FAQ
The concept of first cold pressure has been spread as a quality factor “beyond the extra virgin”. But it is important to explain two aspects: pressure and cold.
The extraction by pressure has practically become obsolete. This technique using esparto or plastic pressing mats and the contact of the oil with the environment it usually gives organoleptic defects. Most of them will not pass a tasting for extra virgin oils.
The olive paste has a cold temperature in the mixers before the separation of the oil. When we talk about a cold temperature it is always under 28ºC. In these temperatures, the oil does not suffer any physical or chemical alterations. If the temperature is increased it will produce double or triple breaks in the bonds of the fatty acids and it will have an impact on the quality of the oil. For this reason, if the oil is extracted in cold temperatures it will preserve its properties and it will be an extra virgin olive oil if the quality of the olive fruit is good. If an olive is extracted in bad conditions it will have more acidity.
The temperature parameter is controlled during the production and to demonstrate it is necessary to possess a register system of temperatures that could justify it. In the Olivarera Los Pedroches SCA we have a system of temperature sample that shows the production temperature and it belongs to the quality system ISO 9001 and ISO 22000. Otherwise, we do not indicate it on the label because we believe that the value lies in the extra virgin olive oil and if we include others notions it could be a confusion for the consumer.
These days it is considered as a distinguish fact. But the differentiating value is to be an extra virgin olive oil. There is a large variety of different aroma, flavours and the consumer could choose in a large range of the highest quality extra virgin olive oils.
On the labels of extra virgin olive oil we see “Best before”, it is a date that the packer guarantees that this type of olive oil will not suffer any physical and chemical modifications. If this date has been through, there will not be bad for the health, but it will surely lose some properties. If the olive oil has been through a long time, maybe the oil has lost its properties and that it has become lampante oil that is not advisable for its consumption.
The acidity of the extra virgin olive oil has always been important for the quality of the oil. We will explain what it is, why it produces acidity and what it indicates.
The acidity is a free acidity, expressed in oleic acid and measured in gr/100gr. The extra virgin olive oils have at most 0,8 gr free oleic acid for 100 gr of oil, expressed as 0,8º.
What is free acidity or how is it produced? The olive oil produced by the olive fruit is made of triglyceride, made by the union of glycerol and fatty acids. These fatty acids are not free, they are part of triglycerides. In this way if there is not acidity, the oil will be neutral with 0,0º.
When the skin is broken by blows, injures made by pests, frosts, etc. the water of the vegetation that the olive fruit contains come into contact with the oil and it produces hydrolyses of triglycerides, dragging the fatty acids and leaving them free, this is how acidity is produced.
However, the treatment that receives the olive fruit is essential to not produce these hydrolyses reactions. If there are many reactions the oil will have more acidity. If we want low acidity oils, it is important to have a good soil management, an appropriate harvest directly from the olive tree, a polished transport putting the olive fruits into crates, a correct processing in the olive oil mill with suitable temperatures. Instead, if the olive fruit is hit during the harvest, or fallen in the soil and then sweep, or if it is transported in bad conditions, the fruit it is exposed to higher damages and there will be more hydrolyses reactions and the resultant oil will have more free acidities, that means, more acidity.
Regarding the maturation of the olive fruit and its relation with the acidity, if there is a higher maturation there are more risks that the skin will be damaged and more possibilities to produce hydrolyses during harvest or transport. Otherwise, a little mature olive has a stronger skin and it is more resistant to breaks and to produce free acidities. In a general way, in addition to the own flavours and aromas of a little mature fruit, the early harvest have an impact producing lower acidity in our oils.
The acidity of our oils Olipe and Olivalle is around 0,25º.
- Virgin olive oil: These oils are solely obtained by mechanical or other physical methods under conditions that do not lead any alteration in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation or filtration.
- The Extra Virgin olive oil, it is synonym of highest quality, it preserves intact all its sensorial characteristics and proprieties of health. It is the olive juice without additives nor preservatives, having an acidity lower than 0,8%. This oil presents pleasant and identifiable sensorial characteristics, without organoleptic defects.
- The Virgin Olive oil, without the word “extra” is still an olive juice without additives nor preservatives but it has a sensorial defect even if it is very small. Its acidity must be lower than 2%.
- Lampante olive oil: it is not intended for direct human consumption. The acidity is higher than 2º and possesses defects that are easily identifiable. This oil is intended to the refinery where it is taken out colours, aromas and flavours of the olive using solvents or using adjuvants having a chemical or biochemical action, or by re-esterification process to produce refined oils. This refined oil is neither intended for a direct consumption and it has to be mixed with virgin oils.
- The olive oil does not have the appellation “Virgin”. It is lower quality oil because it is from a mixture of refined oils and virgin oils. Some of this mixture is obtained when the Virgin olive oil is refined with acidity higher than 2% for this reason the Olive oil is not olive juice. It is intended for the consumption and must have an acidity degree lower than 1%.
For this reason, we have to base on the qualities and the goodness of extra virgin olive oil.
In the Olivarera Los Pedroches SCA we normally use different batches for plastic, tin or glass bottles. The olive oil in plastic bottle is normally focused in a local market and its consumption is for the kitchen (this oil is better for cooking) and we made tastings to prepare batches that are adapted to this type of consumption. On the other hand, the extra virgin olive oil in a tin or in a glass bottle is for raw consumption.
This kind of warehouse and the experience in tasting of our responsible of the oil mill and our Director, it is possible to establish some batches without renouncing to the category of extra virgin. It is not an easy task to classify the warehouse, it is intense but it is also passionate to be able to taste and observe the evolution of the oils, aromas and flavours... This work is compensated offering balanced and characteristic batches of Olipe and Olivalle.
The olive oil Olipe and Olivalle is rich in fatty acids (especially in oleic acid). There is also a kind of oleic acid that we commonly call “margarine” that has a freezing point below to the rest. For this reason, when the temperature drops some lumps are created because the oil is curdled.
This aspect is completely reversible, when the temperatures increase, it returns to its normal aspect.
The olive oils (refined...) do not have these lumps.