Why being a seal certified EVOO matters . . .
There has been a great deal of discussion in the last two days about the "60 Minutes" show on fraudulent olive oil and the Agromafia . Some of the big name Italian olive oil companies are involved, with possibly 80% of the Italian olive oil being exported to the U.S. being either mislabeled or not 100% olive oil -- let alone EVOO. U.C. Davis published their findings on tests that they ran in April of 2011 and named the names of companies whose oils were tested. You can read that report here . So what is a consumer to do? Well, if you're a U.S. consumer, buy local and look for the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) certification seal. What does that mean? International, as well as U.S. standards, require that olive oil undergo a chemical analysis to meet minimum standards in order to be classified "extra virgin." If those standards are met, that olive oil must be submitted to a tasting panel for sensory evaluation. The panel consists of ...