THE GOOD OIL MILL
AT YOUR HOME
If we followed traditions and proverbs we would say “new oil, old wine” and, you know? We would also do well to say so. In fact, if some types of wine improve with time, we cannot say that the same thing is true for olive oil, which should be consumed within a year of production.
But let’s go into more detail, following the topic of the expiration of olive oil and all the myths, whether false or true, that surround it.
Generally speaking, extra virgin olive oil does not expire like milk, yogurt or fresh products can. While these products, once the expiry date has passed, could harm the consumer’s health if ingested anyway, the same thing cannot be said with extra virgin olive oil. In fact, the older olive oil gets, the more it loses its fragrance and freshness, but it can still be consumed once the expiry date has passed, without damaging your health in the slightest.
It is also true that the average life of extra virgin olive oil is not particularly long but it is said that it is preferable to use it within 18 months of bottling and therefore it is always better, to have a quality extra virgin, to consume the product fresh olive oil campaign. But what if you exceed that expiration date? In this regard, let’s make some clarifications.
By law, all bottles of extra virgin olive oil must bear the expiration date which, more precisely, appears as the “best before” item. This is because, as previously mentioned, even after 18 months, extra virgin olive oil will never be harmful to your health but will simply be altered in some chemical-physical characteristics.
But despite this, it must also be said that it is important to store extra virgin olive oil in the most correct way possible.
By now we know that olive oil should be kept in dark bottles, which do not allow light to alter its properties and we recommend storing it at an ideal temperature between 12°C and 18°C, which is why it is the ideal place to keep the extra virgin olive oil supply it is in cool and dry cellars. We would also like to point out that, just as light and heat are enemies of our green gold, oxygen is also not really good for it; for this reason, once the bottle of olive oil has been opened, it should be consumed within a reasonable period of time.
In fact, air oxidizes the oil and causes its flavor to change, making it rancid. For this specific reason, today the law prohibits the use of open cruets or ampoules in restaurants and instead requires the use of a specific cap called “anti-topping up”, which prevents the bottle from being topped up, thus mixing old extra virgin oil with new and to have some base that alters the taste.
Having established that extra virgin olive oil does not expire but only loses some of its organoleptic qualities, we can however say that it is better to consume a fresh product raw and therefore one that has been produced and packaged in the current year. But, if you happen to have some old olive oil at home, why not use it for frying? In this way, you will be able to obtain delicacies without throwing away an oil that can still be used, even if with different methods. If you want to learn more about why fry with olive oil, read our article here.
In conclusion, we still recommend that you do not use, at least for cooking, an EVO oil produced more than 3 years ago.
The best consumption we can make of olive oil is within the year of production. It is therefore better to buy only in the quantity necessary to cover your family needs, without exceeding the quantities.
