Olive Oil

Sensory analysis through tasting is the most valid methodology to highlight the organoleptic characteristics of virgin olive oils.
But the difference in the perception threshold for each stimulus from subject to subject and the difficulty of transmitting our olfactory perceptions to other people, associated with personal previous experiences, give the organoleptic evaluation, even if expressed by one or more subjects with great experience and strong sensorial abilities, the character of subjectivity.
To overcome these problems and therefore obtain an objective evaluation, the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) or Panel Test was developed by the COI (International Olive Council), contemplated in EC regulation no. 2568 of 1991.

The Panel Test is based on the following postulates: the problem of different perceptual thresholds for stimuli between individuals is overcome by using a group of people, from eight to twelve, appropriately selected and trained to recognize the good and bad characteristics of foods; the difficulty of communication between the subjects is resolved through the development of an official vocabulary to which the tasters must refer when describing the sensory notes; the adoption of a continuous unstructured intensity scale, consisting of a 10cm horizontal line, offers the advantage of allowing the taster to freely evaluate the intensity continuously and not according to pre-established intensity intervals.

The distance from the starting point of the line to the point drawn by the expert, which represents the strength of the perceived sensation, represents the measure of the intensity of the attribute. The scores thus obtained will allow the statistical treatment of the data as desired.
The statistical treatment of intensities is based on the calculation of the median of each attribute, both positive and negative. The oils, in fact, will be classified on the basis of the median of the fruity attribute and the median of the negative attribute perceived with greater intensity.

QUALITIES OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Bitter
Oil with a characteristic flavour obtained from green olives.

Harmonic
Sensation of perfect balance between aroma and taste.

Sweet
Pleasant flavour of the oil, gentle and graceful with dense paste and constant flavour.

Fresh
Sensation of freshly squeezed fruit, due to a discreet presence of aromas.

Fruity
It recalls the scent of a healthy, fresh olive, harvested at the optimal point of ripeness.

Intense fruitiness
Aroma with more pronounced characteristics.

Ripe fruitiness
It is the oil obtained from ripe olives, with a light aroma and a sweetish flavour.

Soft
The oil provides a pleasant and soft sensation.

Spicy
Sensation of tingling or pungency is felt throughout the mucosa of the mouth which represents a distinctive characteristic of an excellent natural product with low acidity and with all the organoleptic and nutritional properties intact.

Full
Balanced oil with very low acidity.

Lively
Oil with a strong, well-defined personality and a good fruity taste.

DEFECTS IN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Vegetable water
Flavour acquired by the oil due to poor decanting and prolonged contact with vegetation water.

Winey-vinegary
Flavour coming from poorly preserved olives reminiscent of wine or vinegar.

Sour
The oil that manifests characteristics of harshness and astringency not mitigated by other perceptions.

Cooked
Due to excessive and/or prolonged heating of the olive paste during processing.

Fiscolo
Aroma obtained from olives pressed in filter diaphragms which were polluted and dirty with fermented residues.

Gross
When tasted it produces a dense and pasty oral and tactile sensation.

Metallic
Kept for a long time in contact with metal surfaces and in unsuitable conditions during grinding, kneading, pressing or storage processes.

Morchia
Oil stored poorly, without filtering or decanting, and left in contact with the fermenting lees for a long time.

Mould-humidity
Aroma reminiscent of mould, mushrooms and the humidity of the undergrowth.

Rancid
Common to all oils and fats that have undergone serious oxidative processes, due to prolonged exposure to air, light and high temperatures.

Warmed up
Obtained from heaped olives that have undergone an advanced degree of fermentation.

Dry or Wood
Aroma of oil obtained from very dry olives that have suffered from drought.