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The European Community has coined different names for each one of
the different types of olive oil and olive marc. This specification
should appear on the different commercial brands labels referring
to the process of making the oils themselves as well as to their oleic
acid content (acidity), expressed in grams of acid per 100 grams of
oil, that is, in degrees. So far there are four types of oils:
>
Extra virgin olive oil: virgin or non-processed olive
oil, with an absolutely perfect aroma, taste and color and with
its maximum acidity expressed in oleic acid content not exceeding
1 gram per 100 grams (0 to 1º). Some oils of this type can even
have lower acidity levels.
> Virgin olive oil: virgin
olive oil with an absolutely perfect aroma, taste and color and
with its maximum acidity expressed in oleic acid content not exceeding
2 grams per 100 grams (0 to 2º ).
> Olive oil: oil made up
of a mixture of refined olive oil and non lamp virgin olive oils
(olive oil with an acidity above 3º) with its acidity expressed
in oleic acid content not exceeding 1.5 grams per 100 grams (0 to
1.5º). Refined oil does not have either flavor or aroma, so virgin
oil is added to give it flavor. These oils are distinguished by
the amount of virgin oil added and therefore by the concentration
of flavors.
> Olive marc oil: oil made
up of refined oil extracted from the olive marc that has been left
in the hydraulic press or in the centrifuge after most of the oil
has been already pressed out and with an acidity expressed in oleic
acid content not exceeding 1.5 grams per 100 grams (0 to 1.5º).
Later on this refined olive marc oil is mixed up with virgin olive
oils, different to the lamp oil, in order to enrich its flavor.
It can never be labeled "olive oil".
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