Food safety
🟢 "Extra virgin" olive oil: what the label really means
EU quality grades, what "virgin" allows, and how to spot a genuinely good oil.
This is general guidance. Food-safety rules can change — always verify the current requirements with your national food-safety authority ↗. The operator remains responsible for compliance; we accept no liability for this information.
"Virgin" means the oil is obtained purely mechanically from olives — cold-pressed or extracted, with no chemical treatment — which preserves the natural flavour and compounds.
The EU quality grades
- Extra virgin (extra vergine): highest grade, no flavour defects, max 0.8% acidity
- Virgin: good, minor flavour defects allowed, max 2% acidity
- Olive oil (refined): a blend of refined and virgin oil, much less aroma
Reading a good oil
- Colour tells you little — green to golden are all normal
- Smell should be fruity, grassy, fresh — never musty
- Taste is slightly bitter and peppery, a sign of healthy polyphenols
- On the label look for cold pressing, an acidity figure and a clear origin
Terms like "light" or "cholesterol-free" aren’t permitted quality claims. Cantonal lab tests in Switzerland have found oils sold as "extra virgin" that fail the sensory bar — so the label alone isn’t a guarantee.
EU olive-oil grading (Reg. 1169/2011 and oil-specific rules). Informational, not a sourcing recommendation.