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Olive oil in the summer and 5 expert advice to keep the nutritional qualities and flavor of extra virgin olive oil intact.
In summer, with the increase in temperatures, some particular elements need some more attention. Extra virgin olive oil is that kind of food ingredient which need that little more of care when it’s too hot outside.
In fact, to maintain the quality, benefits and flavor of olive oil in the summer, it is necessary to guarantee the right conditions of light, air and temperature, thus avoiding that the product “suffers” and it is damaged.
To help us in the correct conservation of extra virgin olive oil in the summer, Assistol, the Italian association of the oil industry, has released a short guide on how to proceed in the field. In particular, Professor Agostino Macrì of the University of Rome has drawn up some useful and strict rules on the conservation of oil, especially in the summer, but which need to be respected all year round.
1. Don’t let the olive oil “tan”.
Too strong and direct lighting could cause the deterioration of the quality of the product, leading to a worsening of both the gustatory and organoleptic characteristics of the extra virgin olive oil.
2. Store it properly
With the start of summer and the desire for a holiday, there is always a tendency to stock up on extra virgin olive oil, even when it is not necessary and the correct maintenance of this quantity is most of the times wrong. Furthermore, when eating out often, one must bear in mind that there is very often the risk of running into bottles of oil that are badly sealed or placed directly in sunny places. If you are not able to guarantee the correct storage conditions for olive oil, then you need to know that the antioxidant substances it is rich in will degrade, causing it to become rancid.
3. No direct light from any source.
The bottle or can of oil must never be exposed directly to the sun or to any type of lighting but rather, it must be kept in dark containers precisely to prevent the problems that could arise from this “tanning” process.
4. Extreme temperatures are to be avoided.
Not too cold and not too hot. The technicians of the sector communicate that it should never go below 10 °C, also avoiding, at the same time, placing the container of oil in places that are too hot and asphyxiating. However, a wider temperature range is acceptable, between 10 °C and 24 °C.
5. But also beware of air strikes.
One of the best ways to preserve the oil is to remember to close the bottle after each use, in order to try to prevent the oxidation of the extra virgin olive oil and prevent the product from turning rancid.
Extra virgin olive oil is a “living” ingredient and like every living element it must be protected and defended with care, following a few simple basic rules.
Only if stored correctly, the extra virgin olive oil will be able to express all its power, both in terms of taste and in terms of beneficial properties, thus validating what medicine has confirmed for quite some time now.
