How to Choose Quality Olive Oil: Olive Oil Purity in Australia
2022-08-09
Regular readers of our blogs will start to see a theme emerging when it comes to talking about olive oil’s benefits — it all depends on the quality of the olive oil
Of course, the higher the quality, the better the nutrients, the better the benefits and the more you will get out of your olive oil.
Unfortunately, olive oil is expensive to produce and this leads many to try and artificially manufacture a product and label it as a ‘quality olive oil’ when, in fact, it carries none of the natural goodness of a high quality extra virgin olive oil like La Española Olive Oil. Before we run down the rabbit hole of ‘fake’ olive oil and inspect every bottle at the supermarket, let’s focus on what we can do to ensure you choose a quality olive oil in Australia!
Where does olive oil come from?
Olive oil has been a part of our human history for thousands of years, and it’s no surprise that explorers and migrants have taken the craggy olive tree to every corner of the globe. However, the climate to grow olives for quality olive oil is limited. When buying olive oil take a quick look at where the olive oil has come from, it could give you a clue as to the olive oil purity and quality of the olive oil. Quality olive oil should also be grown, harvested, and pressed in the same country to ensure the freshness of the olives.
Top countries that produce olive oil:
- Spain
- Greece
- Italy
- Portugal
- USA
- Lebanon
- Tunisia
- France
- Australia
- New Zealand
- France
- Egypt
By far, the largest producer of quality olive oil is Spain. Combined with our ideal climate and long history of growing and harvesting olives, Spain is the perfect place to produce high quality olive oil with Andalucía being the country’s main region that exports globally.
Check the packaging when choosing quality olive oil
You may have heard that the three ‘enemies of olive oil’ are light, heat and air.
Our top tip when choosing quality extra virgin olive oil is: always choose an olive oil with dark glass (especially with extra virgin olive oil). Why? Well it increases the life of the olive oil as light doesn’t get to the oil as easily.
A clearer glass isn’t necessarily a bad thing either, as oils stored in clear glass have likely been transported in boxes (away from the light) but it can degrade the oil quicker than if it was in a dark glass.
If you’re buying your olive oil from a supermarket then you probably don’t have to worry about the olive oil being displayed on a shelf near a hot window, but smaller stockists may have their oils in a less than ideal spot. Keep your olive oil away from any sources of heat (including that handy little slither of kitchen top that runs along the side of the gas hobs).
Keep your olive oil in the pantry, this will help to extend your olive oil’s life.
Check your olive oil’s expiration date
Unlike that beautiful bottle of wine you were given a few years ago, olive oil does not get better with age - fresher is better. Some bottles of olive oil display a bottling date, but almost all will display a best by date or an expiration date.
If you don’t see either a ‘best by’ date, an expiration date, or a ‘bottled’ date, it’s probably best to avoid buying that bottle.
Did you know? La Española olive oil is bottled in August every year? We proudly display our bottled date as well as an expiration date so you can trust your olive oil is packed with all that olive oil goodness!
What is meant by olive oil purity in Australia?
If you are searching for quality olive oil you are most likely looking for an oil that is full-bodied, packed with flavour and nutrients and is the least processed olive oil around. If this sounds like what you are looking for then you are searching for “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”.
You’ll notice a plethora of olive oils with various names at your local supermarket such as “pure olive oil” or “olive oil”. These are oils that have been heat-treated and refined. These oils have been produced for various cooking styles and versatility, they are by no means “bad” but they do not have the nutritional value of a virgin, or an extra virgin olive oil that you may be looking for.
Choose an olive oil with the environment in mind
As with all things produced today, we are acutely aware of the resources that are used to produce our food. With any quality product, food that is made sustainably and in a more natural way with a focus on waste reduction and human interference just tastes better! Choose an olive oil that has sustainability as a core value and you’ll be sure to taste the difference!
At La Española, we pride ourselves on producing quality olive oil that is delicious and natural with a focus on sustainability and caring for our environment.
Did you know? La Española extra virgin olive oil is made without chemicals or preservatives?
La Española: Quality Olive Oil Since 1840
Since our creation in 1840, we have worked hard at blending heritage and expertise to create a broad selection of olive oil products that bring out the best flavours within your meals. Our promise is that whenever or wherever you buy our olive oil, the unparalleled flavour and performance of La Española in the kitchen is the same.
Shop our range of olive only at Coles Supermarket!
Looking for recipe inspiration and interesting facts and information about olive oil? Keep up to date with all things La Española olive oil via our Facebook, Instagram, or our blog.
