FOOD NEWS
Why It's A Red Flag If You See Multiple Countries Listed On Olive Oil Bottles
BY KJ Lannon
Olive oil bottles should list their country of origin, but a bottle that lists multiple is a red flag, as it means the company blended olives from different areas to make the oil.
Using olives from different regions helps companies produce consistent flavors even when crops vary yearly. However, olives around the world ripen at different times.
That means blended oils use olives picked at different times. The older olives used in such oils don’t remain as fresh and lose flavor each day they spend traveling to the factory.
Older olives can lead to bland or unpleasant tastes when added to the mix. However, only one country listed on the label is a good sign, as olives in the same area ripen together.