Tips For Storing Olive Oil

Olive oil is an amazing product with many proven health benefits. Nothing is (or should be) added to olive oil, the olives are crushed and the oil is extracted and put in a bottle for you, simple as that. However, like most natural products, it is most potent when it is freshest and degrades over time.

The general rule is not to use extra virgin olive oil older than 2 years, but it is recommended that you consume it within 12 to 18 months of production. Extra virgin olive oil can last this long as it has a lower acidity than other grades of olive oil which have an even shorter shelf life. South African olive oils which are part of the CTC (Commitment to Compliance) programme, will have a sticker on the box indicating the harvest year. So you will know that oil was produced in the first half of that year and can estimate the shelf life from there.

CTC Seal

We recommend you take a note of how much olive oil you use per month and buy the appropriate amount to service your needs. There is no sense buying 5L of olive oil because it’s cheaper in bulk but it takes you 4 years to use it and you lose the benefit of freshness to your health and taste.

But there are things you can do to ensure slow down the deterioration, or oxidisation, of the oil over that time:

Heat: Keep your olive oil in a cool spot, away from the oven but not in the fridge.

Light: Keep your olive oil in a dark place as light speeds up the oxidation process. Also make sure you buy oils which come in darker bottles which protect the oil from light.

Air: Keep your olive oil in a sealed bottle making sure the lid is always on properly. Oxygen is an enemy of the oil and producers are careful to minimise contact time between oxygen and oil during the production process.

The ‘bag in a box’ packaging is becoming more popular. It doesn’t look as elegant as a nice glass bottle but it protects the oil from light and air. You can decant from the box into a bottle as you require.

Rio Largo EVOO box

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Olive Central