The Truth About Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade
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Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake

Written by KristenM
Are You A Rebel ?
Did you know that the Mob makes money hand over fist by selling you fake olive oil? Olive oil is a $1.5 billion industry in the United States alone. According to Tom Mueller, an intrepid journalist who wrote a scandalously revealing book on the subject, 70% of the extra virgin olive oil sold is adulterated cut with cheaper oils. Apparently, the mobs been at it so long, that even most so-called experts cant tell a real olive oil from a fake olive oil based on taste alone. If you were a producer of one of these fake oils, 2008 was a bad year for you. Thats the year that more than 400 Italian police officers conducted a lengthy investigation dubbed Operation Golden Oil which led to the arrest of 23 people and the confiscation of 85 farms. It was quickly followed up by another investigation in which more than 40 additional people were arrested for for adding chlorophyll to sunflower and soybean oil and selling it as extra virgin olive oil, both in Italy and abroad. The prevalence of these and other similar raids actually prompted the Australian governments standards agency to allow olive oil brands to voluntarily submit their oils for lab tests. These authentication tests allow oils to be certified pure extra-virgin olive oil. Thus far in 2012, every imported brand of extra-virgin olive oil has failed the test to gain certification! Last year, researchers at UC Davis tested 124 different samples from eight major brands of extra-virgin
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olive oil. More than seventy percent of the imported oils failed. After reading these news stories last year, I was utterly intrigued when Tom Muellers tell all book finally came out. It took me months to get around to reading it, but when I did I couldnt put the page-turner down. And the evidence? The evidence is damning. In Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, Mr. Mueller exposes the inner workings of the olive oil industry, which has fallen prey to hi-tech, industry-wide fraud. Authentic extra-virgin olive oil, he says, takes a lot of time, expense, and labor to make. On the flip side, its quick, cheap, and easy to doctor it. The most common form of adulteration comes from mixing extra virgin olive oil with cheaper, lower-grade oils. Sometimes, its an oil from an altogether different source like canola oil or colza oil. Other times, they blend extra virgin olive oil with a poorer quality olive oil. The blended oil is then chemically deodorized, colored, and possibly even flavored and sold as extra-virgin oil to a producer. In other words, if you find a major brand name olive oil is fake, it probably isnt the brands fault. Rather, its their suppliers. Muellers book is deeply engaging, reading like a typical suspense novel or crime drama rather than a news story. His engrossing way with words sucks you in from page one and doesnt let you go until you reach the back cover. If you want the full, gripping, true story behind the olive oil racketeering, I highly recommend you buy and read Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil.
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How can you tell if your oils fake?

Unfortunately, you cant simply go by taste alone. Journalist Alex Renton shares this story:
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I conducted a blind tasting of extra virgin olive oils a few years ago for a national newspaper that wanted the truth on expensive olive oil. We had a dozen oils, and a panel consisting of an importer, an Italian deli owner and a couple of eminent foodies: the results were so embarrassing and confusing the piece was never published. The importer went into a fugue after he was informed that hed pronounced his own premium product disgusting; the deli owner chose a bottle of highly dubious Italian extra virgin as his favourite (it had cost 1.99 at the discount store TK Maxx); and both the foodies gave a thumbs-up to Unilevers much-derided Bertolli brand.
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(Bertollis scurrilous reputation among olive oil brands came from their intimate involvement with selling fraudulent olive oils.) So, if you cant go by taste alone, how can you tell? First, extra-virgin olive oil ought to be comprised of mostly monounsaturated fat that grows more solid when cold. If you put a real extra-virgin olive oil in the refrigerator, it ought to become thick and cloudy as it cools completely (some oils made from high-wax olive varieties will even solidify). It should be noted, however, that this is not a fail-proof test. Thats because adulterated oils may also become thick and cloudy in the refrigerator. After all, some adulterated extra-virgin olive oils are cut with low-grade, refined olive oil. Those would still clump up. Other adulterated extra-virgin olive oils are cut with just enough of the cheaper oils that theyll still be mostly olive oil, so theyll have some clumping, too. If, however, the oil you put in the fridge fails to thicken at all (still appearing as clear and runny as it did at room temperature), then you know something certain: that its fake! Second, extra-virgin olive oil ought to be flammable enough to keep an oil lamp burning. Again, this isnt a fail-proof test, and for the same reasons. But, it is certain that if your so-called extra virgin olive oil
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doesnt keep a wick burning, it isnt extra-virgin at all, but instead contains refined oils. Since no completely fail-proof test exists, heres what I do to know Im getting a good oil: I know my farmer. Hes not a mobster; hes a friend. And his farm has been growing and producing high-quality, fully authentic olive oils for more than a hundred years. Artisan and locally-produced olive oils (the variety you can find from domestic small family farms) have always passed every single test of authenticity. So, buy locally. Buy from a farmer you can get to know and trust, and youll be set. If you dont have any local olive growers near you, then I personally vouch for the online olive oil suppliers found here. You can buy their olive oils online and trust that youre getting an authentic extra-virgin olive oil.
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Sources Researchers at UC Davis find problems again with purity of imported olive oil Deborah Bogle and Tom Mueller Losing our Virginity The Advertiser May 12, 2012 Pg 11-14. Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil (photo by LexnGer)
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Liked what you read? You may find these posts interesting: 1. Decoding Labels: Spectrum Organic Olive Oil Mayonnaise 2. GIVEAWAY: Chaffin Family Orchards Olive Oil $59 Value 3. How To Choose A Good Coconut Oil 4. Winner of Pure Mission Olive Oil PLUS COUPON 5. Healthy Fats: Is There Such A Thing?
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179 Responses to Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake

