Olive oil labeled “extra virgin” or “extra virgin” must be perfect in terms of smell and taste. Many products on the market are a long way from that. After testing 19 olive oils of the highest quality, the ÖKO-TEST experts came to a sobering conclusion.
Only one olive oil scores “very good” in the test. This is the test winner Crete Olive Oil Extra Virgin by Rapunzel. At Amazon you pay around 25 euros for two times 0.5 liters. Two others still cut off “satisfactorily”. The other 16 products fail the test.
Three of the tested olive oils are sensory anything but satisfactory, one even tastes “rancid” and according to ÖKO-TEST should not be advertised as “extra virgin”. Two of the three of these oils are organic products.
Updated April 27, 2022
One of the three olive oils just mentioned has now even been taken off the market. As ÖKO-TEST reports, after the poor results were published, the manufacturer announced that it would withdraw the batch from the market. The reason: According to the results of ÖKO-TEST, this is the case Alnatura olive oil as “lampant”. This oil may not be offered as cooking oil in Germany. According to the European Commission, lampante olive oil is not intended for retail marketing: “It is refined and used for industrial purposes.”
Except for one oil: All products are contaminated with mineral oil
Overall, most candidates perform even worse. The reason: Except for one olive oil, the laboratory found mineral oil components in all 18 other olive oils, including MOAH (aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons). According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), these have no place in food. In addition, there are sometimes other mineral oils and other pollutants such as plasticizers.
Among other things, you should better avoid the following products from supermarkets and discounters in the future:
- Vegola extra virgin olive oil from Netto
- Good organic extra virgin olive oil from Aldi
- Best Choice Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Rewe
- Primadonna Extra Virgin Olive Oil Original from Lidl
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Terra di Bari by Edeka
- Ener Bio Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Rossmann
- Italian extra virgin olive oil from Dennree
- Alnatura Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Penny Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Organic extra virgin olive oil from dm
- K-Classic extra virgin olive oil from Kaufland
Stiftung Warentest has already sent olive oils to the laboratory. Read more about the results here.
The detailed test report from ÖKO-TEST is available for a fee read here.