Posts Tagged ‘Refined Pomace Oil’

The definitions set out by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) are a comprehensive set of terms used to describe the various classifications of olive oil and olive-pomace oil available. The IOOC is an intergovernmental organization based in Madrid, Spain and is responsible for the monitoring of the production of olive oil, as well as defining and monitoring it’s quality and authenticity.

There are two main categories of oil that are of interest to IOOC:

1. Olive oils – this category includes all virgin olive oils, refined olive oil, and olive oil. These oils are all obtained directly from the olive fruit without the use of solvents or re-esterification.
2. Olive-pomace oils – these oils are obtained by treating olive pomace (the ground olive flesh and pits left after the oil has been extracted) with solvents or other physical treatments.

In order to be classified as olive oils or olive pomace oils, oils must conform to various sensory and analytical standards set out by the IOOC and they must not have been adulterated in any way. Common ways used to adulterate olive oils are to mix them with nut, seed and vegetable oils.

Types of Olive Oil:

Today olives are grown all over the world, but most important area is the Mediterranean basin, which is responsible for the production of the majority of the world’s olive oil. Spain is the leading producer followed by Italy and then Greece. Other European producers include Portugal, Albania, Croatia, France, Slovenia and Malta. In Africa the leading producer is Tunisia, followed by Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, South Africa and Angola.

The word ‘olive’ is as generic and unspecific as the word ‘grape’ and olive oil can be thought of in a similar manner. No two olive groves will produce an olive oil that tastes exactly alike. The olive tree comes in at least seven hundred varieties or “cultivars” and each produces oil with it’s own unique set of characteristics. The educated palate is able to detect subtle distinctions in taste and aroma and depending on the variety of olive used and the region it comes from as both make an enormous difference to the flavour, aroma and appearance of the finished product.

Unlike wine, oil does not improve with age. As a rule of thumb oil tends to be sharp when new and after a few months it tends to soften. To get around this large producers blend their oil to get a particular taste profile that is consistent throughout the year by drawing on oils from all over the Mediterranean area.

Olive oil is different from other vegetable oils because it is produced solely by mechanical means from the flesh of the fruit. The International Olive Council states that “Olive oil is the oil obtained solely from the fruit of the olive tree” and does not include “oils obtained using solvents or re-esterification processes and of any mixture with oils of other kinds.”

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Of particular interest to us is Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This type of oil is “obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration”. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is unique amongst all edible oils because other edible oils are chosen primarily for their ability to transfer heat during cooking without excessive smoking, whereas Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an ingredient in its own right and has the ability to complement both the taste and aroma of the food. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is virgin olive oil that has a minimum organoleptic rating of 6.5 out of 10, and an acidity under 0.8%, it is olive oil of the highest quality. The principle determinant of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is acidity, which is expressed as oleic acid, and should not be more that 0.8 grams per 100 grams. Greek oils are well known for their low acidity that is typically just 0.3 grams per 100 grams and as such are often purchased in bulk by large producers and bottlers to blend with other oils to reduce their acidity and alter their flavour.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes in four sub-types:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Protected Designation of Origin  – PDO
• Protected Geographical Indication – PGI

Virgin olive oil

Virgin olive oil is olive oil that has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100 grams (2.0%) and other characteristics that correspond to those fixed for this category in the IOOC standards. Their quality is lower than Extra Virgin Olive Oils.

Ordinary virgin olive

Ordinary virgin olive oil has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 3.3 grams per 100 grams (3.3%) and other characteristics that correspond to those fixed for this category in the IOOC standards. This classification is under review and may soon be merged with lampante olive oil.

Virgin olive oil not fit for consumption (Lampante Oil)

The common name for this oil is ‘Lampante Oil’ it is virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of more than 3.3 grams per 100 grams and organoleptic or other characteristics corresponding to those fixed for this category in the IOOC standards. It is intended for refining or for technical use. This oil is produced from olives that are picked very late in the season, or those that have been picked up from the ground. It can also result from poor processing.

Refined olive oil (Pure olive oil)

This is olive oil that has been obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods which do not lead any alterations to take place in the oils’ initial glyceridic structure, and can be referred to as ‘pure olive oil’.   It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams and its other characteristics correspond to the standards specified for this category. This oil is obtained by refining virgin olive oils (not olive-pomace oils) that have a high acidity level and/or organoleptic defects which are eliminated after the refining process. Over 50% of the oil produced in the Mediterranean area is of such poor quality that it must be refined in order to produce a product that can be deemed edible. It is important to note that no solvents have been used to extract this oil and it is refined with the use of charcoal or other chemicals and physical filters. Refined oil is generally tasteless, odourless, and colourless. Many countries deem it unfit for human consumption due to its poor flavour. This type of oil is often used in food manufacturing when producers are looking for olive oil that will not overpower the flavour of the final product.

Olive oil

This grade of oil consists of a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils that are fit for consumption. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams and its other characteristics correspond to the standards specified for this category. Most of the olive oil sold throughout the world falls into this category. Different blends are made with more or less virgin oil to achieve different tastes at different prices. Oils described as “Light” or “Extra Light” in the United States fall in this category and are most likely made with a large proportion of refined oil.

Types of olive-pomace oil:

Olive pomace oil

This grade of oil is obtained by treating olive pomace with solvents or other physical treatments. This does not include any oil that is obtained by the re-esterification processes nor does it refer to any oil that has been mixed with any other kind of oil. Olive pomace oil is predominatly used in industrial settings or in restaurants as a deep frying agent because of its high smoke point of 240 degrees Celsius. It is important to note that the process by which olive pomace oil is extracted is no different to the process used to extract other conventional cooking oils such as corn, soy, sunflower or canola oil. Where olive pomace oil differs to conventional cooking oils is that even after this process has taken place it still retains olive oil’s basic lipid profile and therefore has high levels of oleanolic acid. There are three sub-categories of olive pomace oil and the oils are sold in accordance with the following designations and definitions:

Crude olive pomace oil

This oil is olive pomace oil whose characteristics correspond to the standards specified for this category. It is intended for further refining before use for human consumption or for technical uses.

Refined olive pomace oil

This oil is obtained from crude olive pomace oil by refining methods that do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams and its other characteristics correspond to the standards specified for this category. It is generally refined by the same methods as ‘refined olive oil’ (see above) except that the raw product is crude olive-pomace oil instead of low quality virgin oil.

Olive pomace oil

This oil is made up of a blend of refined olive pomace oil and virgin olive oils that are fit for consumption. It has a free acidity of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams and its other characteristics correspond to the standards specified for this category. Under no circumstances can this blend be called “olive oil”.

Olive oils blended with vegetable oils

It is worth commenting on blended oils as they account for a large percentage of olive oil sales in the United Kingdom. These are olive oils and olive pomace oils that have been blended with vegetable oils for reasons of taste and price. These oils would be classed by the IOOC as having been adulterated.

Salad oil

This is a blend of olive oil with a vegetable oil. The blend differs according to taste and price requirements. A popular blend in the UK is 65% Extra Virgin Olive Oil with 35% sunflower or canola oil.

Olive pomace blend

This is a blend of olive pomace oil with a vegetable oil. The blend differs according to taste and price requirements. A popular blend in the UK is 51% olive pomace oil and 49% sunflower or soya oil.