Olive Oil Classification
Extra Virgin Olive Oil native cold pressed is the finest quality olive oil you can buy. Virgin Olive Oil has a lower classification than Extra Virgin. Pure Olive Oil’ or ‘Olive Oil’ are usually a blend of refined olive oil and one of the above two categories of Virgin olive oil. Light or Extra Light Olive Oil refers of colour or taste. ‘Light’ does not refer to a reduction in calories. Olive oil has no cholesterol in it at all. Pomace Oil is a low grade oil taken from the final waste pulp. Lampante Oil is only suitable for burning in lamps. Cold-Pressing is a natural process of extracting olive oil by applying mechanical pressure to olive paste at a temperature of less than 35 degrees celsius. Native Oil is from untreated and chemical free and mainly local olive plants.

Oil facts
Air, light and heat affect olive oil, so you should make sure the bottle is properly closed and stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight. However, this locally grown and processed extra virgin native olive oil from Frantoio olives, well preserved, can last up years without losing its organoleptic qualities. An oil's colour does not indicate quality, but whether green or black olives have been pressed.

Health facts
Extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed is a pure fruit juice with no additives or preservatives. Olive oil contains between 60 and 80% of monounsaturated fats (in this case, oleic acid), which help to reduce "bad cholesterol" (LDL) and preserve "good cholesterol" (HDL). It also has just the right amount of linoleic acid, which is essential for the human diet. Olive oil has vitamins A, D, K and especially E.
Researchers confirm that olive oil reduces the risk of heart diseases and some types of cancer. It also helps to maintain a low blood pressure and to alleviate arthritis. Persons with low blood pressure should use normal quantities of olive oil. The majority of the medical community and the old ages tell us that olive oil is antioxidant, helps the cardiovascular flow and delays the cell ageing process. Olive oil aids digestion and helps the body to absorb calcium. Extra virgin olive oil is known to be antiseptic and helps healing skin damages.

Beauty facts
Among other properties, olive oil helps to improve the appearance and texture of our skin. It may be used to clean hands and skin of petrol or grease.

Food notes
When dressing salads and vegetables, pour the olive oil first, then add salt and vinegar or lemon. Adding the oil first provides a protective layer which helps the vegetables to stay fresh and crisp.
Olive oil is excellent to spread on meat in a barbecue, as it helps to preserve the natural juices.
Olive oil adds flavour to charcoal-grilled meat whilst it is browning. The meat should be cooked on a low heat with only a little oil.

Price notes
Prices for olive oils reflect the quality of oil just with any other product. You can not expect the same quality for imported olive oil which costs only 5 $ per liter.

Cultivation facts
The olives for this Extra Virgin Native Cold Pressed Olive Oil grow in Perry Shire and are manually harvested. No fertilizer or fungizide or other chemicals have been used in the grove since the first olive tree of now 2,000 trees have been planted in 2000. The olives will be pressed within 3 days after picking in a local mill. Between 4 and 5 kilos of olives are needed to produce 1 litre of olive oil. The trees' age only affects the quantity produced, but not the quality. An olive tree starts to produce about the age of 8 to 10 years. Frantoio olives are harvested for oil, Manzanillos are mainly cultivated to be used as table olives. The familly owned olive grove is a member or the Australian Olive Association (AOA) and of the Kolan Olive Assoc.

Heinz Unger, April 30, 2008