This product, Extra Virgin olive oil, which in many cases has been called “liquid gold”, is one of the star products of the Mediterranean diet and a national hallmark of Spain, in terms of quantity and quality. It refers, although other countries are those that claim to be attributed that merit, even marketing as own oil acquired in this country.
There are different types of olive oil depending on their characteristics and which according to the regulations are the following:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil This oil is obtained by cold pressing the olives and receives this name when its acidity is less than 0.8º and its content in other chemical substances such as peroxides, waxes etc. It is lower than parameters set by the regulations and which are definitely a reflection of the good quality of the olive and its conservation.
Virgin olive oil It is an oil of worse quality than Extra Virgin Olive Oil, with an acidity that can reach a maximum of 2º and higher contents in the other chemical substances already mentioned, but which has not been subject to any treatment.
Lampante olive oil. This oil has an acidity greater than 2º and therefore is not suitable for human consumption without being subjected to treatment. The name of Lampante, it seems, is due to the Romans, who used it to burn it in the lamps, for not being fit for consumption.
Refined olive oil. The fact that its acidity parameters and others make Lampante olive oil unfit for direct consumption does not mean that it is useless, it is subjected to refining procedures to reduce these excessive values such as acidity and others, so that finally It can be consumed. It is thus the type of Refined olive oil, which before could be purchased for consumption although now it is not found in stores more than mixed with other types and this because with the refining it has lost many of its properties and lacks much of the smell and taste of an oil.
Pure, Intense or Soft olive oil. Under these denominations, olive oils are marketed that are actually a mixture of Refined Olive Oil with between 15% and 25% of Virgin Olive Oil, with the purpose of returning part of the flavor and smell that the first one had lost in the refining process and consequently they are inferior quality oils to Extra Virgin olive oil and Virgin olive oil itself.
Orujo oil. It is an oil obtained by the mixture of Virgin olive oil and oils obtained by the treatment and refining of the solid residue of the olive. Its acidity makes it suitable for consumption but logically it is of inferior quality to Extra Virgin olive oil or Virgin olive oil.
It is striking that, despite being Spain the first oil producing country in the world, this product remains a great unknown for many of its inhabitants and even more so for those in the rest of the world.
Some time ago there were people who thought that the highest quality oil was Refined olive oil, precisely because of that, because it was a refined oil.
Now that this is no longer in stores, many people still do not read the labels and think that pure olive oil, or intense or mild oil are oils equal to or better than Extra Virgin or Virgin olive oil.
It should be noted that the best oil is undoubtedly the Extra Virgin olive oil, continuing the scale in the order in which we have exposed it here.
It should also be noted that, in addition to the classification of these oils by their laboratory analysis, there is then a classification based on their organoleptic properties and the different kinds of olives of their origin. Classification that already depends on the tasting results of the different varieties and therefore also on the different tastes of the consumers.
You can buy Extra Virgin olive oil online through our Gastronomic Spain page and receive it at your home, in all European countries, at prices without competition and with free shipping for orders with a total amount greater than € 79.99 or 89 € 99, depending on the country of delivery.
