Contents
- It starts with the organic label…
- What is organic olive oil?
- How do we comply with organic regulations?
- How to recognize organic olive oil?
- Difference between organic and sustainable olive oil
- Is organic olive oil better?
- What makes good organic olive oil?
- What about extra virgin olive oil again?
- A tribute to organic olive oil
It all starts with the organic label…
But what exactly is organic food? Broadly speaking, it’s a certification you receive when you meet certain standards (more on that shortly). The main goal is to ensure animal welfare and environmental care as much as possible. However, it’s important to pay attention to which certifications you see. The ones recognized at the European level are: EKO, European Organic, and Demeter. Many supermarkets also have their own organic logos, but these are not widely recognized and often have their own specific rules.
What is organic olive oil?
Organic olive oil according to European regulations must meet the following criteria:
- Products must consist of at least 95% organic ingredients
- The origin of the ingredients must be clearly traceable
- No chemical pesticides have been used
- No artificial fertilizers have been used
- Products with the Demeter and EKO labels meet the same standards as those with the European organic certification
How do we comply with organic regulations?
Our organic extra virgin olive oil meets the above regulations in the following way. Our olives—the sole ingredient in our olive oil—are 100% organic. The olive trees grow completely naturally, without artificial fertilizers or chemicals. We even go a step further by not giving them any additional water (they rely solely on natural rainfall). Finally, we produce the olives ourselves and in collaboration with trusted farmer friends. This way, we know exactly where our olives come from—and we can prove it! You can read more about our organic olive oil production here.
How can you recognize organic olive oil?
That’s exactly why these organic certifications are so valuable. You’re only allowed to use them if you fully meet all the requirements. Once approved, you can display them on your products. The recognizable white leaf with white stars on an olive-green background shows that our olive oil is organic. Compliance with these regulations is monitored by SKAL on behalf of the government. This organization checks the entire production chain—from harvesting to production, and from transport to storage—right up to the moment you hold a bottle (or can) of organic olive oil in your hands! For convenience, we’ve placed the European certification mark on all our olive oil bottles and cans, so you can be absolutely sure it’s truly organic.
Difference between organic olive oil and sustainable olive oil
So, now we know what organic olive oil is, but is it also sustainable olive oil? Or at least olive oil produced in a more sustainable way? The answer is generally yes. Key factors in this are soil quality and biodiversity, both of which organic olive farming positively impacts compared to conventional olive oil production, since no artificial fertilizers, extra irrigation, pesticides/chemicals, or water pollution are involved!
However, producing organic olive oil can also have downsides. It can be more expensive (for both the producer and the consumer), as production costs are higher due to natural farming practices and the absence of pesticides and fertilizers. This also makes it more challenging to produce high-quality organic olive oil. For consumers, it’s more expensive because not all olive groves produce organic olive oil. Less supply means higher prices…
Gkazas versus the rest
Is organic olive oil better?
It depends on how you define “better.” Organic olive oil offers various benefits for health, the environment, and taste. However, it is more challenging to produce the highest-quality olive oil. With conventional extra virgin olive oil, it’s easier to achieve high quality because, for example, using artificial fertilizers and pesticides can make production cheaper and more straightforward.
What is a good organic olive oil?
All in all, it comes down to taste, and whether or not it’s organic is one factor in that. So, what makes a good organic olive oil? First and foremost, you should ensure you have extra virgin olive oil. At that point, whether it’s organic or not becomes crucial, and organic extra virgin olive oil is truly the best organic olive oil. If you want to know all the factors that contribute to the best olive oil, you can find an in-depth article here. We’ve also written a detailed piece on whether organic olive oil is better.
Try before you buy?
The tin is delivered straight to your mailbox. That way, you can enjoy our olive oil at home and then pick it up later at an Albert Heijn near you!
And what about extra virgin olive oil again?
Yes, simply choosing organic olive oil, as health experts and we believe, is not enough. There are many different types of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil, under which our olive oil falls, is the cream of the crop. This oil is from the first cold pressing (without heating) using mechanical presses. The direct and cold pressing ensures that most of the nutrients are preserved and that the acidity does not exceed 0.8%. Additionally, the median score on the 12 olive oil defects must be 0, and the median on fruitiness must be above 0; otherwise, it cannot be called extra virgin olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil results in a rich flavor and an oil where all the natural vitamins and minerals have been preserved. It’s perfect for use cold on salads or with a piece of bread (delicious!), but as we know by now, it’s also great for cooking and baking. In short: if you want the best type of olive oil, you need to go for organic, extra virgin olive oil!
A tribute to organic olive oil
As you can tell, we are fans of organic olive oil. The strict certification process we go through every year keeps us on our toes and ensures that we get the most out of it. It challenges us to have our affairs in order, the quality of our Greek olive oil is better, and it helps us reflect on our ecological footprint and how we can minimize it.
