Negative Attributes and Defects of Olive Oil

EVOO must not have defects.

Certain negative attributes can exist in olive oil due to errors during the production phases, while others can be caused by poor conservation before delivery to the consumer. In these cases, the oil must not be classified as “Extra Virgin.” 

The principal negative attributes of the flavors are: 

 

  •  Mustiness, Rancidity and Sludge/Fustiness similar to muddy sediment: these negative attributes can be due to poor sanitation during oil production, residues and sediments which form during the production process, or to poor conservation where air is introduced into the bottle in abundance, leading to oxidation.
  • Heated or burnt: negative attribute of an oil caused by excessive and/or prolonged heating during processing.
  • Winey: the aftertaste of wine or vinegar that is caused by fermentation and poor conservation.
  • Metallic: the unpleasant flavor that is caused by the olives being in contact with metallic surfaces during the processes of crushing, kneading, pressing and storage.
  • Frostbitten Olives: odor that recalls wet wood and develops when the olives freeze. 
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    Additional negative attributes and odors are: acid-sour, brine, cucumber, hay-wood, vegetable water, rough, greasy and grubby

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