# Is olive oil hard to find in some states? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 19, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085 "2003-02-19T06:29:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ghostrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58f4c7/32.png) [@ghostrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ghostrider)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/41 "2003-02-20T07:22:40Z")
Yup. I tend to use lighter/cheaper olive oil for sauteeing, a heavier oil for sauces, EV for salads & such. Sailor’s original post & subsequent posts by others made me realize, tho, in all my persuals of olive oil shelves, I have never seen a bottle labeled “virgin olive oil.” It’s always either extra virgin or simply olive oil. Where does the virgin oil go? Has anyone ever seen it? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/42 "2003-02-20T08:52:05Z")
I’ve seen just plain virgin olive oil. Most of the major O.O. brands make it. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/43 "2003-02-20T09:15:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nametag \* > Yes. I interpret them correctly Nope. You obviously have not read the page I linked to, have you? > [@](#): > > Bullshit. [refined is] a industry term, meaning, obviously, that it’s been refined. Period. YOU are the only person in this thread who thinks “refined” means – I don’t know what the hell you’re thinking, “dainty” or something. > > ALL olive oil is extracted by mechanical means. “Virgin” means “not refined beyond pressing.” You really need to do your homework. As the page I linked to clearly says, olive oild extracted by pressing is called “virgin”. That is what virgin means. The crushed olives still contain oil which cannot be extracted by pressing but they are soaked in an organic solvent which disolves the oil. This solution is then “refined” to extract the oil from the solvent. That is what the term “refined” means. There is no such thing as “refined virgin” olive oil. It is either “virgin” (extracted by pressing) or “refined” (extracted by solvents). > [@](#): > > * * * > > ## Virgin olive oil is always considered better than “refined” olive oil. > > Again, bullshit. Virgin olive oil is more expensive than refined olive oil by a wide margin. I would say that proves it is considered more desirable. But I guess you can make the argument that manure is better than olive oil because you can use manure better than olive oil to fertilize a field. Anyway, I’m beginning to agree that this topic is not worth arguing. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/44 "2003-02-20T14:48:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lite \* > \*\*Jesus h Chrst. > > I can’t comprehend an olive oil debate. > > BobT, I live in North Dakota and can go to at least 5 grocery stores to get Italian olive oil, virgin and otherwise. Shut up and go away you just made my PAB list, get personal on me, I hope you can take it, when we’re done go ahead and attack other Americans. You’re WORTHLESS!!! > > This is as bad as a debate over which French wine is the best(I just know there’s going to be a debate over this). > > If you can tell the ingredient of an oil based on taste alone, you have WAY too much time on your hands \*\* On behalf of the _rest_ of North Dakota, I appologise for this. Also, Olive oil is plentiful here. I buy it by the gallon. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/45 "2003-02-20T15:00:57Z")
Extra virgin olive oil, the cold-pressed result of the first pressing of the olives, is only 1 percent acid. It’s considered the finest and fruitiest of the olive oils and is therefore also the most expensive. Extra virgin olive oil can range from a crystalline champagne color to greenish-golden to bright green. In general, the deeper the color, the more intense the olive flavor. After extra virgin, olive oils are classified in order of ascending acidity. Virgin olive oil is also a first-press oil, with a slightly higher level of acidity of between 1 and 3 percent. Fino olive oil is a blend of extra virgin and virgin oils (fino is Italian for “fine”). Products labeled simply olive oil (once called pure olive oil) contain a combination of refined olive oil and virgin or extra virgin oil. The new light olive oil contains the same amount of beneficial monounsaturated fat as regular olive oil. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/46 "2003-02-20T15:02:51Z")
The Pure Extra Virgin olive oil is obtained through a simple process of pressing chilled olives that are found in the foot hills of Umbria (Italy). The picking of these olives is undertaken entirely by hand. This Oil has an intense green color, a soft olive fragrance and a full rich flavors. [http://www.poggiolivo.com/](http://www.poggiolivo.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/47 "2003-02-20T15:04:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > \*\*Olive oil is available throughout the USA, but is extra pure virgin olive oil easy to come by? \*\* This Italian reaffirms his position. Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil for me, please. See ya on the foothills of Italy. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/48 "2003-02-20T16:43:03Z")
> [@](#): > > You really need to do your homework. As the page I linked to clearly says, olive oild extracted by pressing is called “virgin”. That is what virgin means. The crushed olives still contain oil which cannot be extracted by pressing but they are soaked in an organic solvent which disolves the oil. This solution is then “refined” to extract the oil from the solvent. That is what the term “refined” means. There is no such thing as “refined virgin” olive oil. It is either “virgin” (extracted by pressing) or “refined” (extracted by solvents). **Sailor** , the cause of your confusion is clear. Chemically extracted olive oil is called “pomace oil,” and is not suitable for food use (though some fry in it - yuck). Refined olive oil, as I said, is pressed olive oil that has been refined to eliminate acidity or other unpleasant flavors or odors. This is normally done with charcoal. From [this site](http://www.oliveoilsource.com/definitions.htm): > [@](#): > > Refined Olive oil or Pure olive oil > > This is obtained by refining virgin olive oils which have a high acidity level and/or organoleptic defects which are eliminated after refining. An oil with maximum acidity of .5g/100g - .5% with maximum peroxide value mequiv 02/kg of 10. Over 50% of the oil produced in the Mediterranean area is of such poor quality that it must be refined to produce an edible product. Note that no solvents have been used to extract the oil but it has been refined with the use of charcoal and other chemical and physical filters. An obsolete equivalent is “pure olive oil.” And **Philster** , your inept use of adverbs started this whole mess. **Extra Pure** Virgin Olive Oil doesn’t exist; Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil, on the other hand, does exist, although the deisgnation of “pure” for something that’s unadulterated by definition is clearly marketing schmooze and nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085/49 "2003-02-20T17:36:33Z")
Let me hang my head in shame! My use of adverbs is -choke- inept! I’m in way too good a mood to give a hoot! Can’t wait to stop into my favorite 9th street deli tonght, pick up my buddy Dave for a trip to the Flyers game, and make sure he loads me up with the darkest, richest extra virgin olive oil he can get. The very same stuff he gives to Emeril when he’s in town. Some Cacia’s rolls, sopressata, roasted peppers and fresh extra sharp provolone, baby! Have some good olive oil and lighten up! F’Naples! 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-olive-oil-hard-to-find-in-some-states/156085.md?page=2)