Flavor Your Life Discusses Three Factors That Consumers Need to Know before Purchasing Olive Oil

The European Union funded campaign Flavor Your Life, dedicated to providing the latest olive oil industry news, shares the importance of educating yourself before purchasing olive oil.

Carole Firenze, author of the Passionate Olive, shares three important things to look for when purchasing olive oil: harvest date, packaging and traceability. "What to look for when buying EVOO? 1. Choose oil in a dark bottle, metal container or packaging that shields the bottle from light. 2. Check the harvest date and buy this year's harvest. 3. View labels with caution - see where the olives are from and either know the producer/mill or look for seals of authenticity like DOP," she says.

The harvest date is important because it shows when an olive oil was produced and when it is good until, says Firenze. "Properly stored, unopened olive oil is good for up to two years." The type of packaging is also important to consider; clear bottles allow light in, which can cause the olive oil to oxidize.

Traceability is the third thing to look for when purchasing olive oil. The ability to trace the origin of the olive oil you are purchasing helps ensure that your product is authentic. "Always look for the country, province, state or locale where the olives are grown. When olive oil can be traced to its origin, it is most likely authentic extra virgin olive oil," says Firenze.

Lastly, Firenze says to always "remember the enemies of olive oil: light, heat, time, air and - I always add one more - untruthful labeling."

Flavor Your Life, a campaign supported by the European Union, Unaprol and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, is dedicated to providing the latest in industry news and health information about European extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil enhances the flavors of your recipes while providing health benefits. Flavor Your Life campaign, the voice of olive oil production quality control, aims to educate consumers so they can make informed decisions when purchasing olive oil.