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How much do you know about Olive Oil?

Know your Oleic from your Polyphenols or malaxing from centrifugation? Take our quiz and test your knowledge to find out just how much you know about olive oil – its benefits, health properties and all-round Mediterranean goodness! Ranging from olive oil novice to master blender extraordinaire. Let’s see how good you are – good luck!

3 mins to complete

Question 1 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

How is olive oil made?

Olive oil is made by pressing olives and extracting their oil. The process dates back to 6,000 BC and was regarded as one of the most prized goods to be produced and traded across the Mediterranean.

Question 2 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

Where does olive oil come from?

Unlike other vegetable oils, olive oil can only be extracted from the pulp of the olive fruit. It is the liquid fat obtained from olives produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil.

Question 3 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

Do all olives taste the same?

Much like any other fruit, distinct regions produce varieties with unique flavour characteristics. From bitter, sweet, green apple, almond, to freshly cut grass notes, Deoleo picks quality olive oils pressed from olives grown all around the world – not limited to a single origin or olive type.

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Question 4 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

Which countries are the largest producers of olive oil?

According to the International Olive Council provisional figures for the 2020/21 crop year put world production of olive oil at 3.010.000t. Combined, Spain, Greece and Italy produce over 1.937.500t.

Question 5 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) mixed with any other ingredients?

EVOO is made with one thing and one thing only – olives! There is no mixing with any other kinds of oils and no ingredients added to it. It’s that simple!

Question 6 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

The olive is a fruit or a vegetable?

Olives are fruits and are not edible, green or ripe, they must be treated with lye and/or cured in brine or dry salt before being edible.

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Question 7 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

Is olive oil good for the skin?

Yes, olive oil does have some reported benefits for the skin. According to the International Olive Council, olive oil has many vitamins including A, D, K, as well as vitamin E that all helps to maintain a healthy and radiant skin glow.

Question 8 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

True or false? There are many health benefits of regular servings of olive oil

True: There’s a reason why the renowned Mediterranean diet features large helpings of extra virgin olive oil. Here are a few health benefits derived from regular servings: lowers cholesterol, shields against heart disease, improves elasticity in the arteries, lowers blood pressure and aids in the prevention of brain diseases. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-practical-guide-to-the-mediterranean-diet-2019032116194 **

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Question 9 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

How is a Deoleo olive oil blend created?

Our Master Blenders understand consumer needs on a geographical basis and translate taste preferences into a flavour profile. By identifying olives with qualities that can be blended together and creating a recipe by pairing together high-quality extra virgin olive oil, to ensure consistent flavour and quality.

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Question 10 / 10 – The Novice Explorer

True or false – you can drink olive oil

True: Popular amongst olive farmers, it is a well-known practice throughout the Mediterranean to drink olive oil every morning in the firm belief that it fosters longevity! It is common to drink a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil followed by a small glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Advocates of such a practice insist it gives the body a kick-start for the day to both detoxify and cleanse the body – why not give it a try!

Question 1 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

Where is the olive tree native to?

The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean and archaeological evidence shows that they have been around as early as 4,000 BC.

Question 2 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

How many varieties of olive trees are there in the world?

There are more than one thousand olive varieties growing in dozens of countries on six continents. The most common varieties used in oil and as table olives are these ones.

Question 3 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

True or false? Only green olives can be made into oil

False: Green, black, purple olives and every shade in between can be made into oil with black olives lending a sweeter overall finish and green giving stronger and fresher aromas. All of the more than 1,000 varieties of olives that exist in the world begin as green olives and slowly transform to light brown and reddish-purple, before fully ripening and becoming dark black.

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Question 4 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

Which civilisation is said to have discovered olive oil?

Olive oil was discovered during the age of the Roman Empire when various Mediterranean civilisations began to grow olive trees and extract juice from the olives to create what was known as ‘liquid gold.’

Question 5 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

True or false – for one litre of oil, you need one kilogram of olives

False: For one litre of oil, you need five kilograms of olives! The fruit doesn’t even appear on the trees for the first three to 10 years of their lives but once fertile, olive trees can continue producing for hundreds of years!

Question 6 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

Which olive oil is best for making a salad dressing?

