When it comes to the extraction of oil, you get the Virgin Olive Oil that, depending on the state of the olives that gave origin and especially the time that has elapsed between harvest and extraction, will have distinct qualities that divide them in their commercial types, those who we can find for sale.
In Figure 1 and Table I you can see the main types of Olive Oil, the respective quality characteristics and the purpose for which they are intended.
| Type | Acidity (% oleic acid) |
Index Peroxide (meq O2/kg) |
Absorbency (K 270 nm) |
Analysis Sensory |
Application |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
<= 0.8 | <= 20 | <= 0.22 | frut Med.> 0 Med def. = 0 |
direct sale to the consumer |
| Virgin Olive Oil |
<= 2.0 | <= 20 | <= 0.25 | frut Med.> 0 Med def <= 3.5 |
direct sale to the consumer |
| Lampante Olive Oil |
> 2.0 | - | - | frut Med. = 0 Med def.> 3.5 |
Industry refining, soap manufacture, pharmacy, cosmetics |
| Refined Olive Oil |
<= 0.3 | <= 5 | <= 1.10 | - | To allot with virgin olive oil, not lampante |
| Oil composed of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil |
<= 1.0 | <= 15 | <= 0.90 | - | Refined olive oil enriched with virgin olive oil. Sold to the consumer. |
