Pure or adulterated: Know your olive oil

Pure or adulterated: Know your olive oil

Dubai: Gulf News Food reader Mohammed Assadi wrote in and asked: The letter set us thinking. In the Middle East, because of its abundance, we take olive oil and its purity for granted. So, we set out to find out how we can identify and test olive oil. The easiest way to identify olive oil is by checking its consistency and smell. Greasy, rancid, flavourless, or unpleasant odour means poor quality. On the other hand, good olive oil should have bright, peppery, earthy or grassy notes – which, when added to your food, increases flavour. “When it comes to extra virgin olive oil, the most crucial aspect is the handling, picking, and pressing of the olive oil. Once this is done, according to international standards, the olive oil needs to be bottled as quickly as possible and stored in the dark – preferably glass bottles – away from direct light and heat. This in turn, will help maintain its quality after that for as long as one year, keeping its aroma and benefits. Moreover, a good olive oil, especially extra virgin, will add a great taste and flavour to cold food such as salads and dips,” explained 46-year-old Hanan Wehbi,