Extra virgin olive oil has an exceptionally low acidity rate and is best used for dipping or to dress salads. It’s great aroma makes it a perfect match for every meal! Why not check out our recipes section for some further inspiration!

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Question 7 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

Who called olive oil ‘the great healer’?

Traditionally regarded as the father of medicine, Hippocrates the ancient Greek physician was the first known medical practitioner to use olive oil-based ointments to treat wounds and ailments – giving it the term ‘the great healer’.

Question 8 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

What does a Master Blender do?

A Master Blender ensures there is no change in the flavour from one year and the next. By artfully combining different olive varieties, Master Blenders create blends which deliver the same sensory experience as single-source oils, while safeguarding our iconic Deoleo brands.

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Question 9 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

How should extra virgin olive oil be stored?

The best way to storage the olive oil at home is in the original bottle, closed tight and placed in a dark and fresh place. Any transfer to another containers causes oxygenation, and it may cause a degradation of the oil.

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Question 10 / 10 – The Confident Connoisseur

Which process is used to obtain the highest quality olive oil?

Cold pressed and cold extraction refers to oils that aren’t heated over 27°C / 80°F during processing. This helps the olive oil to retain more of its nutrients.

Question 1 / 10 – The Master Blender

How many olive varieties are there in the world?

There are more than 1,000 olive varieties growing in dozens of countries across the world all varying in flavour and consistency.

Question 2 / 10 – The Master Blender

Which of the following is a type of olive native to Spain and Portugal?

Arbequina olives produce a sweet oil with a fruity aroma of apple, green banana, and fresh almond notes. Arbequina olive trees have weeping branches that retain their colour all year round.

Question 3 / 10 – The Master Blender

Which olives contain more polyphenols?

Olives that are harvested earlier (unripe) typically contain more polyphenols than late-harvest (ripe) olives. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidant compounds which display many health benefits and properties and affect the intensity of flavour.

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Question 4 / 10 – The Master Blender

How long on average can olive trees live for?

With an average lifespan of 500 years, olive trees require certain growing conditions, but they are capable of living for a very long time. It has been reported that some trees around the world are 1,500 years old!! The new cultivation systems (intensive and super-intensive) are using olive varieties living 30-40 years, then they are replaced with new trees that allow a continuous intensive production

Question 5 / 10 – The Master Blender

What is the difference between virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil and the main differences between the two are in the acidity level, the flavour and aroma. The latter characteristics are determined through sensory testing.

Question 6 / 10 – The Master Blender

How much Vitamin E does one tablespoon of olive oil provide in your recommended daily allowance?

One tablespoon of olive oil provides 10% of the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin E, which plays a part in lessening the body’s cells’ ageing

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Question 7 / 10 – The Master Blender

Which of these factors determine the quality of an extra virgin olive oil?

There are many factors which affect quality: the variety, the climate, the soil, the production process, the storage of olives and, once the product is finished, the storage of the oil may affect its quality too. The ripeness of the olives is the ultimate determining factor of an extra virgin olive oil.

Question 8 / 10 – The Master Blender

Why are some extra virgin olive oils bitter?

Extra virgin olive oils by their very nature are destined to have a bitter taste on account of the green olives used to make the oil. A cold press is employed, keeping the temperature below 27 degrees as they extract the oil. This allows it to retain an abundance of polyphenols and natural antioxidants, all contributing to the bitter flavour, which is a “good” factor to consider.

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Question 9 / 10 – The Master Blender

True or false – can you create beauty products with olive oil?

True: Olive oil’s numerous benefits make it a fundamental superfood, but apart from its cooking uses, olive oil can also be used to prepare DIY beauty products. You can use premium quality oil to make face scrubs, sooth sunburns or simply pamper yourself with a relaxing oil massage. Check out our beauty section for tips!

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Question 10 / 10 – The Master Blender

What does veraison mean?

During the ripening process the olives’ colour changes from green to black while going through several shades of purple. Veraison simply means change of colour and characterises the ripening process.

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How much do you know about Olive Oil?

Know your Oleic from your Polyphenols or malaxing from centrifugation? Take our quiz and test your knowledge to find out just how much you know about olive oil – its benefits, health properties and all-round Mediterranean goodness! Ranging from olive oil novice to master blender extraordinaire. Let’s see how good you are – good luck!

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