Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is considered the purest form of any type of olive oil. When the olive is a luminescent green, our olives are handpicked and pressed on the first day of that harvest. This is a crucial first step because it helps retain the olives' low acidity (.08%), pungent taste, and high polyphenol content.
Every shopper should always select “Extra Virgin” when planning to cook with olive oil or when adding it as a condiment for salads and sides. The added health benefits and diverse flavors of EVOO make it a must have for any gourmet foodie or health-conscious shopper!
Ultra-Premium (UP) is a new olive oil category that defines the best quality olive oil in the world. This is where Phileos EVOO is classified under.
The UP standard was created in response to the growing need to distinguish high-quality extra virgin olive oils from those that dominate the so-called "gourmet" and "premium" olive oil markets, as well as the broader category sold in mass markets under thousands of brands and private labels.
The UP standard is reserved for the world's best extra virgin olive oils. As such, the UP grade exceeds all existing European, Italian, Spanish, Greek and North American standards for the grade known as extra virgin olive oil. To qualify for the UP class, extra virgin olive oil must meet or exceed a comprehensive set of production, storage, transportation, testing, chemistry and organoleptic requirements.
Extra Virgin Olive Oils are graded according to their acidity levels. The following types are available:
Ultra-Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a new category of olive oil, even less acidic (less than 0.3%) and considered a finishing oil. It leaves a clean and fresh taste on the palate.
Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil will have a bright, vibrant color with a balance of fruitiness, bitterness and hardness and will be less acidic (less than 0.5%).
Natural Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from cold pressing of olives without any additional heat, refining or processing. With an acidity of not more than 0.8%, it is generally used not for cooking, but for dipping, drizzling and salad dressing.
Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found in plant foods. They act like an antioxidant; they neutralize any type of harmful agents that can damage a person’s cells. Daily consumption of polyphenol-rich foods can help prevent certain long-term chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most valuable sources of polyphenols. It carries the highest concentration of polyphenols compared to any other cooking oil. The highest amounts of phenolic components are observed in the olives that are in their semi-green period, which makes them extra virgin. This is why the olives that are harvested while they have a bright green color contain the highest amounts of polyphenols, compared to the darker ones. Greek EVOO producer Phileos follows this practice which results in our Extra Virgin Olive Oil having much more polyphenols than oil originating from other countries.
The process of the olive turning into olive oil must not involve any sort of chemical element during extraction. Cheaper store-bought olive oils use chemicals during pressing that can remove the polyphenols, and thus removing any health benefit from the oil while also reducing the natural taste of the olive oil. Polyphenols improve the taste of the oil and also help with the longevity of the oil. Other seed oils that use a chemical process to extract the oil remove polyphenols, making the oil tasteless; and by adding preservatives, they can artificially extend the shelf life of their oil. It is extremely important to consider what exactly goes into the process of making the many oils that people use every day for their cooking needs.
We hand pick because it is the healthiest harvesting method for both the olives and the trees they grow on.
Shaking the tree to harvest olives is a very common method, usually producing between 100-118 kgs per worker per day. It is very efficient and cost effective but degrades the quality of the olives. Now for hand picking, this amount drops to 59-68 kgs per worker per day but preserves the quality of the olives because the skin of the olives will not be torn or crushed during shaking. By squeezing the olives where the stem of the branch and the olive meet, it actually protects the oil in the fruit from becoming too acidic and retains its polyphenol content.
Of course, this method of hand-picking does have its drawbacks such as higher production costs; but it is required when you are harvesting Ultra-Premium EVOO!
The olives are then loaded onto perforated crates that keep the olives cool, and rapidly transported to the pressing machines on the SAME day to be extracted for their precious oil.
It means harvesting during the color transformation phase of the olive fruit or just before it. The early harvested fruit contains more antioxidants, and the quality of the olive oil is increased. However, oil yield is low at this stage. As the olives age, the amount of oil in the fruit increases; however, the number of antioxidants decreases. Therefore, we have to make our choice: quality, or quantity? Quality means olive oil with high polyphenols, a high health component. 1L of olive oil can be extracted from 5-6 kg of late harvested olives, but it would require 8-10 kg of early harvested olives to extract the same amount of oil. Therefore, the price of early harvest olive oil is always higher.
It means that the temperature of the olive paste in the kneader is equal to or lower than 25.6 °C or 78°F while producing olive oil. You can find the information about a specific product from the people who produce the olive oil, or from the label on the bottles.