Stephanie Renee Pea via Facebook
July 1, 2012 | 2:13 pm
Been hearing rumors about this over the last year. Reply
Kate Tietje via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:15 pm
Ive saving up my money to buy the good stuff nowits not cheap. Reply
John W. Johnson via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:17 pm
When I heard about this a couple of weeks ago, I was wondering if you were going to mention anything about it. I had no idea until I read about it I was quite shocked. Reply
Ann Martin via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:17 pm
I live right next to an organic olive orchard and mill. Sensational olive oil! Reply
Sage
July 10, 2012 | 1:07 pm
What is the name of your farmer? Does he sell online? Reply
Eliza
July 11, 2012 | 8:08 pm
where is this farm located? Do they have a site or a way to order from them? Reply
Caralien Speth via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:17 pm
That has been the case with Italian olive oils for awhile (a decade or more, with seemingly annual studies by UC Davis). Try Californian or Greek olive oils insteadtheyre tastier. Reply
KristenM
July 1, 2012 | 10:54 pm
Unfortunately, according to Muellers book, COUNTRY OF ORIGIN doesnt matter. The scandal isnt just limited to Italy. Thereve been arrests in Spain, Greece, the entire Mediterranean, really.There are small-scale producers in Italy doing things right, just like there are producers here in the U.S. doing things right. Reply
Gayle Trepanier via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:17 pm
Ew. Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:18 pm
And Great post, btw! Reply
April Miles Thornton via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:20 pm
What if its certified organic? Can it still be fake olive oil? Ive been buying Mario organic olive oil for years Reply
Melissa
July 3, 2012 | 2:31 pm
Im interested in knowing the answer to this question also. Reply
Celia Ozereko via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:20 pm
Im concerned that the study was done by a CA olive oil producer. I get that this is a big problem, but I do think there are good producers out thereeven imported ones. Right now I like a Chilean olive oil that seems pretty well-reputed and certified by several organizations. I read somewhere possibly Muellers site?about some precautions you can take when looking for good brands. May not be perfect, but right now I dont live near olive orchards so I do what I can. Reply
Wendy Colpetzer McCullough via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:20 pm
I rarely use olive oil these days. My fat of choice is animal variety. Good info to know, though. Thanks for the great post. Reply
Stephanie Bogan via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:22 pm
Crap first Honey, now oil ,,, I had no idea Reply
Carol Harris
November 28, 2012 | 10:51 am
I know right? I use butter, and will be making my own shortly out of raw, grass fed, organic, local cows milk and goats milk. I buy local honey that is straight from the honey comb. it is so
hard to find REAL Organic anything. Population control, that is what it is! Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:24 pm
I can say that this company makes real olive oil! I used to live near them as of last year. You can visit their olive farm and see where they make the oil..all in the same place. No importing, or fakes. http://queencreekolivemill.com/ Reply
Holly Delahaye via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:25 pm
I have heard this too. We use the Kirkland brand of Organic EVOO. I am going to have to research this more. Reply
tmc
July 1, 2012 | 2:25 pm
Wow. This is enlightening. Im so glad theres a California olive oil producer at my local farmers market. Im definitely going to get to know them now. Reply
Julie Drassinower via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:26 pm
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/08/13/070813fa_fact_mueller Reply
Karen Joy
July 2, 2012 | 4:36 pm
Wow. Just read that six page article. I had heard of this before, but didnt realize the problem was so pervasive. How depressing. Reply
Food Renegade via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:26 pm
April Miles Thornton I wouldnt trust that certification alone on an imported oil. If its a domestic brand from a reputable small family farm, and its sold in niche outlets like WilliamsSonoma or the like, chances are decent that its the real deal. Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:28 pm
Celia Ozereko Well, thats just one study. There have been others done by countries around the world. I agree that there are good quality producers of imported oils, but theyre usually sourced from individual farms or co-ops not a major brand. Reply
Christopher Dutton via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:28 pm
I am putting my faith in COSTCOs Italian Olive Oil Reply
Kristicarmen

