Classification
Olive oil is classified according to the acidity expressed by oleic acidand it depends on the organoleptic characteristics which are tested by professional testers and tasters.
Virgin oil is obtained from olives only through mechanical or physical treatment(washing, decantation,mincing, filtration,) Those which are obtained with a blending with other oils and with a process that includes solvents and resisterification are excluded.
Virgin olive oil , is extracted only with physical methods retains its peculiar characteristics of fruit-oil with an intact biochemical heritage and a balanced chemical composition which makes it more resistant to oxidation that may occur while cooking.
VIRGIN OIL ARE DIVIDED INTO:
Extravirgin olive oil: a perfect taste: acidity less than 1%.
Our oil reaches an acidity of 0.3% according to laboratory analysis . This means that it is a very high quality oil.
Fine Virgin olive oil: quite a perfect taste.Acidity less than 2%.
Current virgin oil: good taste. Acidity less than 3.3%
Lamp virgin olive oil: imperfect taste. Acidity more than 3.3%
Refined oil: it is obtained from virgin oils. Acidity is 0.5%
Olive oil: It is obtained by blending refined olive oil and virgin olive oils(no lamp oil)
Olive residues or raw oil: It is obtained by treating the solvent of raw oil(what remains of the core of olives).Oils obtained by treating and blending other oils and by reisterification are excluded
Refined Olive residues: It is obtained refining raw oil. Its acidity is 0.5%
Residues of olive oil: : it is obtained by blending residues of olive oil and virgin oils(no lamp oil). Its acidity is 1.5%
Olive oil is extracted from olives in a percentage that go grom 15% to 30%.
On the chemical point of view , olive oil is made up of fats(triglerid) composed of oleic acid in a percentage that varies from 65% to 85%. It is also made up of linoleic acid (4-20%9, palmitic acid(7-15%) , stearic acid(2%). A part of the fat acid can be found in the form of free acids (not triglicerids) and they give the famous acidity of olive oil.
On the physical point of view, pure olive oil has (at 20°C) a density of 0.910-0.916, a refraction value of 1.460-1.470. A saponification index of 184-196, a percentage of not saponification of 1.5%.
In the part which cannot be saponificated there some components which play an important biological role as antioxidant (tocopherols) and some which enable us to identify a genuine oil and the absence of treatments (adjustments)