Due to its multiple health advantages, olive oil has been a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet for generations and has grown in popularity throughout the rest of the world. Olive oil comes in a variety of varieties, with extra virgin olive oil being the most well-known and much sought-after. However, have you ever considered the meaning of the term “extra virgin”? The characteristics of extra virgin olive oil, its production process, and its price range will all be discussed in this article.
Without the use of chemicals or heat, extra virgin olive oil is prepared only from the fruit of the olive tree. The highest grade of olive oil, which offers the best flavor, aroma, and health advantages, is referred to as “extra virgin”. It is the outcome of a meticulously orchestrated procedure that includes the careful selection of olives, cold pressing, and exact chemical testing to guarantee that it satisfies the requirements of the International Olive Council.
The conventional cold pressing method for producing extra virgin olive oil involves crushing the olives in a stainless steel press or stone mill in order to release the oil. Low temperatures (below 27°C) are used throughout this procedure to maintain the oil’s flavor and aroma. The oil is next removed from the fruit’s solid components using centrifugation or gravity, yielding a pure, unrefined, and incredibly healthy oil.
Acropolis Organics, a firm, produces the most costly olive oil available. The oil is a single-varietal, limited-edition product manufactured from the Koroneiki olive, which is only farmed on the family-owned estate in Greece owned by the company. Within hours of being harvested, the oil is hand-picked and cold-pressed, producing a delicious, spicy, and nuanced oil that is sold for $400 per liter. Why is olive oil so inexpensive?
If olive oil is produced by combining multiple types of olives or by combining cold pressing and chemical refining, it may be inexpensive. These techniques provide a higher oil yield, but the final product might not have extra virgin olive oil’s flavor, aroma, or nutritional benefits. In rare instances, cheap olive oil could even be contaminated with unhealthy oils like soybean or sunflower seed oil. Why is California olive oil so costly?
Due to the high cost of manufacturing, Californian olive oil is more expensive than olive oil from other countries. Farmers must import olive trees, which can be expensive because they are not native to California. The use of herbicides and fertilizers is also subject to stringent governmental laws, which can raise the cost of production. Furthermore, California olive oil is frequently produced in tiny quantities, which might increase the cost due to economies of scale. Final Thoughts:
The best olive oil is extra virgin, which is produced using the age-old process of cold pressing. It has an exceptional taste and scent, is unprocessed, and is very nutritious. While the price of Californian olive oil is increased by the high expense of production, the most expensive olive oil in the world is a limited edition, single-varietal oil prepared from the Koroneiki olive. Cheap olive oil could contain other oils or be tampered with to make it taste better, both of which can be unhealthy. It’s crucial to acquire olive oil from a reliable source and to search for the extra virgin label when doing so.