July 3, 2012 | 9:17 am
Cant tell if this is sarcasm or not, but I would put Costco and any other price conscious brand down as almost certainly fake. I figure real olive oil is going to cost real money. Consumers desire for unreasonably cheap goods is a huge part of the problem as well. Producers in any market have to be paid fairly to produce superior goods. We cant seem to have it both ways. I have noticed the price of EEVO go steadily down over the years. For that reaon this story doesnt surprise me, but it really saddens me. We have to support the producers who do the right thing by buying their higher priced, but superior (real, in this case!) product. Reply
Ronda
July 10, 2012 | 11:54 am
Actually, Id put more faith in Costco than in anything on a standard grocery store shelf. To be clear, I do *not* buy food at Costco (nor chain grocery stores either), but I know a little bit about how they do business. Costco does not want to be associated with any off brands and they actually have higher quality control standards than grocery chains. You do not pull a fast one on Costco (or Walmart) and expect to stay in business. For example, there was survey done of dog foods claiming to have some level of glucosamine and chondroitin (suggested to benefit joints). Most every brand, from fancy & expensive to cheap Alpo types had either none or just trace amounts of the supplements (theres no regulation over this sort of thing in dog food). Costco brand was actually one of only a two or three that had the amount considered to be effective. Thats not to say I think Costco sells quality, but I wouldnt dismiss them just because its Costco. And yes, people need to understand that you have to pay for quality. And that great olive oil is something you use sparingly as a condiment, not something for frying everything you eat in. Reply
Steve
January 7, 2013 | 3:39 pm
I agree that bigger chains like Costco and Walmart have enormous power in the market and it is not that easy to cheat them and get away with that. They have resources to catch dishonest suppliers. Smaller chains do not have those resources available to them and have to go by their suppliers words, so to speak. Reply
Cory
July 10, 2012 | 2:27 pm
When I read through the report last year, I got the impression Kirkland Organic EVOO was, surprisingly, one of the decent ones. Reply
Jenn
August 22, 2012 | 5:44 pm
Im with Ronda on Costco being very conscious of their product quality, however I dont believe this is totally true in food cases. Their honey IS one of the ones that has had most of the pollen removed. And they dont care about that. They also have shelves FULL of GMO foods & highly processed & junk foods, so I dont put anything food wise past them or any other grocery store. Sorry Im still suspicious, and as much as I love Costco & shop there weekly, Ill continue doing my research on what foods they & others sell. This is SO frustrating. What we need is someone to give us a list of what brands ARE real olive oil. Reply
Rita
July 1, 2012 | 2:29 pm
What about olive oils labeled as USDA Organic? Do they go through stricter regulations or is that olive oil just as likely to be adulterated? Reply
KristenM
July 1, 2012 | 2:38 pm
I wouldnt trust in the certification alone. If it was certified organic AND from a domestic producer AND from a small, family farm, then Id think its a good bet even if I didnt personally know the farmer. Reply
Jamison Pollitt via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:30 pm
if its not about $20 an ounce, it probably doesnt have any olive oil in it Reply
Peg Danek via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:33 pm
I heard about this last year on Americss Test Kitchen. Ive switched over to pastured butter and palm oil for cooking. I still need a good olive oil for salad dressings. Right now Im using Newmans Own organic. It tastes pretty good but I havent investigated its background yet. Being in New England there arent any local producers. Reply
Sara M. Beauchane Stack via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:33 pm
Honestly. Im not surprised. Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:34 pm
Christopher Dutton & Holly Delahaye Tom Mueller, the author of the book, says that to his knowledge Costco is the best large retailer at sourcing quality oils. He specifically mentioned that their Kirkland Signature brand is a reputable, good oil. Reply
Karen Joy
July 2, 2012 | 4:41 pm
That is kind of surprising. I wish the Kirkland olive oil was sold in glass bottles, not plastic. Thats one reason I havent purchased it before. I love Trader Joes Spanish EVOO. It has fabulous taste and is reasonably priced. Its been my fave for 3+ years. Id be pretty heartbroken if it was fake. Reply
Cynthia Calisch
July 10, 2012 | 12:29 pm
I wrote to Trader Joes about their olive oil and this was their reply which satisfies me: Hello Cynthia, Thank you for contacting us, and we do truly appreciate your interest in our Trader Joes olive oil products. We want to assure you that at Trader Joes we work very closely with our suppliers to assure that we are receiving only the highest quality products, and that our suppliers are meeting 100 percent of their claims (as stated on the product labeling). Every bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil at Trader Joes is from the first crush first press of the current crop. Our Olive Oil Buyer personally selects every olive oil blend on our shelves. She travels to Italy, Spain, Greece and Australias olive groves during the harvest season, meeting suppliers and taking part in the process of putting together each of our high quality olive oils. This is an integral part of how we buy our olive oil. By being involved at this level we can ensure the quality of our Olive Oils. In addition, we subject our olive oils to testing by an independent lab to ensure that their level of acidity equals that of Extra Virgin Olive Oil as Determined by the International Olive Oil Council Standards.
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade Plus, We also do our own testing on a quarterly basis. At Trader Joes we require FDA regulated GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) program of our vendors. HACCP is a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating and controlling food safety hazards. In addition, our Quality Assurance Team audits our vendors on random and scheduled visits to monitor their facilities and practices on an ongoing basis. We believe that quality along with price is essential to the value of our products and we got to extreme measures to make sure we are bringing you the best of both. We hope this information adequately addresses your concerns, and we do appreciate you allowing us the opportunity to address this matter with you directly. We also thank you for shopping with us at Trader Joes. Sincerely, Hazel Trader Joes Customer Relations Reply
KristenM
July 10, 2012 | 1:32 pm
Hmmm. Having read Muellers book, I find absolutely NOTHING in that statement to be reassuring. Instead, it waves a lot of red flags. Im not saying their olive oil is fake, but I do know that Id still prefer to source oil from an individual farm or co-op rather than Trader Joes given what they just wrote. Reply
Cary Kelly
July 10, 2012 | 12:39 pm
Kirkland brand can be good, but unfortunately, it often sits on shelves too long and becomes rancid. I test commercially sold olive oils a lot and have found hardly any that are not rancid or adulterated. The shame of this is that great flavor is lost, but so are the wonderful and amazing health benefits of evoo. Short of going to the cost of having your olive oil lab tested (not practical), be sure to buy from a purveyor who knows the producers they buy from, is very knowledgeable about olive oil and turns over their product quickly. Beware of some of the stores that only sell bulk olive oil unless they can tell you who the producer is, when the olives were harvested and, at least, what the acidity level is. Reply
Rebecca Salter via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:36 pm
Good, Kirkland is what I buy! Phew! Reply
Marcin
July 1, 2012 | 11:22 pm
Same here! Reply
Elaine Dudzinski via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:37 pm
I buy my olive oil at Queen Creek Olive mill here: Reply
Peg Danek via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:37 pm
No kidding! I would never have thought Cosco would have good EVOO.
Reply
Elaine Dudzinski via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:38 pm
http://queencreekolivemill.com/ Reply
Susan Conway Thomas via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:41 pm
We use mostly coconut oil, grassfed butter and lard with EVOO occasionally Reply
Louise M Dutton via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:41 pm
We have it on good authority that Costcos Kirkland brand of EVOO is probably the only REAL olive oil made with Tuscan olives available in the US (that we know of). All the others are crap so this is all we use. Reply
Oliverde via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:43 pm
Freshness & chemical integrity are the 2 most important factors to know about when buying an extra virgin olive oil. EVOO does not get better with age, so only buy the freshest available and in a quantity that you will use quickly. Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:44 pm
Peg Danek Theyre actually a really good store as far as sourcing organics and other foodie goodies. As much as I would love to have a Trader Joes near me, their olive oil almost always fails the refrigerator test from what I hear. Reply
Brenda @ The Well Fed Homestead

July 1, 2012 | 10:51 pm
Oh bummer, I buy Trader Joes organic olive oil! I am totally going to test it now! I do not want to be eating adulterated olive oil! Yuck! Thanks for sharing, Kristen! Reply
Tabitha Goebel via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:44 pm
Wow Reply
Kira
July 1, 2012 | 2:46 pm
I live by http://www.queencreekolivemill.com and my future son in law works there it is pure pricey but worth it. Reply
KristenM
July 1, 2012 | 2:50 pm
I get mine from one of my sponsors, Chaffin Family Orchards. Theyre not pricey at all (super affordable, really, when you consider that youre buying by the gallon instead of a little bottle). Reply
Karen Tintle Cook via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:46 pm
good to know, Louise! Sheesh, isnt any food what it says it is anymore? Reply
Celia Ozereko via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:47 pm
Oh, undoubtedly (re: your comment to me). I just saw that one study and thought hmmmm. I actually avoid most Italian oils now because of the problems, and have a hard time trusting any large suppliers. I really enjoyed Muellers book! The food industry is pretty screwed up when we have things like that being such a big problem. Its olive oil, for goodness sake! Anyhow, I put that book on par with things like Tomatoland for making me paranoid about anything for which I dont know the source. Reply
Rachel Budman-Burke via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:47 pm
Food Renegade, how come when I click on RESOURCES Fats & Oils it is not a live link? Reply
Linda
July 10, 2012 | 6:59 pm
I have the same problem! At least I feel better knowing I am not alone Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:53 pm
Rachel Budman-Burke Do you have an ad blocker enabled or javascript disabled? Youll need javascript running and your ad blocker turned off if you want to see any links on my Resources page. Reply

