The different grades of olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is a premium food product obtained from olive growing and from processing olives by mechanical means only.
European rules (Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104) define eight categories of olive oil and olive-pomace oil. Four olive oil categories are the focus of this page:
- extra virgin olive oil;
- virgin olive oil;
- lampante olive oil;
- refined olive oil, and its blend with virgin oils sold as "olive oil".
The main criteria that distinguish them are as follows:
| Category | Max acidity (% oleic acid) | Max peroxide value (meq O2/kg) | Max K232 | Max K268 or K270 | Max Delta-K | Max waxes (mg/kg) | Median of fruitiness | Median of defects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra virgin | 0.80 | 20 | 2.50 | 0.22 | 0.01 | 150 | > 0 | 0 |
| Virgin | 2.0 | 20 | 2.60 | 0.25 | 0.01 | 150 | > 0 | ≤ 3.5 |
| Lampante | > 2.0 | 300 | > 3.5 | |||||
| Refined | 0.30 | 5 | 1.25 | 0.16 | 350 | |||
| "Olive oil" (refined and virgin) | 1.00 | 15 | 1.15 | 0.15 | 350 |
Waxes are the sum C42 + C44 + C46 for virgin oils and C40 + C42 + C44 + C46 for the other categories. An empty cell means no limit is set for that criterion.
In short: only an olive oil with acidity of no more than 0.8%, low oxidation, an extremely low residue content and no sensory defects at all may be sold as extra virgin olive oil.
Lampante oils are unfit for consumption as they are. Refined oils are lampante oils that have undergone chemical refining to make them edible. They no longer contain polyphenols and have very little taste. Pure refined olive oil may not be sold to consumers in the European Union: what you find on the shelf simply labelled "olive oil" is a blend of refined oils with virgin or extra virgin oils, which give it a little flavour. These oils are mainly used for frying.
Any olive oil produced in the European Union must undergo chemical and sensory testing by approved bodies before it can be labelled "extra virgin". Criteria and controls are even stricter for a PDO oil. A PDO, or protected designation of origin, is a local label, controlled and recognised at European level. PDO labels carry the seal of the designation and the European PDO seal, and are numbered. Each bottle therefore has a unique number, which ensures full traceability.