Types of Olive Oil
Table of Contents
What are the main types of olive oil?
There is some confusion around olive oil types in the average household. Finding terms like Extra Virgin (or EVOO), Organic, Cold-Press, Certified or Refined in the supermarket may confuse consumers, as they don’t really know what all this means.
Olive oil is the only edible oil that is extracted directly from a fresh fruit, and can be eaten fresh without a loss of quality or components. Approximately 8.8 to 11 pounds of olives are needed to make just 14 Fl. oz of oil.
As Olive oil is the oil obtained solely from the fruit of the olive tree, olive oil types are differentiated based on their acidity, which in the end depends on the proceessing of the olives.
Virgin olive oils are the oils 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.
Virgin means mechanical extraction. The oil or juice is extracted by machines with no chemicals used in the process.
Olive oil grades and uses
Based on it’s acidity, olive oil is categorized into extra virgin (evoo), virgin, light and classic (pure) olive oil. All these oils are made purely by extracting the juice of olives.
Then there is the virgin olive oil not fit for human consumption (lampante virgin olive oil). Lampante virgin olive oil is the lowest level of quality among the virgin olive oils and must be refined before consumption.
The acidity grades of olive oil types for consumption
Olive oil and refined olive oil fall below the virgin olive oil category in terms of hierarchy. Virgin olive oils are exclusively classified and described as follows:
Extra virgin olive oil
Virgin olive oil having a maximum free acidity, in terms of oleic acid, of 0,8 g per 100 g, the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down for this category. Within the extra virgin olive oil type there are oils classified as premium extra virgin or extra virgin.
Virgin olive oil
Virgin olive oil having a maximum free acidity, in terms of oleic acid, of 2 g per 100 g, the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down for this category. Within the classification of Virgin olive oil there can be found fine virgin oils, virgin oils and semifine virgin oils.
Lampante olive oil
Virgin olive oil having a free acidity, in terms of oleic acid, of more than 2 g per 100 g, and/or the other characteristics of which comply with those laid down for this category.
Non virgin olive oil types: Pure olive oil and olive pomace oil
Under the non-virgin olive oil types fall all pure olive oils and refined olive oils that are able for consumption. The olive pomace oil is an oil obtained by pressing the olive paste that is left in the centrifuge after the olives are pressed and the oil-water mixture is extracted.
Resuming, there are three basic grades of edible (fit for consumption) olive oil, and several types within each grade.
 | Extra Virgin Olive Oil Types
Virgin Olive Oil Types
Olive Oil Types
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Extra virgin olive oil types
All types of extra-virgin and virgin oils are made from the first pressing of the olives, which removes about 90 percent of the olives' juice. Chemicals and high heat are not allowed in the production of extra-virgin or virgin oils -- no further processing or refining occurs after the pressing process. The olives are pressed cold, that is, without the use of any heat, thus preserving all natural flavors of the olive. Extra virgin olive oil comes from the very first cold pressing of the olives.
It is also the most expensive oil, as to achieve the classification of “extra” , the oil has to undergo a series of lab tests and tastings by olive oil masters that judge the oil taste. This ensures the highest quality for any oil that passes all tests to achieve the extra virgin standard.
Extra virgin olive oil, and thus Extra virgin olive oil (evoo) is the first product of the extraction process and has the highest standard and best quality. It does not have any defects in taste or aroma, that can be described as olive, apple, green, sweet, grass, nutty and tomato.
It also has the strongest flavor and aroma of the three types and the highest rate of vitamins and nutrients. And last but not least, extra virgin oil offers the most potential health benefits because it is the least processed and retains more of these compounds.
The acidity of extra virgin olive oil, or oleic acid percentage, is of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams. This type of olive oil is very popular in Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy and it has a far more superior quality in taste. Used in most salads, added in stews and soups.
Inside the extra virgin olive oil type we find the “premium extra-virgin” olive oil, which is the finest oil of all, with very low acidity that can be as low as 0,2 % of oleic acid. This kind of olive oil is suited for salads, bread dip or as condiment.
It usually has a fruity taste and a pale yellow to bright green color. The deeper the color the more flavor it has. The top grade of acidity to be labeled as premium extra virgin is of 0,8 %-1 %. As it has it’s own taste and flavor, premium extra olive oil is not that suited for cooking, because it can influence the taste of the cooking.
Virgin olive oil types
Virgin olive oils are the second oil type in terms of quality. It is also obtained from the first pressing of the olives, although it’s slightly higher in acidity up to not more than 2 grams per 100 grams. It is a very good oil but just not good enough to be designated extra virgin. The difference between two oils may be just half a percentage point of acidity. Inside the virgin olive oil types we find the variations “semi fine virgin olive oil” , “fine virgin olive oil” and the plain “virgin olive oil”.