July 1, 2012 | 2:54 pm
Celia Ozereko I havent read Tomatoland yet! I really should. Reply
Karly Casey via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:54 pm
This is not new its been going on for hundreds of years! There isnt enough supply for the demand. Reply
Eric Walters via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:57 pm
Heres what I dont get isnt this what the FSMA was supposed to protect us from where are the raids with full assault teams and confiscating entire store warehouse and letting it spoil. It seems that is only reserved for small raw dairy farmers and fermenting food co-ops and cheese makers Since I can go to my local gas station and buy adulterated olive oil and FDA doesnt seem to care. Reply
Katherine
September 2, 2012 | 11:48 am
Exactly!!! And your taxes pay their salaries! Reply
Anna Miller-Rhees via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:58 pm
Is Braggs good? Theirs has long been my favorite for flavor. Reply
Joni Washek via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 2:59 pm
two words: chaffin orchards! Reply

July 1, 2012 | 3:00 pm
Celia Ozereko ALSO: I didnt mention this since you read Muellers book, but Im posting it for those who havent. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN doesnt matter. The scandal isnt just limited to Italy. Thereve been arrests in Spain, Greece, the entire Mediterranean, really.There are small-scale producers in Italy doing things right, just like there are producers here in the U.S. doing things right. Reply
Alice Benham via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:01 pm
Texas olive oil rocks! I buy it at the farmers market. Reply

July 1, 2012 | 3:01 pm
Karly Casey Very true! Its one of the things Mueller mentions in his book. But the problem has gotten worse as technologys gotten better. Its because we have labs now that can make fake oil taste almost as good (if not better) than the real thing. Reply
Julie Drassinower via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:02 pm
Re: Costco Kirkland EVOO..I believe it is just the organic one that he talks about. Reply
Jackie Johnson via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:03 pm
thank you for posting this! Reply
Nicole Momaney via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:03 pm
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this! Reply

