Correct storage is critical to preserve nutritional qualities of extra virgin olive oil. The rule number one to get olive oil when its nutritional qualities are the highest level is to buy the most recent harvest. The rule number two is buying from a trusted producer, whenever possible.
Great! Now that you got a high quality extra virgin olive oil, how do you preserve its nutritional qualities? Storage is the most important element to preserve its qualities for a longer period of time. Olive oil enemies are: Oxigen, Light and Heat. If we protect it from these three elements we are doing the right thing. Oxygen - Freshly milled olive oil is packed with antioxidants (polyphenols), an indicator of quality. If you expose it to air/oxygen these qualities degrade quickly due to the oxidation process. So, always keep your olive oil well sealed. If you buy it in packaging bigger than one litre it is strongly recommended you bottle it in smaller and sealed containers. Light - Exposure to light causes a chemical reaction called photo-oxidation. Good practice is to keep it away from sunlight and always in dark colored containers. Dark glass, stainless steel or porcelain are ideal, certainly not plastic. Heat - Ideal temperature for olive oil is around 15C, it should never be stored in a warm environment above all if temperatures can go above 20C. Heat could turn it rancid. A sound practice is keeping just daily or weekly consumption in the kitchen if the environment is constantly warm. Remember! Olive oil is not wine. Its qualities degrade with age. In conclusion, always buy the current year harvest and to preserve its nutritional qualities, store olive oil in a dark and cool place.
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During the months of October to December, olive oil season reaches its peak, and olive farmers are constantly visiting their orchards to monitor the ripening process, which is known as veraison. Veraison is a crucial period in the ripening process, during which the olives' colour changes from green to black, passing through various shades of purple and pink. It's important to harvest the olives at the right time to ensure the quality of the oil. If harvested too early, when the olives are still green and not fully ripe, the oil will have a harsh and bitter taste. On the other hand, if the olives are harvested too late, after veraison has completed, the oil tends to be greasy and lacks flavor. The colour of the oil also changes during the ripening process, from dark green to yellow-green. At our orchards, we begin harvesting our olives when they are in the middle of veraison, before they are fully ripe. This helps to ensure that our olive oil has the perfect balance of flavour and aroma. To ensure that our olive oil is of excellent quality, we take great care to ensure that the olives are fresh and intact when they are brought to the mill. Any damaged fruit can cause excessive oxidation, which can affect the quality of the oil. We take pride in our olive oil, and we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality product. We hope that you will enjoy the fruits of our labour and appreciate the care and attention that goes into every bottle of our olive oil. To learn more please visit www.oliogorrasi.com. On the market, there are hundreds of offers of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with prices ranging from less than €3 to more than €30 per liter. In most cases, these are products that are the result of refining or blends of oils of different origins. The standard, often mediocre, varies a lot.
Is it still possible for the final consumer to select and purchase a 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil of guaranteed quality? Yes, it is possible. Few common sense rules can help:
Azienda Agricola Gorrasi is a small farm that produces olive oil from olives grown and harvested from its own olive orchard. New olive oil will be shipped in about six weeks. For shipments within Italy shipping is free. For shipping within the European Union we apply a flat shipping cost of €28 which is about 50% lower than real cost. Special terms apply for group orders. Please contact us for a quote. Buy now on our online store. |