Virgin olive oil versus extra virgin olive oil

What is the difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil

Whether in the supermarket or online - buying olive oil can sometimes be a little confusing. Not only are different olive varieties, certificates and flavours advertised, but you are also confronted with certain terminology. When buying olive oil, for example, you come across terms such as "virgin" and "extra virgin" olive oil. But what do they actually mean?

In this blog post, we would like to explain these two olive oil terms and clear up any possible question marks. We will also look at the phenomenon of fried olive oil and try to shed some light on this confusing topic.

Virgin and extra virgin describe olive oil grades. European Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 defines the quality classes for olive oil. Grade 1 "extra virgin" and grade 2 "virgin" are mainly offered in the food trade. The main differences are acidity, taste and colour.

What is extra virgin olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is considered to be the highest quality and purest form of olive oil. It is obtained exclusively by mechanical means, without the use of chemicals or industrial refining. It has the lowest acidity (below 0.8%) and is pressed from the best olives. Extra virgin olive oil has an intense flavour that can vary from mild to fruity or even spicy, depending on the variety. It also retains much of the natural antioxidants and health-promoting compounds found in olives.

What is virgin olive oil?

Virgin olive oil is also obtained from mechanical processes, but has a slightly higher acidity (up to 2%) than extra virgin olive oil. It can have a milder flavour and a slightly lower quality compared to extra virgin olive oil. In sensory terms, this difference is barely noticeable to the layperson

What is the difference between frying olive oil and virgin olive oil (2nd grade)?

Unfortunately, there is no standardised answer to this question. But we can try a comparison of 2 products.

As the name suggests, MANI 100% virgin olive oil is made from 100% virgin olive oil and is obtained exclusively by mechanical means without the use of heat. Alnatura frying olive oil, on the other hand, consists of only 20% virgin olive oil. And that is also the main difference between the two oils. Frying olive oil can consist of refined and virgin olive oil. Virgin olive oil, on the other hand, can only be obtained by mechanical means without the use of heat.

You can find the Mani Bläuel - MANI 100% virgin olive oil (the kitchen hero) in our range here.