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Olive oil: U.S. cracks down on smearing of the product's reputation

Seeded on Fri Jul 9, 2010 5:01 PM EDT

Article Source: The L.A. Times

health, oil, olive

Seeded by nearing

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Connecticut investigators tested dozens of bottles of olive oil from store shelves a few years ago after local producers and consumers complained that there was something fishy — or perhaps nutty — going on. They were right.

"People were getting sick and thinking, 'It must be the poultry that I fried up in the olive oil last night,' or that it was a type of bread that had been exposed to nuts in the bakery," said Jerry Farrell Jr., commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Early this year, his team returned to the market aisles after hearing rumbles of more sly shortcuts.

"It took a while for people to identify that the oil itself is the thing that was making them sick," Farrell said.

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Groups: ConsumerVine, Farmers on the Vine, Foodies!, HealthVine, HouseWise, Kona Coffee All Things Hawaii, Natural Living , The New Vine Chef
Regions: Los Angeles

Public Discussion (17)

nearing

Stricter standards are good and neccessary.

Just remember, though, that olive oil should be kept in the refrigerator as it begins to go rancid when not kept cold. Just run the top of the bottle under lukewarm water when you need to use it so it will pour.

AND do NOT ever cook with olive oil!

5 votes

#1 - Fri Jul 9, 2010 5:03 PM EDT

Agent 57

Just remember, though, that olive oil should be kept in the refrigerator as it begins to go rancid when not kept cold. Just run the top of the bottle under lukewarm water when you need to use it so it will pour.

I never knew this nearing, I use olive Oil almost exclusively... very little else,, a little canola here and there...

4 votes

#1.1 - Fri Jul 9, 2010 5:38 PM EDT

Kuromi

Weird, my dad used to always cook with those pricey olive oils and we never had any problems and we also never put the olive oil in the fridge, it always stayed out.

4 votes

#1.2 - Fri Jul 9, 2010 6:27 PM EDT

D DeMilo

we've cooked with olive oil for generations. despite some of the rumors, Olive-pomace oils and virgin olive oils are both highly monounsaturated oils and therefore resistant to oxidation and hydrogenation. they have a smoke point close to that of vegitable oil and unless overheated will not degrade the taste or nutritional quality of the food.

olive oil should be kept in a cool, dark place but refrigeration is optional

4 votes

#1.3 - Fri Jul 9, 2010 8:51 PM EDT

nearing

tomorrow, when not so tired, I will find a source for why you should not heat olive oil. Then we can debate. "~)

I have a book that explains but I should be able to find something to link.

2 votes

#1.4 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 2:58 AM EDT

dcstone01

I too cook with olive oil, but I do not use the higher heat settings...just high enough to gently 'fry or simmer' though not 'burn' the oil...OO has a low tolerance for heat, where other oils can be used at higher settings...And I keep mine in the cabinet over the stove...handy, and dark...hasn't gone rancid yet.

3 votes

#1.5 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:58 PM EDT

nearing

..hasn't gone rancid yet.

In the book I have it says that human taste buds aren't sensitive enough to tell if OO has gone rancid.

Just an FYI.

1 vote

#1.6 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 7:48 PM EDT

D DeMilo

dc - the "smoke point" for olive oil (non-blended, virgin) is 385 to 400 deg's. only slightly lower than vegitable oil. it can, in fact, be used for deep frying

nearing - olive oil will begin to cloud long before it will taste rancid and will exhibit a strong musty odor. kept away from light (IR) and below 70 deg's, olive oil in a plastic or glass container will have a shelf life of about 2 years. blended and infused oils about 1 year.

however - once you have refrigerated olive oil - stored below 50 deg's, it must be refrigerated or it will turn rancid easily

3 votes

#1.7 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:14 PM EDT

nearing

Doug have you read the links in #6?

1 vote

#1.8 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:32 PM EDT

D DeMilo

yes I have. one is an abstract from a Spanish agri lab involving conditions far beyond any olive oil would be put through in the kitchen

the other lists the "smoke point" as well below what it actually is (for quality non-blended virgin or extra-virgin oil)

3 votes

#1.9 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:28 PM EDT

nearing

the other lists the "smoke point" as well below what it actually is (for quality non-blended virgin or extra-virgin oil)

You mean the article that has all of those sources? Can you tell me which source was wrong about how damaging heat is to OO?

1 vote

#1.10 - Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:24 AM EDT

RACHEL1-933952

The new rules are voluntary — not mandatory — so the prospect of more slick shenanigans continues.

Well, gee...that's helpful...

7 votes

#2 - Fri Jul 9, 2010 5:16 PM EDT

D DeMilo

good catch, Nearing. clipped to the New Vine Chef group

Doug

3 votes

#3 - Fri Jul 9, 2010 5:44 PM EDT

TelcoPhil

You'll also notice some bottle are clear, unless they just opened the box, stay way from it. Light degrades the oil.

I keep mine under the sink where its cool and dark, never in the fridge.

3 votes

#4 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 4:19 AM EDT

rochart

This is the sort of support the Kona coffee farmers need from the USDA. Coffee blenders mix 10% Kona coffee beans with the cheapest beans they can find from a foreign source.

Before roasting it in Hawaii it is fumigated with methyl bromide, a known carcinogen, to kill pests and diseases which might come into Hawaii on it.

The in LARGE letters the blenders say "KONA" on the label but do not disclose what the other 90% of the coffee is!!!

They imply that it is a "blend of Hawaiian coffees."

They then charge you the consumer the same price for the blend as you would pay for 100% Kona coffee!

Kona coffee farmers have fought in the state legislature to get this changed, truth in labeling but the processors and the blenders are too politically powerful for us to get a change done.

5 votes

#5 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 2:49 PM EDT

nearingDeleted

nearing

Okay, just a cursory search for a link about cooking with olive oil reveals:

Why it's best not to cook with extra virgin olive oil

Influence of Thermal Treatments Simulating Cooking Processes on the Polyphenol Content in Virgin Olive Oil

Honest, people, why do you think they even tell you to keep it in a cool place? Heat is not good for olive oil!

Use Palm Kernel or Coconut oil to cook with! They are both stable and VERY good for you.

5 votes

#7 - Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:09 PM EDT

rochart

Researchers analyzed popular brands and found 69 percent of imported oils and ten percent of domestic oils sampled did not meet the international standards that define the pure, cold-pressed, olive oils that deserve the extra virgin title.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38266478/ns/business-consumer_news/

The North American Olive Oil Association, which represents most olive oil importers, has conducted its own tests for years on the products it imports, and found problems with only one percent of samples, said its president, Bob Bauer.

He also questioned the objectivity of a study financed in part by California olive oil producers.

Yeah, we also have this problem with the oldest Kona coffee non-profit organization. It is dominated by the major processors and blenders!!!

3 votes

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