Curious about what sets olive oil apart from extra virgin olive oil? Several key factors distinguish them, and they all point to why extra virgin olive oil is the superior choice! Give it a read and check out our two early harvest extra virgin olives from Spain, Joy & Vitality. 

First, let's discuss the process for determining if an olive oil is extra virgin!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made of only one ingredient - olives! And olives that have only been extracted by mechanical means and haven’t been touched by heat or chemicals!

To be labeled as EVOO, the olive oil has to pass a chemical and organoleptic test.

To pass the chemical test, it must show an acidity of lower than 0.8. The organoletpic test is done with senses - smell and taste. The testing panel (who regularly test olive oil) looking for positive attributes in the smell and taste. They want smells and tastes like artichokes, olives, tomatoes, anything that tastes good. They are looking to avoid vinegar or rancid tastes.

If the tests are passed, the olive oil can be labeled as extra virgin olive oil!

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 to learn more about the differences between extra virgin olive oil and olive oil!