Almost 70% of Olive oils found in the local stores in the US are fake! This is a result of the cheaper, nastier oils from which they are produced. Seven of the greatest olive oil manufacturers produce olive oils from cheaper, inferior oils, such as canola or sunflower oil.
This is in order to reduce the production cost and come to a huge profit.
In 2008, the Italian police take part in a crackdown called Operation Golden Oil. Nearly 85 oil farmers were caught who added certain percentages of chlorophyl to canola and sunflower oil and selling such products as virgin olive oil. Also, this oil was colored, perfumed, mixed and flavored in order to look like a virgin olive oil.
For this reason, the Australian government prompted to investigate their olive oil market. After certain testing of the virgin olive oils it turned out that none of them deserved the 2012 certification of pure olive oil.
Also, the University of California has conducted a study on 124 imported virgin olive oil brands and the result was that more than 70% were fake.
The following brands have failed the test:
- Bertolli
- Pompeian
- Star
- Colavita
- Antica Badia
- Sasso
- Carapelli
- Primadona
- Mazola
- Safeway
- Felippo Berio
- Carapelli
- Mezzetta
- Whole Foods
- Coricelli
These brands can be trusted because they passed the test:
- Ottavio
- Corto Olive
- Bariani Olive Oil
- Omaggio
- Lucero
- Kirkland Organic
- Lucini
- California Olive Ranch
- McEvoy Ranch Organic
- Olea Estates
- Cobram Estate
You can make certain tests at your home in order to find out whether the olive oil is fake or not. Place a bottle of olive oil in your fridge for half an hour and see whether the oil is starting to solidify. If solidified, the oil contains a great amount of monounsaturated fat, which indicate it is of good quality. If it does not, the olive oil is fake. Although not the perfect test, it is a good indicator whether the olive oil is of good quality. When you are not sure about certain brands, look for those which are labeled as California Olive Oil Council Certified Extra Virgin and Australian Extra Virgin Certified.
It is high time we oppose and stop supporting such corrupt industry of GMO’s, chemical substances and unhealthy ingredients. Such an action would stimulate an honest trade, an honest industry where people get paid for the honest products they pay for.
