I have talked several times now about olive oil benefits, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and how to distinguish amongst different types of olive oil. In this article I am going to start a series of articles dedicated to understanding how to choose the real olive oil that can bring the most benefits.

Today I will be talking about understanding Italian olive oil certifications using the two most important standardised marks, that is, the DOP and the IGP. The DOP certification of olive oil brings the most guarantees as my description of what producers need to demonstrate in order to obtain such a certification.

olive oil - DOP certification

Benefits of DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

You know that for me olive oil means Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Benefits, so I am going to focus on this type of oil to talk about the DOP certification. However, most of what I say here applies to all the types of olive oil I described in my article about cold pressed olive oil – how to choose.

The first mark you need to know is the DOP mark. DOP stands for Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Destination of Origin). This mark is dedicated to the food industry and can be found on wine, mozzarella, and other products produced in Italy. When an olive oil bottle shows this mark it means that the olive oil has gone through a scrupulous quality process that assesses thoroughly the quality of the territory where the olive oil has been produced.

DOP is a guarantee for the olive oil consumer. By drinking olive oil exhibiting sugh a certification, you can be assured that the whole product process, from the rough material to the final bottle, has been executed within the specified area which is known to provide quality olive oil. The area is analyse taking into account both natural and human properties, as well as production and transformation techniques. In other words, DOP olive oil is a guarantee of quality and verified final product, but also a guarantee that the olive oil is unique and inimitable.

DOP Olive Oil Regulations

The DOP certification was born in 1992 following the CEE 2081/92 regulations of the European Community. A DOP certified product is protected against counterfeits within all the European Unity territory.
To receive a DOP certification, the conditions specified in the second article of the CEE 2081/92 must be met.
1) The particular qualities and characteristics of the final products must be deriving from the specific origin the product has been produced in. This includes natural elements as well as production cycles, local knowledge, and so on.
2) The rough material is produced and processed within the region certified by the DOP mark.

In other words, DOP Olive oil must be made using olives farmed and transformed within the DOP region.

To obtain a DOP certification, olive oil producers have to follow a quality production and certification process under the control of an Italian body which has received the authorisation to provide DOP certifications by the Italian Minister of Agriculture. Obtaining the certification is just the start. Producers will be subject to periodic reviews and assessments that aim to guarantee the highest level of quality is preserved.

IGP Extra Virgin Olive Oil  vs. DOP Extra Virgin Olive oil

olive oil IGP certification

IPG stands for Indicazione Geografica Protetta (Protected Geographic Origin) and it is attributed to agricultural products when only one of the phases of the production process has been achieved in a certified area.

The key difference between DOP and IGP olive oil is that to get the IGP certification, the body will verify that at least 1 phase has actually been executed in the certified area, whereas the DOP certification guarantee that all the phases are executed within the area and following the traditional production processes.

Note

This article is based on information found on the internet in several authoritative websites selected personally by the author. Some of the content has been re-elaborated using Olio di Oliva DOP e olio IGP as a reference.

Which olive oil to choose? Which oil provides the best olive oil benefits? A question even olive oil lovers (like me, of course!) must have asked themselves several times. Imagine you are in the supermarket staring at the olive oil shelf with more than 20-30 varieties of oil, in different bottles, names, origins, colours. Which one is the healthier and tastier, should I spend that extra amount to get that bottle instead of this more affordable one?

In this article I do not want to cover all the possible dimensions that can help you choose the best olive oil for your needs (everybody may have different needs after all!), but I want to help you understand more about the three main Mediterranean countries producing and exporting olive oil.

First of all, is there a difference between Italian, Spanish and Greek olive oil?

Yes, for sure there is a taste difference. First, olive trees in these countries belong to different species. Second, taste is often based on soil conditions and climate.

However, if you are not a professional olive oil taster, the difference may be subtle and you may not be able to distinguish different varieties of olive oil based on country of origin. For many people the difference is more evident when it comes to other dimensions such as the preparation process, how fresh the oil is, acidity, etc.

Another important aspect is that consumer surveys have shown that different people prefer different types of olive oil, in other words which olive oil to choose may depend on you particular taste! But let’s briefly cover the differences between these different types of olive oil.

What is the true about Greek Olive Oil vs. Italian Olive Oil vs. Spanish Olive oil

To answer this question I want to make two points that are not new to olive oil experts. First, it is known that Italy as a country consumes more olive oil of what they actually product. This means that Italian olive oil producers often have to import oil from Spain and Greece! They are then the best (amongst these countries) on marketing it, meaning that it can happen the Italian olive oil that people find in supermarkets may actually come or be mixed with olive oils from other countries.

To explain the second point I want to tell about the olive oil awakening that has happened to a few friends of mine (from USA, Australia, UK) when they visited me in my home region in Southern Italy. What happened? Simple, I took them to a local oil mill and made them test olive oil just coming out from the olive press. It was an amazing experience for them, they told me that even if they usually buy Italian olive oil from the supermarket, they never though olive oil could have such a taste.

Basically, the true is that the question which country products the best olive oil is the wrong one! Olive oil from Italy may be as good as olive oil from Spain or olive oil from Greece. It all depends on the fresheness, quality of olive oil and your taste!