posted by PHILEOS EVOO on July 03, 2023
I get asked this all of the time by both consumers and retailers alike "aren't all extra virgin olive oils the same?" The answer is an unequivocal no! Are all automobiles the same? Is a Ferrari an equal to a Kia? The answer is an emphatic no. My sincere apologies if I offended any Kia car owners. This is not my intention, but rather used as an example in order to help me make my point. If I'm going to buy a high performance sports car its most definitely going to be a Ferrari. If I'm going to buy a premium quality olive oil, then of course the choice will no doubt be Phileos of Sparta. Without any hesitation!
I know there are so many Greek olive oil offerings on your local supermarket shelves and it can become quite overwhelming. However, the point of this blog is to assuage any consumers who may be reluctant to change brands or may not be sure whether to purchase Phileos of Sparta next time your at the grocers.
I wanted to first begin by informing consumers that Phileos of Sparta is considered an Ultra Premium EVOO with no close peers in the markets it services. Phileos is recognised as one of the top Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil manufacturers in Europe, and the oil we sell you is ranked in the 97th percentile of all Extra Virgin Olive Oils manufactured throughout the world. This simply means you can select 100 bottles of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from any retail store and Phileos of Sparta would be of superior quality to at least 97 of them. So.......why would you have any reservations then? I can't think of any?
Phileos literally is a direct branch to bottle manufacturer of the oil we sell. The majority of oils you consume today are from "private labels" who obtain their oil from a patchwork of multiple suppliers and sources. They are not a direct manufacturer, nor do they have the capacity to supply an entire market of premium quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil as PHILEOS EVOO can. These private labels are "just happy" to get their hands on any oil to meet their demand whether it be from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia or other parts of Greece. Therefore, never being able to guarantee its origin. On the other hand, you will never question the origin of Phileos of Sparta oil as we produce thousands of tonnes of EVOO each year and have the ability to scale production maintaining the exact same consistent quality all throughout the year.
Moreover, Phileos of Sparta exceeds all standards set by the International Olive Council (IOC), the international governing body for most of the olive oil industry, which decrees that extra virgin olive oil must have no more than 0.8% acidity and a peroxide value of no more than 20 meq O2/kg.
Phileos Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been certified for Olive Oil Health Claims by the EU. This means our olive oil has been recognised as providing health protecting and therapeutic properties when consumed. Furthermore, the required measurement for the EU health claim for polyphenols in olive oil MUST be reported in mg per kg. There are a number of olive oil brands currently in the market that display the numbers in mg per TBSP or mg per 15ML. This is intentional and blatantly done to confuse the consumer. It is contrary to the required labelling requirements; to make consumers think it is a healthy and higher quality oil when in fact it is not, nor does it meet the standard. Phileos of Sparta ranges from 800-1200mg/kg, while olive oil in your store averages 55mg/kg, and Extra Virgin Olive oil 80-200mg/kg if you're lucky. Phileos just blows the competition away when it comes to attributable health benefis of polyphenols. All of our oils ARE VERY RICH IN POLYPHENOLS.
The awarded health claim from EFSA confirms that ‘Phileos' olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. This means it should be consumed daily as a preventive maintenance measure and not as a cure for disease. This basis is derived from human studies showing significantly reduced levels of oxidised low density lipoprotein (LDL) in plasma after consuming our oil. Thanks to this they prevent heart problems (such as heart attacks). The beneficial properties of Phileos Extra Virgin Olive Oil are ensured with the consumption of at least 20g daily. A very strong reason why one should consume our oil which has very high polyphenol levels. Olive oil comprises mainly of the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid as per EU regulations.
Phileos is rated as a medicinal and nutritional grade olive oil because of the specific olives we use, the natural harvesting and processing techniques we utilize, along with the growing conditions and location of our olive orchards. These factors contribute to the oil being low in acidity, high in polyphenolic compounds, rich in healthy monosaturated fats, high in Vitamins E & K and high in oleocanthal and oleacein compounds. The oil also contains unsaturated Fatty Acids such as Omega 9 are responsible for the proper functioning of the body which perfectly supports the digestive system. It is not easy for any manufacturer to produce this type of oil, but Phileos of Sparta are master millers with years of experience and tradition on our side.