July 1, 2012 | 3:03 pm
Eric Walters Well, the deal is, this olive oil is still seen as safe. Its unethical and fraudulent, but it isnt actually harming most of us. The FDA views raw milk as truly dangerous. Thats their official stance. So, they justify their actions by saying its for public health & safety. Reply
Cicily Scull via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:13 pm
Great article. Very unfortunate though. Reply
Brenda Duncan Cusick via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:23 pm
I use avocado oil, since I live in California. Even more healthy & a higher smoke point. http://Www.AvocadoDiva.com Reply
Carina Dunner via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:24 pm
what took so long to figure this one out? Reply
Mary Hansen via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:25 pm
Once again, I feel betrayed! This is as bad as the margarine scandal. Reply
Jessica Check Jensen via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:26 pm
Does anybody know anything about California Olive Ranch? Its tasty and easy enough for me to pick up at a few grocery stores in my area. Reply
Bette Mae Wirta Marceau via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:34 pm
OH no! Is nothing sacred? My EVOO! Reply
Holly Delahaye via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:36 pm
I just put in an online request to my local library so I can read this book! Reply
Tanya Sherwood via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:37 pm
Yeah!!! Costco has good EVOO!!! Reply
Amy Sobieski Gardiner via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 3:53 pm
Try this Greek olive oil found at farmers markets in my area: http://www.kontoulisfamily.com Reply
Anne Morgan via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 4:33 pm
Wow. I just stick to plain ol corn oil for greasing the cast iron skillet Reply
Susan
July 6, 2012 | 11:57 am
Eeewwww! Reply
Dove
October 30, 2012 | 10:35 am
I definitely wouldnt choose corn oil for a replacement; most corn used for that purpose is genetically modified, which isnt safe for people, animals, or the environment. Soy, canola, and cottonseed oil are all likely modified, too, unless youre buying organic. I season my cast iron with an organic vegetable shortening (non-hydrogenated). It works fine for this
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade purpose. Reply
Kathy Boz via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 5:19 pm
I guess this is a good reason to stick with coconut oil Reply
Edward Cantrell via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 5:24 pm
corn oil sucks, you should dump it! Coconut oil rocks! (I use it to cook food, season cast iron, eat them by spoonful, use it as sunscreen etc!) As for EVOO: Try this one sold by Kasandrinos Imports Lots of my friends says this is the best olive oil! Reply
Allison Joi Burgueno via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 5:37 pm
California olive oil ranch is real. So are some other locals. You should be able to tell from tasting. Fake oil does taste fake if youve ever actually tasted the right stuff. Reply
Susan Schneider Lines via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 5:40 pm
@ Kathy, do you cook vegetables in coconut oil ? Reply
Granny Good-Food via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 5:43 pm
I use Costco EVOO, Texas Olive Oil from Bella Vista Ranch http://texasoliveoil.com/ and Texas Olive Ranch (farmers mkt in Austin). The Bella Vista EVOO is the best Ive ever tasted. They also make a soap that is absolutely luxurious. Visit the ranch, near Wimberley, TX and you can taste wine and hear the (almost) complete history of olive oil for a mere $15 (was only $6 when we went a few years ago). Reply
Kathy
July 3, 2012 | 12:56 pm
I have tested the Texas Olive Ranch oil in the refrigerator Sorry to report it didnt solidify. Ive had this book on my reading list for the longest! Sounds like I need to bump it up in the queue. Reply
KristenM
July 3, 2012 | 1:10 pm
Oh thats odd. Ive bought their oil and tested it before (last year), and it did fine. I left it in there for several days before finally taking it out to use it, though. Is it possible you just didnt have it in the fridge long enough? Reply
Kathy
July 3, 2012 | 1:21 pm
I was really shocked too! I tried one bottle in Feb of this year, left it in for a week. I was really disappointed. I tried a few other brands as well and all of them failed. Spectrum was one of the others. Reply
KristenM
July 3, 2012 | 2:04 pm
Well, now Im inclined to call them and ask them if they sell any winterized oil. Thats basically when they filter the waxy solids out by cooling the oil and removing the solids. I didnt think you could do that and still call it extra-virgin, but maybe Im wrong. If so, it means that the olive oil can still be a pure olive oil, but its had the stearates (a saturated fat that ought to make up about 5% of an extra-virgin olive oil) removed. Thats still really disappointing, as that changes the fat profile of the oil to one leaning more heavily on the PUFAs and less on the mono-unsaturated and saturated fats. Reply
Kathy
July 3, 2012 | 2:19 pm
Would love to hear what you find out. I live in Central Texas too and had really hoped for the best. Reply
Catherine Biderman via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 5:49 pm
Old news.soapmakers knew this 5 years ago. Suddenly olive oil prices soared, and formulations werent giving the usual results. That was because different oils need different amounts of lye to saponify, and adulterating olive oil changes the overall superfat of a soap. Bad news, but there are reputable sources available. I am lucky to live near one of the best. Reply
Elizabeth Agren via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 6:11 pm
Read the book Extra Virginity, all about this, its a great read Reply
Rita
July 1, 2012 | 6:57 pm
I bought 2 gallons from Chaffin Family Orchards in Calif. We lived in the North Woods and I stored it in a freezing basement. It never solidified, even a little. Even the California sources may be corrupt. Reply
Kim
July 4, 2012 | 10:59 am
I have had the same thing happen with my bottles of Chaffin not solidifying. I wonder where its pressed at? On the farm? With stones? Reply
Michelle
July 6, 2012 | 9:21 am
After reading this article I was thinking about buying from Chaffin. Can someone else comment on this? Or know anything more? Reply
Chris Kerston
July 6, 2012 | 12:36 pm
Rita, you bring up a valid point. Ive long been advocating that the fridge test is completely invalid. I can assure the oil is the real deal. The fruit never comes from anywhere but our own farm, which is pretty rare for olive oil brands even the small artisinal ones when you do some investigating. The following article talks about why refrigerating oil is a poor test. It reveals nothing of the health benefits. We have our olive oil nutritionally analyzed every year and we always recieve stellar marks. The olive oil also does well in competitions. This year
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade both of our varietals received gold medals at the worlds biggest international extra virgin olive oil competition. I can testify that beyond cold pressing of the olives to extract the oil we do no further processing, winterizing, washing, or filtering of our extra virgin olive oil. No substitutes or additives are EVER mixed in with our olive oil. Its 100% extra virgin olive oil completely from our own olives. I assure you its as real as it gets! http://www.oliveoilsource.com/article/freezing-olive-oil-can-prove-extra-virgin-quality-its-fiction Reply
KristenM
July 6, 2012 | 12:51 pm
I dont think that link dispels the fridge test completely, only the kind of fridge test that says that the oil must turn completely solid in the fridge to be extra-virgin. He says that turning solid is a result of the natural waxes on the olive, and that some oils are winterized to remove the waxes and stearates. (Im also confused on this point, because I thought an extra-virgin oil couldnt be winterized.) He also says that Oil that has not been winterized will clump and form needle-like crystals at refrigerator temperatures as the longer chain fats and waxes in the oil congeal, but the oil will not usually harden completely unless chilled further. In other words, he says that if it hasnt been winterized it will still thicken up just not turn solid. Since your oil hasnt been winterized, I think it has to be the olives. Your variety must be naturally less waxy and have fewer stearates. Also, Ive now had 3 gallons of Chaffin olive oil, and all of them have turned semi-solid in the fridge. So, I wonder if the people who say that Chaffin isnt getting solid for them are actually wanting it to turn into a solid clump rather than just be a little more viscous. Reply
Annie Beth Donahue

July 15, 2012 | 1:24 pm
KristinI got my bottle from Wilderness Family Naturals after following the link on your site. I left my TJs bottle in the fridge for comparison and found that while the TJs clumped (and eventually turned solid after getting pushed to the back of the fridge), there isnt a single speck in the WFN bottle after being in the fridge for two days, and it appears to still flow pretty well. I bought the WFN bottle because I saw the TJs was not solidifying (at first), but it looks like that if this were a blind test, the TJs would actually have won over the WFN. Both bottles had been opened and poured out of before being placed in the fridge if that matters at all. I am sure the WFN is a good product, but I was wondering if youd done the fridge test on it yourself. I was wondering if you could explain the reason behind WFN not clumping- maybe the winterization or wax or whatever. Reply
Dawn Turpin Walsh via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 7:15 pm
Geesh! Its getting so discouraging to try to eat healthy. It feels like we are just paying more just to get shafted, all the while thinking we are doing something good for our families & bodies. Honestly it makes me just want to give up Reply
Don Jacobsen via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 7:21 pm
This is something that I never knew, wow, unbelievable, thanks for the info! Reply
Laurie Cohen Peters via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 7:29 pm
Food Renegade, first thank you for posting. Second, if its cut or made with canola from Italy but labeled organic, can it still contain GMOs in your opinionfrom tracking gmo standards in Italy, I cant find gmo canola, do you know if this is also an issue as I have been consuming supposed high-quality organic olive oil from my co-op or WF for decades and have been tireless in my attempt to avoid
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade GMOsthus this presents a whole other quandary to considerwould love your thoughts on this. ty Reply
Erica Tabor Razgaitis via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 7:42 pm
Very interesting! Reply
Adrienne Hutchison via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 7:50 pm
Heres a list of the EVOOs that tested pure. For people like me who dont have access to the good local stuff, this was a big help (found via http://www.CrunchyBetty.com): http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/720875 Reply
Joan Wiersma via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 8:19 pm
THANK YOU so much for posting this link. <3 Reply
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom

