When the olive is at its optimal point, it is harvested and, once in the mill, a first screening is carried out to remove remains of leaves or branches. The next step is the extraction of the oil, which is carried out exclusively by mechanical means, as a general rule exerting pressure on the olives to obtain the oil. Both extra virgin olive oil and virgin oil are extracted from the first pressing of the olives. The difference lies in the organoleptic qualities and the percentage of acidity. It may also have volatile compounds that give it a bad smell and taste, solid remains, etc. These oils in their natural state are called lamp oils because they are not allowed for cooking and were previously used for oil lamps.
Both guarantee their purity as they have been obtained by purely mechanical processes and have not undergone any of the chemical or temperature treatments typical of refining. They are natural olive juice with optimal organoleptic conditions, which have the possibility of contemplating a certain level of itching or bitterness. Indeed, there are qualitatively essential nutritional differences between these oils.
Differences Between Virgin Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Since the raw material is the olive, the more care and attention is given to it in the field, the better result it will give us in the mill and consequently in the final product. Cultivation caution, protection against pests and suitable weather conditions will be decisive to achieve a healthy olive. Find out what our customers say about Las Valdesas oils, what exactly they use them for, what varieties they choose… Sign up and get a 15% discount on the value of the olive oil of your first online order. The mixing time is short, not exceeding an hour, and then it is centrifuged, separating the olive oil from the alpeorujo. Any anomaly, malpractice or carelessness in certain commented processes will make the difference between a true “Virgin Plus” Special Olive Oil and a Virgin Olive Oil.
In addition to this, we managed to find differences in the acidity of the product, which can reach 2% in virgin oil, while in the case of extra virgin it will always be less than 0.8%. Olive oil is classified by measuring its physicochemical parameters in the laboratory and the organoleptic, colour, taste and smell specifications, through a tasting panel. The fruit used for its preparation is collected at its perfect ripening moment (the chopped ones are never used or those that have fallen to the ground) and only through mechanical methods. Virgin olive oils are extracted by mechanical or physical processes that allow the “juice” of the olive to be obtained naturally. When an acidity level of less than or equal to 0.8% is achieved, it is called extra virgin olive oil and with an acidity level of less than or equal to 2%, it is called virgin olive oil3. In the third situation, the lampante oil, «the result of a refining development to find that it is suitable for consumption.»
How to make Alioli with Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
As a consequence, an oil is obtained with excessive acidity as there are numerous molecules of free fatty acids. So much so that we can say that the main differences between virgin and plus virgin olive oil are the level of acidity as well as the quality. At Aceites Albert we assume that virgin olive oil also deserves its place in the market, since consuming it consciously means, first of all, understanding the differences to choose from. Even a poorly preserved extra virgin, exposed to light or heat, can become virgin, or worse, it can end up going rancid and losing a large part of its value. The second differentiating criterion between the two categories is the purely organoleptic, which is discerned through tasting, where flavors and aromas are examined and they also try to detect probable defects.
It is always found on our tables, however when it comes to distinguishing the different types of olive oil, there is a lot of confusion on the subject. Let’s see what causes an oil to be «virgin» instead of «extra virgin». In any case, both are excellent quality oils with many benefits for our body. Take a look at this other article on How olive oil helps health. Virgin olive oil comes from 100% olives presenting good peculiarities of taste and aroma.
The third procedure uses the lowest quality oils, those left over from the other methods or the olive pomace, which are the oils that remain in the pulp after mechanical extraction. These oils cannot be consumed due to their bad taste, and chemical processing is used on them to make them fit for consumption. This method is the refining one, and the one that obtains the worst quality olive oils.
Characteristics of Extra Virgin and Virgin
Another difference between virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil is the production process. Among the main specifications of Virgin Plus olive oil is its high content of oleic acid, which belongs to the category of essential fatty acids. This Olive Oil follows exactly the same procedure in its production as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the only notable difference between this and plus virgin olive oil is that it does not achieve that level of excellence that is required of an «Extra» . It also has the possibility of having higher acidity than its superior category, although it is always below 2%.
What Is The Difference Between Virgin Olive Oil And Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
This is the first differentiating method between these types of oil, the chemical criterion. Both are pure olive juice extracted through mechanical methods, as a general rule using the centrifugation procedure, since the classic pressing is practically in disuse. The juice obtained directly from the olive by the aforementioned process is called Virgin Olive Oil, which, depending on its quality, would finally be classified as «Virgin Olive Oil» or «Virgin Plus Olive Oil». Everyone knows that olive oil belongs to the pillars of the Mediterranean diet, so recognized by nutritionists internationally, but where does our knowledge about this emblematic product come from?
A second essential factor to obtain the highest quality oil is harvesting. The olive must be harvested at the perfect moment in its maturation, directly from the tree and with the techniques that confer the minimum damage to the olive to avoid injuries that may cause its oxidation and loss of quality. Around 30% of the pulp of the olive is oil, and when the fruit is collected we must extract it, so that we separate the rest of the olive from the oil, which is the part that matters to us. There are two primary ways to do this, and a third that is actually a second process to the other methods.
It is essential to understand that the acidity that we perceive simply by our palate does not match the real acidity that is the result of careful chemical analysis. Send commentI have read and accept the privacy policyRed Link To Media collects personal data for internal use only. In no case will your data be transferred to third parties without your authorization. If you want to read much more articles similar to Difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil, we advise you to enter our Food and drink category.