Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved.

Varieties include:

• Extra virgin - considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives with an acidity of maximum 0,8%;
• Pure - undergoes some processing, such as refining and blended with a low percentage of Extra Virgin Olive Oil;
• Light - undergoes the same processing of Pure and blended with the smallest percentage of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Excellent for frying.

When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil.

The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".

The "aroma" and "taste" of an excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil are easily recognized by sensations of vegetables such as artichokes, tomato, apple, grass, citrus fruit, greenly fruity, green pepper. The negative attributes are: fusty or muddy sediment, characteristic flavour of oil obtained from olives stored in such conditions as to have undergone an advanced stage of anaerobic fermentation; winey/vinegary, metallic, rancid which is the flavour of oils which have undergone an intense process of oxidation.

What is pure and light olive oil?

"Pure" olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S.

"Light" olive oil is only light in colour. All olive oils are light. It contains a very small percentage of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is perfect for frying giving the positive attributes of the olive oil without giving a strong flavour to the food we are going to fry.