Extra virgin olive oil: "First cold press" no longer allowed on labels?

[JEDI]

so I was at Costco recently and noticed none of the Extra virgin olive oils they sell says First Cold Press anymore.
It now says either Natural Cold Press or Cold Extraction.

this site says "First cold pressing" is no longer allowed on labels but doesn't say why:
https://steemit.com/steemiteducatio...ld-pressing-cold-pressing-and-cold-extraction

so Why isn't the word 'First' allowed on the label anymore?

 

[whm1974]

I have no idea at all if this is true, but I have never even seen a bottle of Olive Oil w/ First cold press on the label in the US.

 

[BoomerD]

so I was at Costco recently and noticed none of the Extra virgin olive oils they sell says First Cold Press anymore.
It now says either Natural Cold Press or Cold Extraction.

this site says "First cold pressing" is no longer allowed on labels but doesn't say why:
https://steemit.com/steemiteducatio...ld-pressing-cold-pressing-and-cold-extraction

so Why isn't the word 'First' allowed on the label anymore?

Sure it does:

With present-day techniques, it is not necessary to press the olives various times to extract all the oil.

 

[JEDIYoda]

so I was at Costco recently and noticed none of the Extra virgin olive oils they sell says First Cold Press anymore.
It now says either Natural Cold Press or Cold Extraction.

this site says "First cold pressing" is no longer allowed on labels but doesn't say why:
https://steemit.com/steemiteducatio...ld-pressing-cold-pressing-and-cold-extraction

so Why isn't the word 'First' allowed on the label anymore?

https://www.treehugger.com/green-food/8-things-you-know-about-olive-oil-are-likely-wrong.html
2. The best olive oils should note “first cold pressing” on the label -- see link above...
Actually, the phrase is meaningless. Long ago, when the process was laborious and dirty, the first olive pressing did produce the best, but with modern practices the term is little more than moot – there is no hot pressing of extra-virgin olive oil, and there is no second pressing.

 

[blackangst1]

bump

The US military will fix this:
The US military apologized after soldiers accidentally stormed an olive oil factory in Bulgaria (msn.com)

 

[Red Squirrel]

bump

The US military will fix this:
The US military apologized after soldiers accidentally stormed an olive oil factory in Bulgaria (msn.com)

Seeing that pic and the title just jarred me out. I'm just picturing them breaking into this factory from every angle including the roof in a huge raid. And then realizing something is not right. "Wait, you guys are not making nuclear weapons here?" *touches product with finger and smells it* "Olive oil?" *radio call* "We got the wrong building, hold your fire, retreat. I repeat we got the wrong building! Retreat!"

 

[Iron Woode]

• First cold pressed means "that the fruit of the olive was crushed exactly one time – i.e., the first press. The cold refers to the temperature range of the fruit at the time it is crushed".[89] In Calabria (Italy) the olives are collected in October. In regions like Tuscany or Liguria, the olives collected in November and ground, often at night, are too cold to be processed efficiently without heating. The paste is regularly heated above the environmental temperatures, which may be as low as 10–15 °C, to extract the oil efficiently with only physical means. Olives pressed in warm regions like Southern Italy or Northern Africa may be pressed at significantly higher temperatures although not heated. While it is important that the pressing temperatures be as low as possible (generally below 25 °C) there is no international reliable definition of "cold pressed".
  Furthermore, there is no "second" press of virgin oil, so the term "first press" means only that the oil was produced in a press vs. other possible methods.

more than likely the issue is that olive oil isn't made by pressing but by centrifuge extraction.

 

[Captante]

I have no idea at all if this is true, but I have never even seen a bottle of Olive Oil w/ First cold press on the label in the US.

You don't pay much attention to labels apparently?

Not that it makes any difference to my buying choice but I've seen it MANY times.

 

[Artorias]

Isn't it all bullshit anyway? I thought the mafia had controlled olive oil production and what your actually getting in the bottle is only a fraction of the real stuff.

 

[lxskllr]

Isn't it all bullshit anyway? I thought the mafia had controlled olive oil production and what your actually getting in the bottle is only a fraction of the real stuff.

Probably depends. There is a lot of fraud in olive oil. I've started buying only California olive oil. It's a little more expensive, but it keeps the dollars in the country, and afaik, it doesn't have problems with adulteration.

 

[Captante]

Probably depends. There is a lot of fraud in olive oil. I've started buying only California olive oil. It's a little more expensive, but it keeps the dollars in the country, and afaik, it doesn't have problems with adulteration.

Actually sticking with brand-name Greek, Spanish or Italian sourced is your best bet to get really high quality EVOO. (especially stay away from mystery-brands in stores like Big Lots, Ocean State Job Lot etc)

The oils from Cali are also almost certain to be what they claim to be however much like the stuff sourced from from Tunisia, Turkey etc the flavor just isn't as consistent IMO.

 

[lxskllr]

Actually sticking with brand-name Greek, Spanish or Italian sourced is your best bet to get really high quality EVOO. (especially stay away from mystery-brands in stores like Big Lots, Ocean State Job Lot etc)

The oils from Cali are also almost certain to be what they claim to be however much like the stuff sourced from from Tunisia, Turkey etc the flavor just isn't as consistent IMO.

Dunno. There's this article...

Italian Olive Oil Scam: The Olive Oil Brands That Failed the Tests

Be aware of deceptive labeling. Many olive oils are mixed with hydrogenated oils and GMO oils which are bad oils. Even if they come from Italy.

deeprootsathome.com

I've also seen similar articles. There's some big brands on the fail list.

