Olive Oil Buyers Guide-Ever wonder if your extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is truly the best? Customers frequently tell us they own the “best” olive oil or that Italy makes the “finest” EVOO. While high-quality EVOOs exist worldwide, how can you really know yours is authentic? The answer lies in lab testing—the only reliable method to ensure your EVOO is fresh, pure, and packed with health benefits.

Lab testing levels the playing field, enabling consumers to compare EVOOs based on science rather than marketing claims. This olive oil buyers guide will help you navigate the complexities of choosing the finest EVOO.

Although Italy is known for producing excellent olive oil, it’s not the sole producer of high-quality EVOOs. At EVOO Marketplace, we prioritize freshness, purity, and quality over country of origin. To ensure consistent freshness, we source from two annual olive crush cycles:

Northern Hemisphere Crush: U.S.A. & Europe (November–January)

Southern Hemisphere Crush: South America, South Africa, & Australia (April–June)

By following this global harvest schedule, we guarantee our customers access to the freshest extra virgin olive oil year-round.

Many imported “extra virgin olive oils” are blends that contain small amounts of pure EVOO diluted with canola, grapeseed, safflower, or other oils. Without lab testing, it’s nearly impossible to verify the purity of these products.

Our ultra-premium EVOOs are lab-tested to ensure:

Freshness

Purity

High quality

Maximum health benefits, as recommended by the Mediterranean Diet

We also prioritize transparency. Every chemistry profile is displayed in-store and online, so you can confidently verify the authenticity and quality of our products.

Current regulations for imported extra virgin olive oils are alarmingly lenient. As a result, many so-called “extra virgin olive oils” on grocery store shelves are far from authentic. This makes lab testing even more critical to ensure your EVOO is genuine and meets the highest quality standards.

Ultra Premium (UP) Extra Virgin Olive Oil represents the highest standard of olive oil quality globally. Created to distinguish truly exceptional oils from the misleading “gourmet” and “premium” labels dominating mass markets, the UP standard prioritizes Freshness and Chemistry, objectively measured and certified.

While traditional standards focus on origin, UP emphasizes critical factors like When, What, and How the oil is made. Freshness is key: as olive oil ages, it oxidizes, losing sensory quality and nutritional value. Advanced tests, such as Diacylglycerol Content (DAGs) and Pyropheophytins (PPP), verify freshness at every stage of the oil’s lifecycle.

The UP standard surpasses all global benchmarks, including European, Californian, and other regional certifications. Oils must meet rigorous requirements for production, storage, and testing to qualify. This ensures that only the finest, freshest oils earn the UP seal.

Veronica Foods independently verifies every oil considered for UP certification, conducting both sensory and chemical analyses. Oils without the UP mark may still be authentic but do not meet the program’s unmatched quality criteria. By promoting higher standards, the UP program supports fair trade practices and rewards producers dedicated to excellence.

In this olive oil buyers guide, we emphasize the importance of lab testing. Key metrics analyzed by our importer include:

Harvest/Crush Date

Free fatty acid levels

Biophenol content

Peroxide values

Oleic Acid content

Diacylglycerol (DAGs) values

Pyropheopyytin (PPP) content

These metrics help us select only the finest ultra-premium EVOOs, ensuring they exceed industry standards for quality and freshness.

Choosing the right extra virgin olive oil doesn’t have to be complicated. By following this olive oil buyers guide, prioritizing lab-tested products, and looking beyond country of origin, you can ensure your EVOO is fresh, pure, and packed with health benefits. Visit EVOO Marketplace to explore our selection of ultra-premium, lab-tested EVOOs and experience the difference.

The harvest and crush date is essential for assessing the freshness of extra-virgin olive oil. Unlike “Expiration,” “Best By,” or “Use By” dates, it provides the exact month and year the olives were processed. Our Ultra Premium EVOOs are “ultra-fresh” for up to 14 months and remain fresh for 18–24 months afterward.

Free Fatty Acid (FFA) measures the condition of olives at the time of pressing. High FFA levels suggest lower-quality olives, often due to damage, overripeness, insect infestation, overheating during production, or delays between harvest and pressing. An ideal FFA is 3% or lower, ensuring better-quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and a higher smoke point for cooking.

Oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, is a key component of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). High-quality, fresh EVOO typically contains more oleic acid than other vegetable oils, enhancing its resistance to oxidation. While omega-9 is not classified as an essential fatty acid, regular consumption supports a balanced and healthy diet.

Biophenols are a specific subclass of phenolic compounds within the broader category of phenols. The term “biophenol” offers a more precise chemical descriptor compared to the commonly used but less accurate term “polyphenol.” Biophenols are highly valued in the daily diet for their potent antioxidant properties, particularly their ability to scavenge free radicals, as well as their anti-inflammatory effects. Research highlights their role as key contributors to the health benefits linked to the Mediterranean diet. Notable bioactive biophenols, such as oleuropein, oleocanthal, and hydroxytyrosol, not only promote health but also enhance food with distinct flavor profiles, including peppery, bitter, and other desirable taste characteristics.

Similar to measuring Free Fatty Acid content, Peroxide level also speaks to the integrity of the olive at the time of crush. Unsaturated free fatty acids react with oxygen and form peroxides, which create a series of chain reactions that generate volatile substances responsible for a typical musty/rancid oil smell.  Olives which have been allowed to lay on the ground with cracked skins are indicative of a high Peroxide value. A very low peroxide value under 9ppm is desirable.

Diacylglycerols (DAGs) serve as a key indicator of olive oil’s age. Over time, a natural chemical conversion occurs, transforming DAGs from the 1,2 form to the 1,3 form. Fresher olive oil typically contains a higher concentration of DAG 1,2, while an elevated level of DAG 1,3 suggests that the oil has aged.

Pyropheophytins (PPP) serve as a key indicator of olive oil freshness. The degradation of chlorophyll into pyropheophytin occurs at a predictable rate, allowing for the determination of the oil’s age. A low PPP content signifies a fresher olive oil with higher chlorophyll levels, while a higher PPP content indicates an older oil with greater degradation.