What is the meaning of the acidity of olive oil
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The Greeks rewarded the winners of the Olympic Games with an olive wreath. The Romans said of this tree olea primum oómnium arborem est, something like that the olive tree was the supreme head of all trees. Territory they conquered, olive groves they planted, for the greater glory of Rome and, by the way, for gastronomic delight. Twenty centuries later, olive oil is still the gold of the Mediterranean, for its taste and nutritional qualities.

However, although the juice of the olive results in oil, not all olive oils are the same. The type of olive has an influence. Are you looking for an intense flavor? You can find it in the picual variety and the hojiblanca variety. Strip of the arbequina variety. Others less frequent and with different shades are the verdial, cornicabra, empeltre or blanqueta.

 

From extra virgin to orujo

At the top of the classification is extra virgin olive oil. Mechanical (centrifuges) or physical (traditional presses) procedures are used to extract the juice from the olive. Virgin olive oil is subdivided into extra virgin olive oil or EVO (acidity ≤0,8%) monovariety (from a single variety of olive), coupages (from different varieties of olives), or Protected Designation of Origin. There is also virgin olive oil to dry (acidity ≤2%) and virgin olive oil lampante (acidity >2%), intended for refining industries or technical uses.

One step below is refined olive oil. This is obtained from virgin olive oils that have undergone a refining process (acidity ≤0,3%), but can be marketed as olive oil if it is mixed with virgin oil other than lampante (acidity entrainment 1%). Finally, we would have the refined olive pomace oil (acidity ≤0,3%), to end up in the olive pomace oil, a mixture of refined olive pomace oil and virgin olive oils other than lampante (acidity 1%).

 

Do not confuse acidity with flavor

One of the most common mistakes is to believe that the higher the acidity of the olive oil, the stronger its flavor will be. Acidity measures the amount of free fatty acids - mostly oleic acid - in the oil. This release is the result of the breakage that occurs in the union of the glycerin molecules and the fatty acids that make up the olive oil. These unions can break because the olive is not in optimal conditions after harvesting (excess maturity, frost...) or because the oil has deteriorated during the extraction or storage process. So the lower the acidity, the higher the quality.
For years, the acidity was expressed on the label in degrees, although it would have been in percentage data. The consumer associated acidity with taste and generated confusion. The legislation was modified and now, if the producer wants to include this data, he must also add the peroxide index, the waxes, and the ultraviolet absorptions (K270, K232 and ΔK). A wealth of information that led manufacturers to opt for simplification. Initially, they left only the generic numbers (0.4 and 1), and, finally, only the grades of Intense and Soft.

And the taste? Fatty acids have no flavor, but are appreciated for their density in the mouth and greater body sensation. Another issue is refining, a process in which olive oil loses acidity, but also flavor and many of the active components, such as phenolic compounds.

 

Mediterranean gold on the inside

Oleic acid is a type of monounsaturated fat and the key to making olive oil one of the basic recommendations in a healthy diet like the Mediterranean one. Although all olive oils are rich in oleic acid, some varieties may have a greater presence, such is the case of picual (with 80%). The rest, almost equally, are polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats such as palmitic acid. The percentages of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MFA) and polyunsaturated (PFA) fatty acids range from 17%, 71% and 11% respectively. When unsaturated fats replace saturated fats in the diet, they contribute to maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels, and it should not be forgotten that high cholesterol is a cardiovascular risk factor. Thus, olive oil can be considered a heart-healthy food.

Considering that practically all olive oil is fat, it is obvious that its caloric content is also very high. But let's not set alarm bells ringing either, since it is normal for a healthy diet to limit its presence to just what is needed for cooking or seasoning food, more or less three to six tablespoons of about 10 grams each. In exchange, it has between 12 and 18.34 mg of vitamin E, with antioxidant properties. Other ingredients with a similar function are polyphenols, oleocanthal, which is responsible for the spicy touch in the throat of a good olive oil, and squalene. EFSA has authorized a health claim for olive oils rich in phenolic compounds because these bioactive substances contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative damage. This quality occurs in quality extra virgin oils containing at least 5 mg of these compounds per 20 ml.

 

The trick to prolonging its life: freezing it

The oil bottle does not indicate an expiration date, but rather a preferential consumption date. The closer you get to that date, presumably, the less organoleptic qualities it will retain. "There is no European regulation on the maximum time for consumption. In part, it is because its durability depends on storage conditions," says Enrique Martínez Force, researcher and deputy director of the Institute of Fat of the CSIC.

The great enemy of oil is oxidation, a process that is accelerated by leaving the bottle unsealed, exposed to light or near a heat source. In exchange, it can be frozen, though, without homogeneous cubes as a result. "Olive oil is formed by triglycerides and these, in turn, by fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic), which crystallize at different temperatures causing pearls to form until it freezes completely at -20°C". The thawing process must be carried out at room temperature, without using the microwave.

 

 

Source: El País

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