Virgin Olive Oil does not have to be perfect. It can have at most two defects. Still, it must have a positive, fruity attribute.
"Virgin olive oil" must have a "good" taste, and its acidity must be 2 percent or less. Like other virgin oils, it cannot contain any refined oil. Virgin olive oil is good for cooking, but it also has enough flavor to be enjoyed uncooked.
"Fine virgin olive oil" must have a "good" taste and an acidity level of no more than 1.5 percent. Fine virgin olive oil is less expensive than extra-virgin oil but is close in quality and is good uncooked.
"Semi fine virgin olive oil" must have an acidity no higher than 3.3 %. It is good for cooking but doesn't have enough standalone flavor for a salad or raw dip.
Don't confound quality and labeling
Not all virgin olive oils are equal. The quality of olive oil starts at the olive tree and depends on the state of the olive (the fruits) and the state of the equipment which with the olive oil will be pressed. If the olives are healthy and in perfect state, are washed and milled the same day as they are collected, the oil is obtained by cold pressing and the containers where the oil flows into are in perfect state and pristine, the resulting olive oil will be a pristine and fruity juice that will receive the best ratings and pass all tests to qualify as premium extra virgin. This oil has to taste and smell like a fresh olive just pressed.
Just one little spot on this pristine oil can lower the quality to a normal extra virgin or even a plain virgin olive oil. It the loss of quality is too big, like when bad olives or rotten fruits are mixed into the oil, the quality will lower back to lampant virgin oil not suited for cooking or other human consumption unless refined.
So the difference between extra virgin and virgin oil can be caused by many things beside the acidity. By the way, acidity of olive oil is the result of a chemical analysis, but not a matter of taste. A fruity, bitter or sweeter taste is not caused by acidity levels. The more or less intense flavor or an olive oil has no relation with the acidity levels, and having a higher or lower acidity level is not a sign of quality in itself and should not be used as indicator for a better or less good olive oil.
The extra virgin olive oil type will be a perfect oil without any defect in taste or consistence. If the taste master detects any vinegar, humid, old or rancid aroma, the oil will necessarily be labeled for a lower quality. This means that the health benefits of virgin olive oils and extra virgin olive oil will not differ much, it is a matter of taste and oleic acid, not of nutritional value.
Other Olive Oil Types for consumption
Some olive oil is further refined after the first pressing. These three types of oils can no longer bear the title "virgin."
Virgin Oils that are discarded for human consumption because they have a higher acidity level than 3,3 %, don’t smell or taste well and therefore unsaleable, are treated with unnatural processing like heat, chemicals or filtration, thus resulting in refined olive oils. The result is an flavorless and clear olive oil, that can be used for cooking or to manufacture food labeled as “packed in olive oil”.
Olive Oil, Pure Olive Oil and Refined Olive Oil
Pure Olive Oil is the everyday name for refined olive oil with a level of acidity under 1,5% and little flavor. Usually the refinement product consists of 85% refined oil and 15% virgin oil. These olive oils are still good for cooking and resist high temperatures well. They just don’t taste good on a standalone basis.
Pure Olive Oil is found in any supermarket and is widely used for all kinds of cooking, because the lack of own taste makes it a neutral ingredient and thus it does not interfere with the general taste of a meal.
Some olive oils are flavored additionally with other ingredients, like soybean, hazelnut or other oils. They can have an interesting taste for cooking even while not being a high quality virgin oil.
Refined Olive Oils are also made by further processing of virgin oils without alterations in the chemical structure of the oil and preserving a low acidity factor of 0,3%.
Olive Oil types that are not ready for consumption
Olive pomace oil type
The Olive Pomace Oil is an olive oil type that is made from the leftover paste of olive flesh and pits that is left in the centrifuge after the olives are pressed and the oil-water mixture is extracted. The extracted oil may be treated with heat and chemicals to extract additional oil and it’s acidity cannot be over 1,5%.
Sometimes virgin oil is added to pomace oil to improve color and flavor. The resulting Olive Pomace Oil is then edible, but can’t be named olive oil. Its use is mostly commercial, for example for oil lamps. It has a high burning point like olive oil, but it does not have much flavor.
Refined olive pomace oil is the oil obtained from crude pomace by methods that preserve the original chemical structure of the oil. It has a very low percentage of oleic acid (0,3 %) and has a very neutral taste if any.
The Lampante Oil type
Lampante Oil is an olive oil not suited for food consumption but used for industrial purposes and in oil lamps.
Crude olive –pomace oil is not suited for human consumption unless it undergoes a refinement process.
