More than 70% of Imported Olive Oil Isn't

 

Thanks to the genuine and well known health benefits of olive oil, worldwide demand has skyrocketed in recent years. Genuine, 100% pure extra virgin olive oil is expensive, so sadly, but not surprisingly, scammers and actual criminal organizations have seized on this as an opportunity. 

Criminals in Italy and Greece have been raking in fortunes by selling massive amounts of counterfeit olive oils, mostly to North America. 60 Minutes recently cautioned that you face a "sea of fakes" when you shop for olive oil in the grocery store. Food journalist Alicia Upton reported that even in Italy up to 50% of the olive oils in supermarkets are fakes and the percentage is closer to 75% in the US market. The New Yorker Magazine reported that profits from counterfeiting olive oil are "comparable to cocaine trafficking with none of the risks."

The problem is not confined to generic brands. Colavita, Star, Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Pompeian and other name brands failed International Olive Council testing 73% of the time. Thirty-three people were recently arrested in Italy for fraudulently exporting olive oil. Investigators allege that the Calabrian mafia is a “major player in agromafia, including an elaborate olive oil scheme.” Per The Olive Oil Times, investigators report that the Piromalli clan has been, "labeling low-quality, adulterated oil products as extra virgin olive oil and exporting it to the U.S."

So what can you do to protect yourself from paying top prices for inferior oils? The North American Olive Oil Association's Olive Oil Quality Seal program conducts random testing and certifies oils shown to be genuine. You can find a list of them here. Generally, olive oils produced in California are reliable.

Such is the world in which we live.