Be Careful: Fake Olive Is all Around Us. Avoid these Brands

Nowadays, a lot of people have switched from other oils to olive oil because of the numerous health benefits it possesses. However, not all of the olive oil on the market is pure olive oil. Unfortunately, a lot of brands sell fake olive oil.

Believe it or not, around 70 percent of the olive oils in the US labeled as “extra virgin” are not real olive oil.

The Discovery of Fake Olive Oil on the Market

Back in 2008, a group of police officers in Italia did an operation known as “Operation Golden Oil” and the results were 23 arrests and 85 farms confiscated. Namely, they found that companies were mixing sunflower and soybean oil with chlorophyll and selling it as extra virgin olive oil to markets.

Later on, in 2012, the government of Australia gave olive oil brands the opportunity to submit their products for tests to receive a certification for pure and extra-virgin labels. However, none of the companies passed the tests.

Because of these findings and scams regarding olive oil, University of California researchers went on to test 124 distinct samples from 8 brands of extra virgin olive oil. Sadly, more than 70 percent of the oils did not pass the testing.

Hence, these oils are made from cheaper and lower-grade types of oils like sunflower or canola. The oil also goes through different refining processes and then it is presented as extra virgin to consumers.

Which Brands of Olive Oil to Stay Away from?

  • Primadonna
  • Coricelli
  • Sasso
  • Antica Badia
  • Colavita
  • Star
  • Santa Sabina
  • Bertolli
  • Carapelli
  • Sasso
  • Mazola
  • Mezzetta
  • Safeway
  • Fillippo Berio

Opt for the Following Brands

  • Lucini
  • Lucero
  • Cobram Estate
  • California Olive Ranch
  • Kirkland Organic
  • McEvoy Ranch Organic

Useful Tests to Determine Olive Oil’s Purity

Test no.1

Put the olive oil in the fridge. If it becomes solid, it means that it contains monounsaturated fat, which is good as extra virgin olive oil is mostly comprised of monounsaturated fat. If the oil does not become cloudy and thick, it is not 100 percent pure. The oil which does not thicken at all is a fake one.

Test no.2

Did you know that pure virgin olive oil is flammable enough to keep an oil lamp burning? Even though this is not as reliable test as the previous, it can help you determine the purity of the olive oil you bought. If it does not maintain an oil lamp wick burning, it is probably comprised mostly of refined oils.

Sources:

LIVE LOVE FRUIT

MAMA NATURAL