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Olive Oil Analysis
We provide olive oil analyses for quality and grade according to
international and US trade standards.
What tests do we provide?
How to submit samples for analysis?
What analyses are required?
What do the analyses measure?
What analysis methods are used?
Further Questions?
international and US trade standards.
What tests do we provide?
- Free Fatty Acid content (a.k.a. "Free Acidity")
- Peroxide Value
- Absorbency in Ultraviolet (UV); includes: K232, K270 and
Delta K - Total Phenol
- Specific polyphenols:Oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol
- Fatty Acid Composition
- Pyropheophytin (a.k.a. PPPs)
- Diacylglycerol (DAGs)
- Sensory Analysis
- For convenience, the first three assays are grouped as
the Quality Set (OSET), which includes Free Acidity,
Peroxide Value and UV Absorbency
How to submit samples for analysis?
- Provide each sample in a 250 ml (or larger) container
- Label each sample to uniquely identify it; (Download 2x4
Labels) - Enclose a Submission Form ;
- On submission form indicate the desired services
- Either individual tests OR a Set
- Total Phenol
- Sensory Analysis
What analyses are required?
International (IOC) and USDA standards to ascertain oil
grade require sensory assessment by a tasting panel and
three analytical tests: Free Acidity, Peroxide Value and
Ultraviolet (UV) Absorbency.
The California Olive Oil Council's (COOC) Extra Virgin
Olive Oil Certification program requires for all producers
a sensory analysis by a tasting panel, and the chemical
tests indicated on the sidebar.
The Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) requires
the chemical tests indicated on the sidebar.
- The Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Competition requires Free Acidity and Peroxide Value.
What do the analyses measure?
- Free Fatty Acid Content (FFA) is commonly called the
“percent acidity” or “free acidity percent”. High values are
a rough indicator of poor fruit quality or improper handling
prior to milling. Free acidity arises with the hydrolytic
breakdown of the oil. Free Acidity is measured as percent
(%) free fatty acids expressed as oleic acid, the
predominant fatty acid in olive oil.
Peroxide Value (PV) is a rough indicator of the amount
of primary oxidation within the oil. A high value indicates
that the olive fruit or paste was likely handled improperly.
Olive oil with high peroxide value may not keep well.
Peroxide is measured by a quantitative chemical analysis
and is expressed as milliequivalent of free oxygen per
kilogram of oil (meq O2/kg).
Ultraviolet (UV) absorbency is an indicator of oxidation,
especially in oils that have been refined. Measured with a
spectrophotometer, the value of UV light absorbance at
different wavelengths indicates the quantity of oxidized
compounds present in the oil. Pomace and refined oils
have higher values than virgin oils.
- Total Phenol (TPH) is the aggregate measure of
polyphenol content in the olive oil or fruit. As polyphenols
are a key antioxidant component in olive oil, Total Phenol
is an indicator of the oil’s potential shelf life, its style and
health benefits. Total Phenol in olive fruit before harvest
can help select optimal harvest time to maximize
polyphenol content in oil. Total Phenol is normally
expressed as milligram equivalent of Gallic (or Caffeic)
acid per kilogram of oil (mg/kg).
- Oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol: these two polyphenols
are the most abundant and have also been claimed to
confer the health benefits of olive oil.
- Fatty Acid Composition: this is the detailed breakdown
of the fatty acids present in the oil, which may help
distinguish olive oil from other oils.
- Diacylglycerols (DAGs) measure the proportion of 1,2
diacylglycerols in the oil, that decreases with storage,
overtime. It correlates inversely with the starting FFA
content of the oil after milling.
- Pyropheophytin (PPPs) are the natural products of
chlorophyl decomposition occurring during storage, and
when oil is exposed to elevated temperatures, as in
refining.
Sensory Analysis is the evaluation of an oil’s
organoleptic attributes, which are appreciated through
the senses of smell and taste. Sensory analysis is an
essential part of evaluating olive oil quality. See Sensory
Analysis of Olive Oil for more detailed information.
What analysis methods are used?
- We use analytical methods approved and recommended
by The American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS), an
international professional scientific society.
Further Questions?
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