Phileos is regarded as an ULTRA PREMIUM (UP) Extra Virgin Olive because it has met certain criteria that distinguishes it as one of the highest quality olive oils in the world. Anywhere from 3-5% of all olive oil production in the world is of the UP standard. This is very important to Phileos because it separates our superior extra virgin olive oil from the vast majority of oils you find in grocery retailers that claim to be "premium". Our olive oil exceeds world standards for olive oil quality. It is the freshest and finest olive oil in the world today. The thousands of olive oils brands and private labels sold to consumers around the world are inferior in quality when compared to our oil and follow low standards in the industry. This in turn, has driven the prices of extra virgin olive oil down unnecessarily forcing many of the best quality producers out of business. They simply can no longer compete with large producers who assert "premium" or "superior" when offering up an inferior product confusing consumers.
Phileos Extra Virgin Olive Oil compares very favourably to the most stringent olive oil standards adopted throughout the world. If you examine the comparison chart below, you will notice that our oil actually far exceeds current standards. This is something our family of farmers is very proud of, and Phileos promises to continually strive at producing a superior olive oil for consumers.
| Chemical Parameters | IOC Limit | UP Limit | Phileos EVOO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Fatty Acid(% olec acid) | <0.8 | <0.3 | 0.24 |
| K270 | 0.220 | <0.20 | 0.165 |
| K232 | 2.500 | <2.0 | 1.948 |
| D.K | 0.010 | <0.01 | 0.003 |
There are hundreds of olive varieties around the world, however only about 150 are regularly cultivated for eating and making olive oil. What the consumer must know is that "NOT ALL OLIVE OILS, AND VARIETALS FOR THAT MATTER ARE THE SAME."
Well, it turns out that varietals such as the Greek Koroneiki and Athinolia are far superior to others because of their specific ingredients. These are the same two varieties, Phileos uses to produce its
Recent research also seems to strongly suggest that the Athinolia olive has the highest content of total polyphenols when compared to other Greek varieties and therefore is superior. This is attributable to the fact it is harvested very early which reduces the likelihood of the olive fruit being attacked by mycological diseases which contribute to the deterioration of the olives' quality. As a result, this variety produces healthy fruit and by extension olive oil of low acidity and excellent quality.
The exceptional Koroneiki olive also known as the "King of Olives" is harvested shortly after the Athinolia (approximately one month later) avoiding the early attack by olive flies and the early frosts. The recovered olive oil is the finest among all varieties with excellent intense aroma and characteristic flavour. The koroneiki's varietals contain superior amounts of valuable, disease-fighting antioxidants.
"While Koroneiki olives themselves are very small, they contain very high levels of polyphenols, the natural antioxidants found in plants and other compounds that may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer."
The Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Phileos is the product of Laconian olives, exclusively from the the two most famous varieties noted above - Koroneiki (70%-80%) and Athinolia (20%-30%). These varieties are wonderfully "mixed" and their final product combines the very best characteristics of both; it is golden green oil with particularly low acidity, fruity, has a velvety taste and intense aroma, with a beautiful balance between bitter and spicy flavours.
The olive oil is produced on the same day within hours of harvest and milled with the method of cold extraction without any use of chemicals or heat. The olive oil is then kept under controlled temperature conditions following strict hygiene control with the support of modern equipment. The oil is stored in vacuum sealed stainless steel tanks. The result of the whole procedure is the production of an excellent quality product with mild taste, golden green colour and with particularly low acidity of 0.24%. A lower acidity number (%) translates into higher natural antioxidants content and a higher smoke point for cooking. The maximum legal limit for an olive oil to be considered Extra Virgin is 0.8% acidity as per the IOOC.