July 1, 2012 | 8:23 pm
Hi. I appreciate the info, but I am puzzled. I dont see any olive oil purveyors on your page. Am I missing something? Thanks. Reply
KristenM
Hi Adrienne,
July 1, 2012 | 9:47 pm
If youve got an ad blocker running, or have javascript disabled, you wont be able to see the ads. You must first disable your ad blocker or enable javascript for the page. Hope that helps! ~Kristen (AKA FoodRenegade) Reply
Elisabeth Carrozza Wilkins via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 8:31 pm
Good godmy kid is deathly allergic to soybeansthey could KILL my baby by substituting!! Reply
Jessica Hudson via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 9:37 pm
Holy Crap! That really sucks! Reply
Faith Epp via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 9:43 pm
This is really good to know and share thanks. Reply
Lynne Shirvandehi-Gow via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 9:50 pm
Any idea if the oils at Trader Joes are ok? Reply
Olga Harris via Facebook

July 1, 2012 | 10:04 pm
I had to give up having olive oil about a year ago with soy & corn allergy, I was reacting even to extra virgin olive oil. Needless to say i knew what was happening right away. Good learn that somebody is actually trying to do something about it!!!! Reply
Lee
July 1, 2012 | 10:11 pm
Another question this raises is all the healthy oil claims made for olive oil for all these years. Were the people who did the research using honest-to-goodness olive oil? Or were they just buying stuff from a store too? Reply
KristenM
July 1, 2012 | 10:16 pm
I thought of that, too. I dont know the answer. What I do know from reading Muellers book is that a lot of the reason they are so good at faking olive oil these days is technology. We can now create an adulterated or even pseudo olive oil in a lab that passes some of the easier authentication tests build it with a similar fatty acid profile, color, scent, and taste. That way the fake oils can STILL BE CERTIFIED AS REAL by whatever lax certification standard theyre using. Its only with extensive laboratory testing that you can actually determine if its real or fake! Reply
Sharon Baker Burress via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 1:18 am
We all dont live in California, so where do we get real olive oil? The link to sources does not work. Reply

July 2, 2012 | 1:18 am

July 2, 2012 | 1:18 am
Barbara Ebers via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 6:54 am
I discovered this awhile back and was so disappointed. It made sense though as the flavor never matched up. My new diet excludes oils and I am glad. They are not nutrient dense Reply
Norine Forrest Robinson via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:07 am
Both bottles that I have read: INGREDIENTS Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Who knows and how? Reply
Norine Forrest Robinson via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:07 am
Both bottles that I have read: INGREDIENTS Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Who knows and how? Reply
Antonia Louise Longo via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:11 am
went into a fugue state Lol thats a pretty funny mental picture. Reply
Shari Elmore via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:12 am
I tried clicking on the link from your website, but nothing happens? Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:12 am
I tried clicking on the link from your website, but nothing happens? Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:14 am
Shari Elmore Which link? Where? Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:14 am
Antonia Louise Longo It made me giggle, too. Reply
Denice Lindsey via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:16 am
well that take the extra virgin off my list.I refuse to second guess yet another item and pay more. Reply
Haji Warf via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:16 am
Im one of the lucky ones who gets to buy locally produced olive oil. In fact, we have several small producers here. However, the company from whom I buy often also produces award-winning wines, so I get to sit on their covered patio, sipping my cab while looking out at their olive trees, hehe. https://www.facebook.com/ChacewaterWines Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:18 am
Here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/real-food-resources/#fats Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:19 am
Maybe its my pop up blocker? Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:21 am
Shari Elmore Yes, if you have an ad blocker enabled, the links wont work. They also wont work if you have javascript disabled. Reply
Kirsten
July 2, 2012 | 11:48 am
Thank you, Food Renegade, for such an insightful article. Thrilled to read posts like yours that help
educate folks on the industry. Like you, we encourage folks to read labels thoroughly, look for harvest and best by dates, and know how your oil was produced, and exactly where it comes from. Thank you for your respected efforts! Keep up the great work! Reply
Helen Vosburgh via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 11:48 am
Does buying Organic EVOO make a difference? Reply

July 2, 2012 | 11:58 am
Helen Vosburgh No, I dont think so. The *most* important thing is to know that it was sourced from a single family farm or perhaps a small co-op of growers. Reply
Naomi Giuliano via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 12:11 pm
I think EVOO is over-rated anyway. Id rather use butter, ghee or coconut oil to cook with. Now more than ever! ;-D Reply
Corah Webber via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 12:30 pm
I just read this article this morning great stuff! I shared a link to it over at my new blog. http://thefibroproject.blogspot.com/ Reply
Simon Palczynski via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 1:10 pm
The only thing I dont understand is that the manufacturer doesnt have to say on the ingredients label that other oils were used? Reply
Sheila Fisher
July 2, 2012 | 1:22 pm
I put my Kirkland (Costco) branded Extra Virgin Olive oil in the frige last night. It looks just as clear sitting in the frige today as it did sitting on the counter. Its not cloudy at all. A 100% fail. Reply
Jessica O'Keefe
November 6, 2012 | 11:36 pm
You know that the fridge test doesnt always work, and it definitely doesnt disprove an olive oil. Also, you might let it sit in there longer. My Bragg olive oil didnt solidify for a few days when I left it in the fridge! Reply
rose :: fine craft guild . com

July 2, 2012 | 1:43 pm
Well, I have to say that each season we receive a few bottles of olive oil by friends. They look you straight in the eye and forbid you to cook with that oil. It s ONLY for tasting, on salads, etc. This olive oil comes from the olives of their groves, is pressed by them and bottled by them. There is NO COMPARISON between the taste of that liquid gold versus commercially purchased extra virgin olive oil. It does not even come close. Reply
Kirstian
July 2, 2012 | 1:58 pm
I read the UC davis study on Crunch Betty. I think Costcos brand of olive oil was real olives, which is what I buy. I was kinda shocked as some of those that were not real. Its a big deal for us because we have food allergies in our home. Reply
Bonny Shilton via Facebook

