Up to 70% of extra virgin olive oil sold in supermarkets worldwide fails to meet the quality standards printed on its own label, according to research conducted by the University of California, Davis — a finding that raises serious questions about what South African consumers are actually pouring over their food.
The problem is not limited to bargain-bin bottles. Studies published by the UC Davis Olive Center, along with investigations by consumer watchdog organisations in Europe and Australia, have found that mislabelling, adulteration and quality degradation affect products at every price point. For South African buyers, the issue is compounded by the distance that imported oil must travel and the time it spends in warehouses and on shelves before reaching a kitchen. Understanding how to identify real extra virgin olive oil is no longer a matter of connoisseurship — it is a matter of getting what you are paying for.