PHILEOS EVOO is the direct manufacturer, bottler and exclusive distributor of Phileos Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We are Phileos and live it every day! When you deal directly with the owner of the Phileos brand, you are going straight to the source and working with someone who can provide a premium product to the marketplace at competitive prices. The more people involved at each stage of getting the oil to retail shelves increases the price of the oil. PHILEOS EVOO removes these cost barriers which benefits retail and consumers alike.
Our olive oil is manufactured under the strictest quality control conditions at each step of the production process. It is derived from a single origin harvest. Phileos does not bottle its extra virgin olive oil beforehand, we only do so once orders are received and confirmed.
We chemically analyse each batch of our olive oil before we bottle it and ready it for the consumer. This is done in order to ensure its quality and acidity levels. The majority, if not all of the purported “Single Estate Olive Oil Producers” or “Olive Producers” do not do this. Our oil will NEVER be bottled or sold to the consumer if it has not passed Phileos’ STRICT Quality Control Standards. It is really that simple for us. Our reputation and quality of product will not be comprised.
Many olive oil sellers in North America ship their oil in bulk containers from multiple suppliers to North America and then transfer the product (bottle it) in their own labelled packaging. This is just wrong in terms of handling olive oil as it degrades the quality and freshness of the oil. It is also a sign that the seller is not a “true” manufacturer of a superior oil.
Phileos is completely transparent about all of our production methods. We pride ourselves in this, and believe it differentiates us from the vast majority of olive oils. We are the REAL DEAL and manufacturer of our oil. We DO NOT buy or resell oil from other producers. FULL STOP!
Each bottle of our olive oil we produce includes the Protected Geographic Designation Symbol, which verifies the village, city and olive variety the oil originated form. Unlike the majority of brands, this means that our bottles of olive oil can be traced back to its source of origin.
This should instill confidence in the consumer because they know the origin o the olive trees.
A fresh grassy aroma finished with sweet, peppery notes is a clear indication of an authentic EVOO which is distinguishable from all other types of olive oils.
An oil that that adulterated is one in which consumers should not purchase. Phileos never mix blends our oil with others or adds chlorophyll to artificially enhance its colour. Nor do we add beta-carotene to mask the flavour of the blended oils.
Consumers can rest assured that they are buying an a genuine, authentic, superior category oil”.
Heat, direct sunlight, and exposure to air speed up the aging process of olive oil. Keeping your oil next to the stove or by a window in a clear bottle is never recommended.
Phileos product packaging allows you to maintain the quality of your olive oil because it is packed in airtight tins and dark bottles impeding degradation. However, we do suggest you keep your oil in a dark, cool cupboard in your pantry.
Olive oil naturally solidifies at cold temperatures. At about 7°C - 10°C (45°F - 50°F) the olive oil can begin to solidify, making it look cloudy or crystalized. At approximately -12°C (10°F) the olive oil will freeze and solidify.
Chilling or freezing olive oil does not affect the quality. It will return to its normal consistency after warming to room temperature.
The lower the acidity the higher the smoke point. Phileos has one of the lowest acidity levels among all EVOOs found around the world because it is a premium olive oil making it ideal for cooking.
The smoke point of oil varies with its quality. High quality extra virgin olive oils such as ours has a high smoke point, roughly between 185°C – 204°C (365°F - 400°F) depending on free fatty acid content. The ideal deep frying temperatures for those who prefer this type of cooking is between 350 - 375 degrees farenheit. Phileos falls within these parameters and should be used.
When cooking with olive oil, it is important that the oil is not heated over its smoke point (also referred to as smoking point). The smoke point is the temperature at which cooking fat or oil begins to break down. The oil smokes or burns, giving food an unpleasant taste.
Therefore, when heated, olive oil is a stable fat, which means it stands up well to high frying temperatures. The digestibility of olive oil is not affected when it is heated, even when it is reused several times for frying.
It is a myth that has been perpetuated for some time that cooking with olive oil diminishes the nutritional value of the food. This is absolutely not true! The fact is that heating ANY food will break down its nutritional value.
The task of frying food in oil with high heat breaks down the nutritional value of the oil, NOT the cooking of oil.
Cooking ANY food in moderate heat is better than frying. You can drizzle our olive oil over raw vegetables to add flavour and aid with your health.