1. What is the acidity of the olive oil you produce and trade?

According to the legislation, extra virgin olive oil should have no more than 0.8% acidity. Our company though, in an effort to offer our customers the best possible quality, has less acidity than the law states.

2.What is acidity?

It is the quantity of free fatty acids in an oil. The smaller the quantity, the better the quality. So, The smallest percentage we have in an oil, the better the quality and the taste of that oil will be. The maximum quantity for extra virgin olive oil is 0.8%.

3. What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil? What is the difference between Extra Virgin and plain olive oil?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an extremely high quality olive oil, undergone absolutely no other process after extraction, which has an acidity of no more than 0.8%. Plain olive oil is a mixture of extra virgin and processed-refined olive oil. It has lower quality and its acidity is up to 1%. This relatively low acidity is a result of prosessing and filtering. When the olive oil is processed and/or filtered, its acidity levels drop, but its quality and nutritional value remains much lower than extra virgin olive oil.

4. From which area of Greece is your olive oil collected?

The Peloponnese, mainly around the area of Ancient Olympia

5. Do you process your olive oils in any way?

Absolutely none. The oil is bottled after extraction.

6. What does "cold pressed" mean?

It means that the olive oil is extracted from olives at a temperature of no more than 27 degrees celcius (81 degrees Fahrenheit). That temperature ensures that the quality characteristics of the oil are not destroyed.

7. How many calories does olive oil have?

A tablespoon usually has around 126 calories.

8. How do I cook olive oil?

Extra Virgin Olive oil due to its fruity flavour and high quality, is best eaten raw to better enjoy the flavour. Nevertheless it can be used in cooking towards the end of the cooking period. As far as frying is concerned, frying temeperatures should be no more than 180 degrees celcius (356 degrees fahrenheight) so as not to destroy its nutritional value and burn it.

9. Is it OK to fry food in olive oil or should I prefer other oils?;

Recent studies have shown that frying in olive oil is not only safe but also good for you. As long as you do not overheat it, olive oil maintains its nutritional value more than other oils. Frying temeperatures should be no more than 180 degrees celcius (356 degrees fahrenheight) Another advantage of olive oil is that it creates a thin layer on food which prevents too much oil from penetrating inside the food itself, thus making the food tastier and healthier than other oils. Foods fried in olive oil have less fat than foods fried in other types of oil. The same olive oil can be used 3-4 times to fry food.

10. What is the role of colour in the quality of olive oil?

No colour has nothing to do with quality. Tha area from which the olives have been gathered as well as the gathering time within the harvesting season play usually an importan role in what colour the olive oil will have.

11. How must I store olive oil?

The two major enemies of olive oil are sunlight and heat. You must store olive oil away from direct sunlight and in a cool place. If you buy olive oil in 3 or 5 liter tins, it is advisable to switch containers to smaller glass bottles especially if the oil will be consumed over a period of months.

12. Which is the best storage container for olive oil?

Commercially available containers are all approved. Plastic, glass and white iron tins are all appropriate for storing food. If in general you consume your oil in a small period of time (2-3 months) all these containers are good. But if you have a 3 or 5 liter tin to be consumed over a period of more than 3 months,  it is advisable to switch containers to smaller glass bottles.

13. How can I tell if an oil has residue? Is it positive or negative for an oil to have residue?

The lightly coloured or white residue that can be found in the bottom of olive oil bottles means that the oil has not been filtered or was lightly filtered after extraction. Bottled Extra Virgin Olive Oil is lightly filtered in order to remove this residue. Nevertheless if you do see white residue inside your oil, do not be alarmed as it is completely safe to consume. 

14. The oil feels "spicy" to my throat when I swallow it. Does this mean it is of bad quality?

Absolutely not. Being "spicy" is one of the positive characteristics of Extra Virgin Olive Oil which declares high quality.

15. The oil tastes bitter. Does this mean it is of bad quality?

Absolutely not. Tasting bitter is one of the positive characteristics of Extra Virgin Olive Oil which declares high quality.

16. The oil is very thick/thin. What does it mean?

How thick or thin an oil is, is not linked to how good it is. Remember that oil and water do not mix, so it cannot be thinned out using water. This is a matter af personal consumer taste.

17. The oil is cloudy/not clear. Why;

Olive oil gets cloudy when exposed to low temperatures It returns to a clear state when put in room temperature. Quality is not at all affected by this.

18. I read in the media that bying bulk olive oil is not good. Why?

Consumers must prefer bottled olive oil because it goes through many tests to ensure its quality and organoleptic criteria, and also because producing companies guarantee its quality. These companies go through many government checks to make sure of the qulaity of the products they sell to the consumers. Bulk olive oil on the other hand goes through no testing whatsoever to ensure quality or genuineness. Therefore bulk olive oil in most cases is either adulterated or does not fulfill the specifications required by the law.

19. Is there Genetically altered olive oil?

No because there are no genetically altered olive trees.

20. What are the health benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps to:

Lower "bad" cholesterol levels ( LDL )

Maintain "good" cholesterol levels ( HDL )

Prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Prevent cholelithiasis

It also helps cure patients with gastric ulcer, and reumatoid arthritis. It is also a benefit to the diet for diabetics.

21. Why is your olive oil so green?

The area from which our olives are collected is known for the deep green colour of the olive oil produced. Of cource the colour comes from clorophylle.

22. Since olive oil is so good for you, why do they limit it in diets?

All oils have about the same calories. So the limit is purely for its calorie value.

23. Why do Extra Virgin Olive oil and plain olive oil have the same acidity? Does it mean they have the same quality?

No, quality is not the same. Extra virgin is much better. Plain olive oil gets its low acidity through industrial processes, while Extra virgin is by nature low in acidity.

24. What is the lifespan of your Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Our products have a 12 month lifespan. Of cource is stored and maitained correctly it will last much longer.

25. I have high cholesterol levels. Can I eat olive oil?

Certainly, as it helps lower your "bad" ( LDL ) cholesterol levels.

26. What is olive pomace oil?

Olive pomace oil is made from mixing olive seed oil with virgin olive oil.

27. The oil I bought is very lightly coloured, but when I bought it it was dark. Why did this happen?

A change in colour comes from light exposure. It is advisable not to consume this olive oil.

28. Is it better to use butter or olive oil in the frying pan?

Olive oil contains much less saturated fat than butter so it is better.