Mislabeling olive oil of lesser quality as “extra virgin” is a very common fraud that fetches significantly higher prices. In a large investigation led by Italian officials, over a quarter of checked olive oil samples were identified as mislabeled. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has to adhere to strict EU regulations to be labeled as such. Most of the fraudulent olive oil was imported into Italy and not produced there. Such fraudulent activities can significantly affect the high-end legitimate olive oil producers in a region.

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Picture Credit Susanne Kuehne

Posted on 16 May 2022