“Pure” Olive Oil Is Not What You Think

Posted by Hannah Broaddus

Blog35-Olive-Oil_Bottles-with-Wood-and-Tag-aHave you ever sourced olive oil-- just plain ol’ “olive oil”?  Understanding what you’re really getting can be confusing to most buyers outside of the oil industry.  We’d like to explain the grade “Olive Oil” (also known as “Pure Olive Oil”), because many consumers don’t really understand what they’re getting.

Many consumers mistakenly believe that “olive oil” is the primary grade of oil expelled from the olives, and the Virgin or Extra Virgin is a premium version of that.  This thinking is actually backwards.  In reality, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the primary grade created from the fruit of the olives, and “Olive Oil” is a processed, lower grade expelled after that.  

The grade “Olive Oil” is defined by the USDA as a mid-level grade made up of Refined Virgin Olive Oil and a small amount of Extra Virgin or Virgin Olive Oil mixed in.  Part of the confusion about this grade comes from how it is labeled; it is known as “Pure Olive Oil” or “100% Pure Olive Oil” across the retail and bulk industries.  

The grade is sometimes just referred to as “Pure”, which has developed over time through product labels and marketing.  Contrary to popular belief, “Pure” does not refer to quality or the guarantee of no adulteration-- pure simply refers to the grade that is inside the bottle.  This grade, as explained before, is a processed lighter oil compared to Extra Virgin.

Topics: Pure Olive Oil

 

 

Related Articles

Download The eBook - All About Olive Oil

Enter your email below to get commodity market updates & cost-saving tips for procurement professionals.

Comments


 

 

 

 


Buy & Ship Direct From Our Online Store

Select an item below to see live pricing (LTL quotes included at checkout).

 
 

 

Now you can order direct from our website, without ever talking to a salesperson.  We've created this new industry-leading online storefront which makes the bulk oil buying process so much easier!

  • See live price quotes for oils online
  • Shipping costs are auto-calculated at checkout
  • Buy single drums, partial pallets or full pallets
  • Pay with a credit card
  • Ships from Centra Foods within 1-3 business days

     

     

SHOP NOW