July 2, 2012 | 2:25 pm
Heres what Chowhound.chow.com website says: Found to have be fraudulently labeled as ExtraVirgin: Whole Foods Rachel Ray Safeway Newmans Own Colavita Bertolli Filippo Berio Pompeian Star Carapelli Mezzetta Mazzola Found to be accurately labeled as Extra-Virgin: Kirkland Organic Corto Olive California Olive Ranch McEvoy Ranch Organic Reply

July 2, 2012 | 2:25 pm
Heres the above link: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/720875 Reply

July 2, 2012 | 2:28 pm
My Whole Foods olive oil did NOT become thick and cloudy after I put it in the frig 6 1/2 hours ago. So apparently that test supports the allegation above that it is not olive oil! Im returning it. Reply

July 2, 2012 | 4:28 pm
Simon Palczynski Of course they have to label it. Its the law. The big issue here is that THEY DONT KNOW. In almost all cases, they buy their oil from distributors who promise its 100% extra-virgin olive oil. The fraud is usually at the level before the distributors, with the various organized crime families creating or adulterating fake olive oil to sell to distributors. Reply
Dolores Smith
July 2, 2012 | 4:48 pm
Why do you have a picture of Dauro extra virgin olive oil on your website insinuating it is a fake. It is produced by one of Spains best producers that has won the best delicate olive oil in Spain 5 times since 2005 and used at the Nobel Prize Award Banquet 6 times since 2006. You are far from the truthhave you seen a chemical analysis for this oil re lowest acidity and peroxide levels showing extreme purity? Have you tasted it to see its quality? Have you tasted it for its silkiness/texture, flavour? Only good quality olive oils will pass the test of being very pleasant when sipped like a wineand this one does. Please email me at info@theolivarcorp.com I am passing your website on to the producer.
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade How Reply
KristenM
Hi Dolores,
July 2, 2012 | 4:51 pm
I make absolutely no claims whatsoever as to the authenticity of Dauro oil. I used its picture because it was the best available one of pouring olive oil on Flickr under the creative commons license. I wanted a free picture of olive oil being poured; thats what I found. If Dauro is a good oil, then good for them and you and anyone else who buys it! ~KristenM (AKA Food Renegade) Reply
Susan
July 6, 2012 | 12:03 pm
Yo, Dolores.get a life! Reply
melissa daams
July 3, 2012 | 1:46 am
I have been buying this first cold pressed evoo bc i read it was the best. Well not only does it have no flavor it also does not even pass the first test. and its a product of greece. my friends on facebook recommend using extra virgin coconut oil but now i am wondering what information you can dig up on that. what is the best kind? Etc etc. Reply
KristenM
Hi Melissa,
July 3, 2012 | 1:09 pm
Read How to choose a good coconut oil for the scoop on coconut oils! Reply
Sierra
July 3, 2012 | 8:48 am
I find this a bit disheartening. Is anything untouched? I am so tired of being a paranoid shopper and every week I learn something new that I have to research and then find someone that I trust to make a good quality product! I dont know what Id do without your blog to keep me updated! Reply
Sage
July 10, 2012 | 1:11 pm
me too -do I have to grow EVERYTHING myself? Reply
Jacquie Kuck Wood via Facebook

July 3, 2012 | 9:13 am
You say to go to your site for a listing of safe brands of Olive Oil, but the site wont open to that list, why not? I want to know which ones are real and which ones arent. Is this just a glitch on your site? Reply

July 3, 2012 | 12:46 pm
Jacquie Kuck Wood If you have javascript disabled or an ad blocker running, it will interfere with the links on that page from showing up. So, to see them youll have to enable javascript or disable your ad blocker. Hope that helps! Really, any olive oil from a single farm or small co-op
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade will almost always be legit. Reply
Tina Lov Ing via Facebook

July 3, 2012 | 1:29 pm
Im with Naomi; olive oil is over rated but it does taste butter than butter, ghee or coco oil on salads Reply
Tina Lov Ing via Facebook

July 3, 2012 | 1:29 pm
better than Reply
Atiya Guianese via Facebook

July 3, 2012 | 2:32 pm
Ghee was not made to be put on salads; thats absurd. Make salad dressing w/nuts & herbs for those who like the creamy stuff & whole oils & vinegar w/herbs for something lighter. Reply
Ann Duncan
July 4, 2012 | 12:15 am
I would NEVER trust Trader Joes. They refuse to list sources for their products. Their stores are full of GMO items. What irks me the most is that, because of their atmosphere, people think they can trust the food there to be wholesome, healthful food :/ Blessings! Reply
Kathleen K
September 8, 2012 | 4:02 pm
Can you give a source for your statements regarding GMOs? Trader Joes website specifically says they source non-gmo (which, as I understand it, Whole Foods no longer does). If you hate TJs thats fine, but Id like to know where your statement came from. Reply
Dove
October 30, 2012 | 11:06 am
The biggest offender seems to be Whole Foods, but apparently, TJ also sells natural products, which, of course, arent regulated and can contain all the GMOs they want. http://www.naturalnews.com/035238_natural_foods_GMOs_organic.html Reply
Brandi Lucas via Facebook

July 4, 2012 | 2:51 pm
Anyone know about Spectrum EVOO? I havent been able to find anything online about the purity of that particular brand, but my google-fu may be off. Reply
Heather@Food Ponderings
July 5, 2012 | 1:27 pm
I get my olive oil from Equal Exchange now, who sources it from a co-op in Palestine. I trust them and the olive oil tastes fantastic! Reply
Andrew G.
July 5, 2012 | 10:51 pm
Thank you so much for posting about this! Immediatly after reading, I stuck both of my olives in
the fridge. One was cheap Pompeian brand and the other was a fancy olive oil in a dark glass bottle that was imported from Europe. After a day in the cold, neither of them hardened up or even got cloudy. So as it turns out, I may have never eaten real olive oil, considering that the ones in my house are about 100% fake. Thanks again for getting the word out about this. Its really disturbing, but Im so glad I can stop eating fake oils. Reply
Karen
July 6, 2012 | 9:37 am
Know thy farmer. Know thy food. Reply
hridaya
July 7, 2012 | 12:29 am
Well my question is this, my EVOO says it has oil from 5 different countries. Wouldnt that make the same brand label have different oil combinations inside, at different times of the year? Or are we going to assume they put exactly the same ratio of the same kind of oil from the same countries and gathered at the same time of the year inside those bottles? Im going to assume that some brands are better than others at certain times of the year. The resources page on this site does not work for me on Chrome, I have to open it with Safari. All my java is working fine. Reply
Annie Beth Donahue

