Does Olive Oil go bad over time? - latinajadelgourmet.com

Hello everyone! Does olive oil go bad? This is a question that many consumers are surely asking and that we will clarify in the next mini post.

Expired olive oil and best before date

We can firmly affirm that olive oil does not have an expiration date, it is always edible. However, being a natural product, from an approximate date it loses certain properties as valued as aroma and flavor. Also, this date is known as the best before date.

Thus, the consumer will not see their health harmed by taking olive oil once the best before date has passed. Although you will not enjoy a juice with all the properties with which it was packaged, olive oil does not expire and you can use it.

Does olive oil go bad? oxidation

And why does olive oil lose its properties over time? The reason for this deterioration in its organoleptic properties is due to oxidation. This is a chemical process that triggers oxygen, temperature, and light. Obviously, the oxidation state will affect more natural and therefore perishable products. Because of this, it is strongly recommended that olive oil be kept away from heat and light sources so as not to accelerate the deterioration of flavor and aroma.

Olive oil stability

Also, depending on the variety of olive that has been used to produce the oil, oxidation will be more or less pronounced. It is what we know for the stability of olive oil. The more stable the olive oil is, the more resistant it will be to the oxidation process and therefore it will last longer with all its properties intact.

A clear example of olive oil with great stability is that produced from the picual olive variety. Thanks to its high content of antioxidants and vitamin E, it provides great resistance to oxidation and remains intact for a longer time before being consumed.

Filtered or unfiltered

In addition, it is also important to know whether or not the olive oil has been filtered before packaging. The difference is important since an unfiltered olive oil loses its properties before a filtered one since impurities and humidity remain in it, which accelerate its oxidation. It is the well-known “first-pressed olive oil“, which is currently extracted, not pressed. An olive oil that is perceived as more natural and that its consumption is recommended before the one that has been filtered.

I hope you have resolved any questions about it in this mini article. If not, please let me know in the comments. See you in the next post! 😉

Summary