How to read the label on Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil.
Updated September 29th 2023
Why Labelling Information For Extra Virgin Olive Oil Matters
When it comes to choosing your bottle of extra virgin olive oil, we know there is a lot of choice! So, what is important in ensuring you are buying authentic extra virgin olive oil? The olive oil label is a hallmark of the quality and grade of any reputable extra virgin olive oil and is a great way of providing reassurance of the quality of the extra virgin olive oil you are buying.
Extra virgin olive oil is an entirely natural, unrefined oil and represents the highest quality olive oil available. Genuine extra virgin olive oil is rare, making it slightly more expensive. The definition of extra virgin olive oil entails specific production methods, taste, and chemical composition.
It’s important to read the label on extra virgin olive oil before purchasing in order to make sure you are getting the highest quality product. At Morocco Gold, we ensure all of our labelling information is clear and transparent, including information on polyphenols, which are a vital component in delivering the health benefits associated with a high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Usually extra virgin olive oil will have phrases like ‘cold-pressed’ or ‘first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil’ labelled on the bottle, indicating that a chemical-free process was used in its extraction. Taking extra time to read the label ensures you get the best extra virgin olive oil for your culinary needs!
To be classified as extra virgin olive oil, the acidity level must be below 0.8%, with no taste defects. In practice, the best extra virgin olive oils have significantly lower acidity levels. For example, Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil consistently remains below 0.5%, typically averaging around 0.25% to 0.3%, depending on weather conditions throughout the growing season. Unlike other oils, extra virgin olive oil is completely natural and undergoes no chemical treatment or alterations in temperature. That is why our label includes the words ‘obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means’ – also – ‘pressed within 24 hours at temperatures below 27 degrees’.
The Importance Of Being Single Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil
When it comes to extra virgin olive oil, authenticity matters. It’s crucial to choose the best quality oil to ensure both the taste and health benefits. There’s something special about single estate extra virgin olive oil. It comes from one source, without any blending or mixing with other oils. This guarantees a pure and authentic oil, maintaining the highest quality standards.
Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil Labelling : Our Objectives
Our aim at Morocco Gold is to re-establish consumer trust and confidence in Extra Virgin Olive Oil as ‘the original superfood’ through setting a new standard for authenticity, traceability and the guarantee of Extra Virgin Olive Oil quality with the information included on our olive oil labelling.
In particular, we include the results of our annual harvest analysis on each and every bottle of Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil so our customers can see at a glance the quality of our oil.
Our labelling enables our customers to make well informed choices about the olive oil they prefer. That is why we pay so much attention to the information we include on our rear label.
How To Read The Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil Label
Requirements To Qualify As Extra Virgin Olive Oil: There are strict conditions that apply to defining olive oil as extra virgin
Olive Oil Testing: Our extra virgin olive oil is tested in Morocco by ONSSA (National Office for the Sanitary Protection of Food Products). We carry out further independent testing to IOC standards to re-confirm extra virgin quality. There are strict rules governing the requirements to qualify olive oils as extra virgin, these include:
- ACIDITY: Must be <= 0.8%
- PEROXIDE: Must be <= 20 MEQ O2/kg
- WAX CONTENT: Must be <= 250 MG/KG
- UV ABS K232 : Must be <= 2.50
- K232 : Must be <= 0.22
In addition, to quote health benefits, POLYPHENOL levels must be >= 250 MG/KG
Product Origin : The origin of the olives used to make the oil, this information is required by European regulation and law
Date Of Harvest: When the olives were picked and pressed
Morocco Gold Lot No. : Unique harvest lot no. for traceability purposes
Best Before: The period of time in which the product is guaranteed to maintain original flavour and properties
Location Of Bottling Plant: Address / postcode of bottler
Reference: Unique Morocco Gold bottling batch number for traceability purposes
Morocco Gold Registration: Company identification
Storage Information: The best way to store the product in order to maintain its unique quality and flavour
Nutritional Information: A breakdown of the dietary contents and properties of the oil, per 100ml
Net Quantity: The net amount of olive oil in the bottle (liters or milliliters)
e Symbol: Indicates can be sold throughout Europe
EAN-13 : Short for European Article Number, this 13 digit product identification code is used on all globally traded goods: the first 9 digits refer to the product manufacturer, the following 3 digits refer to the specific item or product code – and the last digit is a checksum number used to confirm that the code has been generated properly