July 9, 2012 | 8:05 pm
I stuck my Trader Joes Italian cold pressed 100% virgin olive oil in the fridge, and after a day it barely had any tiny clumps at all. Sooooo disappointed. I immediately bought the olive oil off your site. Hope to see a difference! Reply
Rebekah
July 10, 2012 | 12:33 pm
Does anyone know if the Napa Valley Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is real? Reply
Sage
July 10, 2012 | 1:09 pm
Sorry, but how do we know wilderness naturals is ok? It looks like they get it from farmers on the coast overseas as well how can we be 100% sure? Reply
KristenM
Hi Sage,
July 10, 2012 | 1:27 pm
I responded to this in the comments above, but Ill say it again. I vouch for the Wilderness Family Naturals olive oil because Im friends with Annette (the owner). She personally travels to the source of EVERY product she sells to verify its authenticity and to make sure its among the absolute best. The olive oil she sells comes from a small co-op of farms not an international supplier. So, the same standard that we apply to selecting quality domestic olive oil applies to selecting quality international olive oil. We have to ask: did this come from a small farm or co-op of farms exclusive to a single valley or locale? If yes, then its almost always a safe bet. The corruption the industry happens when companies source their olive oil from international suppliers that collect and distribute oil from hundreds of farms. Since the WFN oil comes from a small, individual locale, and since I trust Annette to have verified the source, I trust the oil she sells.
Hope that helps! Reply
Cory
July 10, 2012 | 2:37 pm
This is illustrating a point Ive been feeling for a while, which is, in order to eat really healthy and responsibly, we really have to eat in a way that our local ecosystem facilitates. It means those of us who live somewhere olives cant grow wouldnt get olive oil. And unless you live in the tropics, no ever-so-healthy tropical fruit. Within reason there have always been trade routes. And it gets really tough when you realize not every area is suitable for farminganyone out there ready to become nomadic again? Follow the buffalo? Please? Im not being sarcastic. Just expressing a (pipe) dream of mine. Perfection is unattainable. Ive resigned myself to just trying to move in the right direction as much as we can, and hope theres still something left for our children Reply
Shannon
July 10, 2012 | 10:27 pm
WHAT?! I put my Kirkland (Costco) Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the fridge and its clear as day, and liquid as can be. Its FAKE?!?!?!?!? Reply
Cathy
July 17, 2012 | 3:33 pm
How depressing, but Im grateful to you for sharing this info. Im going to attempt to find a legit olive oil at my local grocery store. I will post my findings and if I find any that appear to fall under the criteria you specified, otherwise I will buy from WFN. Reply
Cathy
July 18, 2012 | 7:58 am
Ok, SO, there were about two or three options I found at my local Martins Foods. There was California Olive Ranch, their Arbequina, Arbosana and Millers Blend. All three have been COOC certified for 2012. They all cost about $12.60 for just under 12 oz. I ended up buying the Bionaturae brand of Organic EVOO. They had a blurb on the back stating that they are involved in the entire process, have strict standards and get their oil from a select group of small family farms in Italy. 12 oz for organic EVOO for $11.99. Also, I really like the sound of Chaffin Family Farms. They have a good deal on a gallon of EVOO, $72/gallon. I think it comes out to roughly $7 per 12 ounces. A great economical buy but I cant afford that right now as an upfront investment. http://www.chaffinfamilyorchards.com Reply
Cathy
July 18, 2012 | 8:05 am
Heres the Bionaturae website, they do list the acidity levels of the olive oil under the FAQs page and theres a lengthy explanation of where the olive oil is grown and how it is harvested and pressed. Also I misspoke, it is a 17 oz. bottle. http://www.bionaturae.com/olive-oil.html. Reply
Margaret
July 23, 2012 | 10:29 am
Ugh, I kinda figured that had to be the case when olive oil tasted nothing like the small bottles we used to get from our neighbors, no matter how much I spent on it. I heard somewhere in all the controversy that walnut oil has almost the exact same fatty acid profile, and therefore it gets used a lot to fake people out. I wonder if it has the same benefits, and if it does, how much it costs. It might be worthwhile to buy guaranteed walnut oil, instead of guessing at oil olive. Opinions?
Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake | Food Renegade Reply
Hari
August 16, 2012 | 7:41 am
Buy American. Ive started buying only Californian Olive Oil. In the fridge it gets solid as a rockI know its the real stuff because its having the same slimming effect that authentic Olive oil used to give me. Reply
Julie Kay
November 3, 2012 | 2:24 pm
I really enjoy your blog and your writing! I also have been researching the whole olive oil debacle as Im wanting to ingest only the real thing sans genetically modified additives! Fueling my passion right now is the whole labeling GMO controversywhich shouldnt be a controversy at all. That is what I blog about. Keep up the great work! Reply
Jeremy Stocks
December 10, 2012 | 1:12 pm
My oil is very real. It came driect from an olive oil press on the slopes of Mt Etna in sicily this year. Reply
Carla @ Gluten Free Recipe Box

December 13, 2012 | 3:30 pm
I read the 2010 study from UC Davis, and it showed that Kirklands (Costco brand) of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil had the third lowest amount of polyphenols (mostly natural, but with some synthetic or semi-synthetic) organic chemicals. And their brand was about half the price as the Bertolli brnad, and much better. Reply
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179 Responses to Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is Fake

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July 10, 2012 | 1:07 pm

What is the name of your farmer? Does he sell online? Reply

July 11, 2012 | 8:08 pm

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July 1, 2012 | 10:54 pm

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And Great post, btw! Reply

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July 3, 2012 | 2:31 pm

Im interested in knowing the answer to this question also. Reply

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Crap first Honey, now oil ,,, I had no idea Reply

November 28, 2012 | 10:51 am

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I am putting my faith in COSTCOs Italian Olive Oil Reply

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