In more detail, Phileos of Sparta presents the following quality characteristics that are very desirable in EVOO classification and found in all of our Ultra Premium Olive Oils.
Fruity: the flavour that comes from the crushing of fresh and unripe olive fruit – a characteristic of the early harvest. The fresher the fruit, the more intense this aroma is.
- Spicy and Bitter: a positive feature in extra virgin olive oils; it's felt with a slight burn in the throat that lasts for a few seconds.
- Very rich in Polyphenols: natural antioxidants contained in extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols are not only a shield of protection for the product itself against oxidization, but also for the consumer. As a general rule, more robust oils have higher phenolic compounds than the milder oils. A phenol count of less than 120 (as expressed by mg/kg) is considered low. Virgin oils with a phenol count between 120 and 220 are considered medium. The average olive oil has 55mg/kg of total polyphenols and Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a quantity of 100-250mg/kg. Phileos normally scores around 800 -1200mg/kg of total polyphenols, according to the laboratory analyses that take place after each harvest. In periods of unstable weather conditions in the region, the figure may drop to around 600 mg/kg which is still considered very high for market standards. That means 6x to 10x more healthy polyphenols than your average EVOO.
- Guaranteed acidity level at bottling below 0.3% (the requirement for an EVOO is 0.8%)
- Multiple Certifications: AGRO 2.1-2.2, Non GMO project verified, Certified Kosher, ISO 22000, IFS, Agrocert, PGI, Certified High Phenolic Olive Oil and Certified Organic - Canada, EU, USDA.
- PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) - The fact that the olives that produce Phileos come exclusively from one specific region and are processed under the same high quality harvesting and production standards means that the flavour of Phileos and its quality remain consistent and high all year.
Gluten-Free/Vegan/Single-Source Origin
All of our olive oils are gluten-free and does not contain any wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Phileos should also be a choice for vegans as it avoids all animal derived food.
Phileos EVOO is harvested directly from our single sourced family owned olive orchards located in Monemvasia, Laconia where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean Ocean.
PHILEOS EVOO INC bottles our Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil in elegant, high quality dark green Marasca and Dorica glass bottles which impedes chlorophyll oxidation, mitigating light and oxygen from getting into the oil. This keeps the oil's flavour, aroma, and freshness. The bottles are 100% recyclable and reusable.
Our oil is also offered in sleek and attractive looking White Tins. This is one of the best ways and to preserve all of the oil's health benefits. The tins prevent air and light from entering, keeping your olive oil tasty and fresh for longer without the need of adding preservatives. The tins protect the valuable nutrients much more effectively than plastic which is penetrable by both light and oxygen degrading quality. They are also lightweight and a permanent material that's infinitely recyclable with no loss of quality. This type of bottling is good for the planet as it saves raw materials and reduces Greenhouse gas emissions.
All of Phileos' packaging is PVC and BPA free. This avoids the oil from absorbing the PVC chemicals which have seeped in from the plastic affecting its quality and taste. Moreover, plastic containers are porous and transparent which allows air and sunlight to pass through oxidizing the oil. The avoidance of this packing material by our company allow for peak flavour and freshness of the olive oil.
Therefore, Phileos is addressing the challenges of sustainable food consumption by reducing its environmental footprint with our packaged oil materials. Current production methods of our EVOO does not harm the atmosphere with carbon dioxide pollutants as we are carbon neutral. We will continue to pursue eco-friendly solutions to the production of olive oil and seek to become a leader in this area in the coming years.
Finally, when it comes to manufacturing PHILEOS EVOO INC exceeds all of the most stringent universally accepted standards. PHILEOS EVOO INC is certified as IFS, Bio Hellas, HAACP, Agrocert and ISO 2022:2018. Furthermore, our bottling and packaging is standarised according to TUV/Nord Hellas.
So the question I pose t you after reading the above is "Why wouldn't you buy Phileos of Sparta next time you are shopping?" What could possibly be your hesitation?