Olive oil – The Mediterranean Gold

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Olive oil – The Mediterranean Gold

A piece of bread, dipped into some olive oil is a treat. This is something people in the ancient world already knew. Olive oil was an integral part of everyday life in the Mediterranean region. Brined olives lasted a long time. The oil was a luxury food, cosmetics and an article of daily use all at the same time. And so it doesn’t surprise anyone that Homer called olive oil “liquid gold“.

Archeological excavations show that olive oil was already pressed 6,000 years ago on the island of Crete. From there, the olive tree that can live for several hundred years, spread over the entire Mediterranean region. In the 2nd century, Rome became the center of the olive trade and had to even import olives due to large consumption. Based on the great importance of the oil for the Romans, the name of the olive was used via the Latin word “oleum" (oil) in almost all European languages as the generic term for liquid fats.

The master of the time. This olive tree de Bar in Montenegro should more than 2000 years old.

Olive oil – a modern fountain of health

In the ancient world massages and rubs with olive oil already were said to relieve cramps and also have a pain-relieving effect. Scientific research has examined the health benefits of this pure oil in several studies. Making up the chief ingredient at 76%, the monounsaturated fatty acid in olive oil has a special protective effect on the blood. In combination with a Mediterranean diet and olive oil as the main fat source, preventive effects on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer was proven in studies. In addition, the high content of Vitamins A, B and E together with the mineral nutrients potassium, calcium and iron guards against fast skin aging. Besides oleic acid, olive oil also contains an active ingredient that resembles Ibuprofen: the so-called Oleocanthal which has anti-inflammatory properties. No question: olive oil is healthy in all of its facets.

Despite this impressive list, olive oil is not the number one oil used in Germany. One reason for this might be the prevailing uncertainty of the oil’s use in the kitchen. The debate on how high you can heat olive oil was and is too strong. Another reason is certainly its higher price tag or maybe also the great variety of oils you can find in German stores.

Cultivation

The olive tree is perfectly adapted to its Mediterranean environment: it’s dry during the summer, there is enough rain in the fall and no extended frost periods. The young tree doesn’t bear an average of 20 kilograms of fruit until it’s 4 to 9 years old. This yields 3 to 4 liters of olive oil per year. Approximately 80 percent of the world’s olive trees grow in the Mediterranean region. The key growing area is Spain and with about 300 million olive trees makes it the largest olive growing area in the world. Italy and Greece come in at number 2 and 3 respectively. Tunisia is the market leader when it comes to the production of organic olive oils. Until now, countries like Morocco have been less registered as olive oil producing nations, since they often export the oil in bulk containers to the EU region where they are being newly bottled. Countries like Israel produce high-quality oil and struggle in trying to position themselves in the upscale segment. The key exporter of olive oil to Germany is Italy.

Combed fields in Andalucía, the greatest
growing area of the world.

<All oils are not created equal

There are about 1,000 different types of olive trees and the respective country cultivates different kinds of olives. In Spain alone there are more than 260 different kinds of olives and 150 in Italy. At this point it becomes evident in a multitude of flavors comparable to those of wines. Climate, soil, fruit maturity and processing determine the flavors.
Olives that are still green are processed into fruity tasting oils, black and very ripe olives on the other hand are used for mild, sweet oils. The difference between green and black olives is solely in their degree of ripeness. The thin-fleshed kinds that are rich in fat are particularly suited for pressing.

Not every olive oil tastes the same: a subtle taste of lemon brings out the freshness. Other kinds have a hint of green grass, some also a slight note of apple. Above all, a good olive oil should taste like olives and should not taste bitter. Fresh olive oils can have a slight sharp aftertaste, though it quickly dissolves on the tongue.

The “DOC“ of olive oil

To protect consumers from low grade oils, the European Union standardized the quality of olive oil in three groups that are relevant for the consumer: extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil and refined virgin olive oil (DOC = Denominazione D’Origine Controllata).
The quality and flavor of these oils can have considerable differences. That’s why it was necessary to introduce a mandatory geographical identification for virgin and extra virgin olive oils. Oils that only come from one country receive the name of the country of origin. Blends are either labeled as "blend of European Community olive oils”, “blend of non-EU olive oils" or "blend of EU and non-EU olive oils". Certain terms such as fruity, green, mature, mild and well-balanced – which were recently defined by the International Olive Oil Council – may be used on labels of virgin and extra virgin olive oils. The following applies: the less acid the olive oil contains, the better its quality. It remains to be seen to what extent this regulation will protect the consumer from false labeling and designation of origin.

Consumption in Germany

In Germany, the per-capita consumption is at approximately one liter per year, the same as in the U.S.A and Great Britain. In contrast, Italians and the Spanish use 11 liters each, Greece with 20 liters annually per person ranks at the top. Those are numbers that can definitely still be increased for the German market.The new statistics under the Olivenölkontor Olivenölkontor

Olive oil – the all-rounder

As a cosmetic, olive oil is still as popular today as it was with women in the ancient world. Olive oil is part of a great meal, whether it’s for dipping a crispy piece of baguette in it as an appetizer or when it’s in your salad. But the same also applies here: no two olive oils are the same. And good quality has its price. Traditional processing and coupage as it’s done for good wines, also justify the sometimes huge price differences. There are oils such as La Amarilla de Ronda that are processed like a fine wine with sampling and coupage and cost more than 30 Euros per liter. It is among the most expensive olive oils in the world. Though that’s a tad exorbitant for the average consumer, the variety of different oils offers something for every taste.

Ingrid Spicker, InterMopro.de