Us and a Them in this debate, the lines are not drawn along national borders. The line is between the honest producers of real extra virgin olive oil — passionate and dedicated people who make the olive oil you want on your table — and the packagers and industrial producers who care only for profit and will game the system any which way to get the most money out of it.

Wrong conclusion No. 3: The new USDA standards will take care of the problem.
Wishful thinking. The new standards are a big step in the right direction, but they are far from a cure-all. For openers, the standard is voluntary, and it is for "U.S. extra virgin," not for "extra virgin." This standard can be applied to olive oil produced in the United States or to imports, but is a voluntary certification in either case. So unless it says "U.S. extra virgin" on the label and has the USDA certification shield, it is not certified under the USDA standard. For the full rundown, see the report Understanding USDA Olive Oil Standards.

The realization that the American market has been a dumping ground for inaccurately labeled, low-quality olive oil for years is giving rise to  a lot of well-founded indignation. But  American consumers need to recognize their power in this situation. Why is there so much excitement and agitation over olive oil standards? Because the U.S. market for olive oil is enormous, and when consumers start insisting on quality, they will be heard.

Well-crafted and well-enforced quality standards for olive oil are essential, and we need to keep pushing that agenda. It is unfair — to both the good producer and the consumer — that meticulously produced, fresh, true extra virgin olive oils must compete with cheap, poorly made, old, blended, even adulterated products with identical labeling. But the regulatory road is a long and expensive one; we need an interim plan.

If American consumers educate themselves about olive oil,  they can make better decisions in the market – and that will be felt quickly in the industry. I would encourage anyone concerned about food quality to taste good olive oil: fresh, high-quality olive oil is a revelation after all that old, tired, generic junk.

Personally, I buy primarily local California olive oil, as well as some estate-produced oils from overseas. Over the years, I have found producers whose quality and integrity I trust. There are also some certification programs out there that can help steer consumers to good olive oil. There is a summary of some of these programs at the end of Understanding USDA Olive Oil Standards. Awards from reputable competitions can be a good indicator as well, including the Mario Solinas, Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, Yolo County Fair and various competitions in New Zealand and Australia.

Enthusiasts also can read up. Unfortunately, the amount of misinformation out there in books and online, particularly on e-commerce sites, is staggering, so casting a skeptical eye is advisable. That said, there are many good sources, starting with Olive Oil Times, which has taken the lead among English-language sites in reporting on industry news. (I wrote a couple of educational pieces for that site, to help address the consumer empowerment issue. Those articles are on olive oil tasting basics and recognizing rancid oil. More in this series are in the works.)

Despite recent scandals, more high-quality olive oil is available now than ever before. The fact that American consumers are even discussing olive oil quality is in itself a tremendous victory for honest producers. I hope that this debate will further embolden the champions of transparency and quality; the time is ripe for even more significant reform.

Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne is an olive oil consultant, writer and educator based in Sonoma County, Calif.

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Steve Winston, The Spanish Table

Well “fusty” is a pretty derogatory term isn’t it? The term for a pretty much bygone style of Spanish peasant wine was “rancio” which has just about as much marketing appeal. People who want special olive oils can buy oils from a D.O. These are produced under stricter controls and in most cases they have been through a third-party subjective sensory review. What we don't need is something like the old Federal Board of Tea Appeals sitting around sipping olive oils (and collecting fees to fund themselves). The new FDA law already threatens to put small importers of unique foreign foods out of business with increased paperwork and fees. Meanwhile, maybe the trendy chefs who have brought back organ meats will discover fusty olive oil next.

a guest , February 06, 2011

Pornanino Olive Oil

This is another good reason to buy olive oil from a producer you can trust:
http://www.zesterdaily.com/environment/579-pornanino-olive-oil

terenzio , February 03, 2011

Alexandra Devarenne responds

I understand your chagrin; the "Parkerization" of olive oil is a legitimate fear. There is a concerted effort to preserve older "non-commercial" varieties, for example, in the traditional olive growing regions. And I totally agree with the importance of varied styles in olive oil; there is a place for delicate, medium and robust oils in my kitchen to be sure.

The characteristic you speak of in the oil made from "aged" olives is what tasters call "fusty." The fusty flavor is the result of anaerobic fermentation of the olives before pressing. It is a flavor many people like--largely because it is what they are familiar with. It is part of the flavor of traditional olive oil in many places, and is even created deliberately by some producers.

Fusty is a bit like bret in wine; it is a flavor many people like in their wines but that is regarded as an unacceptable defect by others.

Olive oil fustiness is a defect according to the IOC standard and is not permitted in an oil of extra virgin grade. That doesn't mean you can't make or buy it, though, just that it must be called "virgin" rather than extra virgin.

Alexandra

a guest , February 01, 2011

Steve Winston, The Spanish Table

It irritates me that some government agency is going to use sensory standards to olive oil. We used to buy Portuguese olive oil that was made from olives that were a few days old. It had a unique sensory profile now quashed by current tastes. Interestingly, a Spanish company had samples of a similarly disobedient oil at the San Francisco Fancy Food Show. Having the government apply sensory standards is like letting Robert Parker pick wines for you. He may have the worlds's most famous palate but his tastes are not my tastes.

a guest , February 01, 2011

Phyllis

Frankie is quite right. What makes an extra virgin olive oil special is oleocanthal and other polyphenols.If an oil has no healthy kick in the throat she won't keep her virginity for long.A polyphenol rating on the label as well as a sensory assessment by an International Olive Oil Council certified panel of tasters who do not work for olive oil companies or judge in awards[conflict of interest] will show the discerning consumer how healthy an oil is.

a guest , January 31, 2011

Frankie

Extra virgin olive oil is not simply a culinary oil it is the healthiest edible oil available. What has been overlooked in the above comments is the assumption that being extra virgin makes an olive oil free of fungicides,pesticides and herbicides.They are not unless the grower does not use them.Mass production of extra virgin olive oil in high density groves means a grower has to use agrichemicals especially against olive fly.Latest medical research is showing that a polyphenol in extra virgin olive oil called oleocanthal helps oxidative stress in the brain.The higher the polyphenols in an extra virgin olive oil the less oxidation occurs and the more protection it offers.Oxidative stress produces deformed TAU proeteins that lead to alzheimers.Research conducted on French vineyard workers shows a profound increse in alzheimers attributed to pesticide use. A wise consumer of extra virgin olive oil who is paying a premium for the oil should check with the supplier and insist on a polyphenol rating and certification stating levels of agrichemicals. The higher the polyphenols the more robust an oil is. If the oil is described as delicate or mild it will oxidise quickly and not be as healthy.It will also go rancid or oxidise quickly.A premium extra virgin olive oil should make you cough and taste bitter. Bitterness is a flavour in olive oil that Americans should aquire a taste for bitter extra virgin olive oils for their health's sake.As all edible fats oxidise if they are not refined to enhance shelf life Olive oil awards are no guarantee of an oils quality as they merely showcase an oil on the day.They are a good marketing tool for but merely show a style preference for mild ,medium or robust oils.Polyphenol levels on the label are the very best indicator of an extra virgin olive oils quality.

a guest , January 31, 2011