Honestly, my palate isn't particularly refined, and I've had little oil I thought was bad, but I want what's stated on a product label, and don't want to support scammers. The CA oil I've had has been at least equal to anything foreign I've gotten, and none substandard by my taste. I also prefer keeping my money in America. There's a certain "romanticism" with the foreign oils, but once you strip that away, it doesn't make the food taste any better. I use olive oil exclusively in cooking. I use canola in my chainsaws.

edit:
Here's a trade organization that disagrees...

The biggest fraud in olive oil

Who is behind the rumors that the majority of olive oil is all "fake"? Where do these claims of olive oil fraud come from?

www.aboutoliveoil.org

They have some links and stuff, and a quick glance makes it look legit. If someone cares enough, they can chase them down, and make a more informed decision. I don't care that much I don't think. I'm good with CA oil, but if I read some negative stuff regarding that, I might try to make more sense of it all.

 

[Captante]

That article may be dated 2021 but it's seriously old news ... this was an issue I was aware of 20+ years ago. Just getting widely publicized now.

The source ALONE is no promise of anything that much is correct, however if you make a point of tasting known-good EVOO you can tell the good stuff the from bad easily.

Plus although not always adhered to, at least Italy/Greece HAVE laws pertaining to purity and cali-sourced is covered by US "false-advertising" laws.

 

[MrSquished]

I'm trying to find a good extra virgin olive oil to use to dress a bowl of beans and vegetables with say, and to just dip bread into sometimes. So not for cooking at all - so a good quality but a reasonable price. Say $30 tops. Lower is better. Prefer it to be from California, to support American products, or Greek, to support Greek products. Anyone got their go to or suggestions?

 

[Jeeebus]

I'm trying to find a good extra virgin olive oil to use to dress a bowl of beans and vegetables with say, and to just dip bread into sometimes. So not for cooking at all - so a good quality but a reasonable price. Say $30 tops. Lower is better. Prefer it to be from California, to support American products, or Greek, to support Greek products. Anyone got their go to or suggestions?

If you have a Costco membership, their Kirkland 100% Italian EVOO supposedly gets high marks for quality. That's what I buy and it's really good. That + the avocado oil (I think I buy Chosen brand but depending on your Costco there is another one that is also good) are the only 2 oils I try to use. Avocado oil is another one where quality is all over the place.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I wanna know how they prove its virgin. Do they put chastity belts on the olives or do they just take it to a doctor that does a virginity check?

 

[sdifox]

I wanna know how they prove its virgin. Do they put chastity belts on the olives or do they just take it to a doctor that does a virginity check?

As far as I know there is no olive reconstructive surgery.

 

[BurnItDwn]

On Second thought, I retract my insipid statement.

 

[JEDIYoda]

My favorite brand of cold pressed Olive Oil is Bubba`s Olive Oil made right here in San Fernando!!!

 

[DigDog]

Doesnt matter, we still buy only one brand

note the "estratto a freddo" tag on the label.

 

[JEDI]

Doesnt matter, we still buy only one brand

note the "estratto a freddo" tag on the label.

esplain

 

[DigDog]

esplain

Italians tend to gravitate towards "known best" brands. It's both regional, and family-based. Some families may buy only Illy coffe, but most romans buy Lavazza, specifically Qualita' Rossa. Barilla, Buitoni and DeCecco dominate the pasta market, despite hundreds of smaller brands existing. From naples downwards, Voiello is the go-to brand.

Berio is THE olive oil almost everywhere. This does not mean that it's better; my dad lived in a small village in tuscany and he would go to "a guy" and buy actual real farm-made olive oil and i gotta tell you, there is no comparison.
But these brands are reliable, good value for money, of respectable quality, and as such they dominate. And when you are a shopkeeper and Berio is the one brand that outsells all others at several times over, you just don't stock the losing brands anymore.

There are historical reasons why as well. Both the shift in industrial production in the postwar era, which led to some companies being far more successful than others, and also the advent of tv commercials.
Back then we italians had initially one, and then two TV channels. Rai 3 was the third and got added in 1979. Rete 4 (Mediaset, Berlusconi) came in 1982.
Between 1957 and 1977 we had the singularly most popular TV show ever in italy which was Carosello, whose formula was a brief comedy sketch, then an ad. Book one of those ads and your product will outsell all competitors.
Early TV ads were ridiculously successful, and brands which managed to get a tv spot would crush the competition. Food brands that were advertised in the 50s are still active and dominating today.

Mind you, it's good stuff. It's easy to make good stuff in italy, with the climate they got. But the only way into the mass market today is either through discount branding, or niche placement. You can't start a pasta, olive oil, etc factory and expect to compete.

 

[DigDog]

addendum: because of these absolutely laughable conditions, i can go to my supermarket here in the UK, and buy italian made products FOR LESS than they cost in italy. Oil, mozzarella, pasta, all cost less here than they do in italy, because at least here they shift, while in italy they would sit & rot on a shelf.

honestly, after i've had that from-the-farmer olive oil, nothing i buy from the store comes close, so i might as well buy the greek or spanish off-brand. I wind up buying berio often because the stores stock it at £5.50, but nobody buys it, so every now and then they put it down to £3.
It costs 6.50 EUR in italy. And no, it's never on discount.

 

[MrSquished]

We have a few olive trees at the family home in the Mediterranean. Little old stone village house my dad grew up in. But has a backyard with about 10 trees - olive, lemon, tangerine, and something else. He was there a few times before he died when the olives were ready, so he had then picked and then taken to a guy who pressed them. We got a few gallons each time I remember. Not much output per tree. And these were mature. Snuck it back to the US. Pretty neat. Full of flavor.

 

[JEDIYoda]

My secondary go to Olive oil is Popeyes 100% Virgin Olive Oil!!