The Extra Virgin Olive Oil became very popular in the recent years , it was considered by doctors as an Healthy essential component of the Mediterranean Diet which was first publicized in 1945 by the American doctor Ancel Keys, stationed in Salerno (Italy). Although such publication takes its origin since 1945, the Mediterranean diet failed to gain widespread recognition until 1990's.

It is based on what from the point of view of mainstream nutrition is considered a paradox: that although the people living in Mediterranean countries tend to consume relatively high amounts of fat, they have far lower rates of cardiovascular diseases than in countries like the United States, where similar levels of fat consumption are found. After USA Olive oil became popular firstly as healthy product and secondly as a good product to be consumed , in the biggest countries such as Japan, Canada, Australia and recently India and China.

But What's the legislation valid in the USA?

That's the main problem why olive oils sold in normal supermarkets could be not fair but fake.

The legislation takes its origin in 1948 under Truman as President of USA.

At that time they classified olive oils in 4 categories such as Fancy, Choice etcetera.

This classification doesn't correspond at all to EU rules or to the International Olive Oil Council rules.

In fact while EU & IOC is defining and classifying Extra Virgin Olive Oil by acidity side as maximum 0,8%, The Standard Legislation valid for the USA classifies the Extra Virgin Olive Oil having an acidity of more than 2%.

It's clear that there is the high possibility that in the market could be sold fake extra virgin olive oil.

In addition let me say that they don't label the oil as Fancy, but as Extra Virgin Olive Oil , but the other characteristics correspond to this very old legislation.

In such a way the consumer is disoriented and confused. He is convinced to purchase a real and true Extra Virgin Olive Oil while the content is completely different. That's why the consumer can buy an namely Extra Virgin Olive Oil at very cheap price! In fact one thing is to sell a real Extra Virgin Olive Oil, another is selling a product having only the name on the label of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Finally in 2009, march 6th, only the State of New York issued a new legislation on olive oil labeling mentioning that the acidity should correspond to what indicated in IOC rules!

But what happened when Olive Oil , mainly used in the countries where it is produced (Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco etc.) was requested by the biggest Countries ?

Because of the quantity of olive oil is very limited (the olive trees should be cultivated only where climatic conditions are similar to the Mediterranean Countries ) the production price is much higher than other seed oils (like canola, sunflower etc) and consequently the selling price.

What producers did.

For explaining that firstly we should explain some basic information :

1. All olive trees produce olives ready to be squeezed for obtaining olive oil or table olives;
2. Production quantity depends on olive tree productivity and olives' yield;
3. Some olive trees are very old and very big, so that it's very difficult the crop. Often producers wait for falling down of the olives on the ground but in such case if you squeeze these olives the oil obtained is "lampante" oil which is not edible.
4. Although others are picked directly from the tree, these are squeezed after more than one day and also in such case the oil obtained cannot be classified as Extra Virgin Olive Oil. In order to identify an Extra Virgin Olive Oil we should consider all the analysis as we do check the analysis of our blood for checking any disease. Only for giving you some ideas about it, because I understand that it is complicated (our blood analysis should be checked by a doctor!) the interpretation of the data obtained, some parameters are important, such as acidity (must be less than 0,8º) peroxide value, K 270 value, and also Oleic acid and poly-phenols contents.

After having explained the above basic concepts, we are now able to tell you what producers and some industries did.

The demand of olive oil was basically of EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, they discovered the way how to produce an Extra Virgin Olive Oil from lampante oil. Through the deodorizing chemical process they obtained an extra virgin olive oil, good by the chemical point of view. Because this oil is plain, without any taste, they blended this oil with an authentic and natural Extra Virgin Olive Oil giving to it the flavor which should not be "too strong" otherwise it cannot be accepted by the consumer who has the consumption habit of a seed oil which is , as you know, absolutely without any flavor. Moreover , as above mentioned , they were selling a fake Extra Virgin Olive Oil which was real only on the label but not in the content.

Who is the consumer able to let do the analysis of that oil? Nobody. Also because only specialized laboratories can do that.

Of course we cannot say that all the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the shops are like what I described above, but surely it is not easy to be recognized. One fact is important, the price. If the price is low is an index of a fake product.

After the long above explanation you can easy understand why NONNA ANGELINA, is the right product to be purchased.

Firstly it is produced by using only sound, perfect olives picked by hand from the olive trees, and squeezed immediately after the crop (12 hours)

Secondly the crushing plant used for squeezing the olives is modern and efficient which grant us for obtaining a very good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Thirdly ; the olives are not ripe (black) but green, red, violet.

When you squeeze the olives under the above right way, you obtain an oil which has a scent and flavor that is unique.

For all the above factors, we can say that the Extra Virgin Olive Oil "NONNA ANGELINA" is the best , with an high contents of poly-phenols which are the important anti-oxidants which are at the basis of an Healthy Extra Virgin Olive Oil . These compounds can be easily recognized , by eating the oil, if the oil is strong, fresh , becomes an Elixir of a long healthy life, because it provides antioxidant effects in our body. It is the sense of what since the beginning Ancel Keys wanted to say. On the basis of IOC rules for tasting an extra virgin olive oil, everyone can realize that a bitter sensation is absolutely a positive attribute together with other attributes. Particularly the Bitter sensation is not fully understood by consumers, because it represents a positive attribute of few products (such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Green tea, for example) is naturally created by olive tree for defeating the fly and other insects who are responsible of bad defects transferred from the olive to the oil. This characteristic is index of the presence of antioxidants which give a benefit to the health of the human beings.

If you feel a bitter sensation which is absolutely natural & positive, you should be sure that you are taking the right oil good for the health. After having consumed at least one case of bottles , for your palate will be normal to taste it and you will never come back purchasing other oils in the trade which are , flat, without any or only slight flavor.

dr. Massimo Occhinegro