Nota de Introdução: O presente artigo tem origem numa revista da especialidade americana, chamo a atenção para os preços do Azeite, bem como à forma como os americanos protegem os seus produtos.
"There are many extra virgin olive oils
out there that are downright frauds. In fact, the majority of olive oils
on your supermarket shelf don’t deserve the title of “extra virgin.”
It’s no secret what a beneficial food olive oil is with its healthy fats
and supremely high quantities of natural antioxidants. But, many
extra-virgin olive oils can’t boast these benefits due to contamination,
rancidity, poor manufacturing, and corner-cutting. Use these 5
checkpoints to help you determine which oils are the real deal and which
are impostors.
Price. A good way to start buying
quality EVOO is by looking at the price. Although it’s always tempting
to save a few bucks, olive oils that are less than $10 per 500mL are
more likely to be frauds than your $15, $20, or dare I say, $40 oils.
Some cheaper olive oils are cut with low-quality olive oil or even other
vegetable oils to enhance profit margins. So, if the price looks too
good to be true, it probably is. That being said, there is no guarantee
that a $40 oil is 100% authentic or not rancid, but your odds are better
if you stay above the $10 mark.
Bottle. Never, absolutely never
ever should you buy olive oil in a plastic bottle — BPAs, oxidation,
rancidity, you name it. Quality olive oil must be stored in tinted glass
to reduce the chance of oxidation by harsh sunlight. No tinted glass,
it’s not worth your cash. Oxidation causes the fragile antioxidants
inside the oil to destruct and leads to rancidity, which doesn’t taste
so great.
Date. If a bottle of quality extra
virgin olive oil isn’t used within 2 years of harvest, it goes rancid.
Check the harvest date on the bottle, or at the very least the ‘best by’
date. Make sure it is no older than 12-18 months, especially if you
plan on storing it for a few months. Olive oil is essentially the
freshly squeezed juice of the olive fruit. You wouldn’t drink old fruit
juice, so why would you consume old olive oil? As always, the fresher
the oil is, the more health benefits it can offer.
Origin. Imported extra virgin olive oil is more likely to be impure than Californian varieties. 69% of foreign olive oils tested failed to meet the EVOO standards,
which used sensory as well as chemical tests to determine an olive
oil’s quality. Only 10% of Californian oils flunked. Among the falsely
labeled “extra virgins” included the popular brands Colavita, Filippo
Berio, and Bertolli.
Taste. If an oil tastes slightly
rancid or fusty, it’s no good. A poor flavor means it could have been
produced from damaged or overripe olives, was exposed to improper
storage conditions, or was adulterated with cheaper oils, olive or
otherwise. If your palate isn’t pleased, something is probably amiss.
Educate yourself and find a brand of
extra virgin olive you can trust. California oils are homegrown, so
they’re most likely to be of a fresher, higher quality than many
imported oils. Plus, you’ll be supporting US olive growers! "
