Olive oil is bitter. Why is olive oil bitter and what should I do?

Imagine that you have brought from Spain, Greece or Italy, olive oil. Friends said that this is the product of the first pressing, made by mechanical means. You kept the gift unopened for several months until finally the bottle was uncorked. And then you are greatly disappointed: olive oil is bitter! Why this happened and what to do with it - read in this article. If the oil from the olive has a disgusting bitter taste and is cut from it in the throat, do not rush it or use it to lubricate the door hinges! We will not unreasonably long keep intrigue. You have purchased the best of all olive oil. Its bitter taste is precisely the factor that indicates its high quality.

Fresh and juices

"Only those who tried them can argue about the taste of oysters," the French say. Have you tried fresh? If so, then you do not need to explain how it differs from ordinary juice. Bright, rich taste, strong smell and ... slightly acidic. But what a surge of energy you feel when you take a glass of freshly squeezed juice! Fresh is much appreciated, because it retained all the vitamins. In ordinary juice, they are also present. But in that liquid, which is called "recovered from the powder," it is unlikely. From this example with fruits it becomes clear why the olive oil is of better quality. After all, it is essentially the same fresh. Only this juice was squeezed not out of an apple or orange, but from a green olive. And it was extracted by the antiquated method, which was used since the days of Ancient Egypt, - with the help of the usual press. But second-pressing oils obtained by heat treatment, refined, are no longer bitter. But they have fewer useful properties. After all, they lose them during chemical and thermal processing.

Why the olive oil "Extra Virgin"

In the Mediterranean countries, even children know that good olive oil is bitter. Why - this is another question, and he refers to the field of chemistry. Let's look at how the "extra virgin" (so translated its name) oil is produced. For him, they collect manually and only from the branches, green, slightly inaccessible olives. They should be selective - without bruising, dents, not shriveled, not frozen. Next is the process of processing. The fewer manufacturers will cast magic over olives, the more useful the fruits will be given to the oil. So they are only washed and sent to the press. Of course, now the donkey does not go around in a circle, so that a giant millstone rotates. The process of squeezing is mechanized, but this is the only innovation that manufacturers allow themselves in the manufacture of the Extra Virgin. As well as in good wine, elite olive oil grades have DOP and IGP certificates accepted in the European Union. These abbreviations mean that the fruits were collected in a specific, glorious region, and the production phases or the whole process correspond to the traditional one. In premium class oil, as in elite wines, the terroir, grade or blend of olives is important.

Why is olive oil bitter with the first cold pressing

Now it's time to take a short excursion into the science of chemistry. What substances give this bitter taste to the oil? First, it is transferred to the product from the olive itself. If you happen to try fresh (but not marinated) fruits, you are convinced of this. Responsible for the bitterish and slightly astringent taste, from which the throats in the throat, are polyphenols. These substances are very useful for the body. They protect cells from free radicals. Doctors call polyphenols the best for the prevention of cancer. They also play a positive role in the treatment of burns. First-class olive oil smoothes wrinkles, and with frequent use of its hair, the hair becomes thick and shiny, and the nails are strong. With so many pluses it is no longer so important that olive oil is bitter. Why not poprinimat it on a teaspoon on an empty stomach, if beauty requires victims?

What is Pure Olive Oil?

In the countries of the Mediterranean region, oils are produced absolutely without any bitterness. But they are valued less and are cheaper. "Pure olive oil" - Pure Olive Oil - can be equated to ordinary juices. Suppose you have a can of fresh fruit and five of the same containers with compote. You mix all the liquids in one vat and call the resulting composition "Just juice." Approximately the same scheme also applies to the production of "Pure olive oil". "Extra Virgin" in it - only a certain part. The main volume is a refined product obtained by chemical or thermal treatment. Polyphenols in the process of such production are destroyed, which ultimately affects the taste of olive oil. Why is this product bitter? The answer to this question can be only one: the oil has deteriorated due to old age or because of non-observance of the rules of storage.

What is Romase Olive Oil?

This is a second-pressure oil. After the olives under the press have given all their fatty juice for a first-class product, they are forced to "work" more. Fruits are exposed to high temperatures and the action of organic solvents. As a result of this extraction it turns out to get a little more oil. To increase its quality, it is added to the product of the first pressing. Very rarely this olive oil is bitter. Why? Because there are very few polyphenols. In Spain, Romais Olive Oil is used only for frying dishes, and even those that require a large amount of oil (in fryers). But it costs about two euros per liter, whereas "Extra Virgin" is usually sold for eight.

"Fuel for lamps"

Why the bitter olive oil is unrefined, we have already found out. But is it possible to get rid of this taste using the product of the first pressing? It turns out that it is possible, if subjected to the process of refining - purification. For this, olives of inferior quality are taken. They are harvested from the ground, use frozen fruit or those specimens that have not been casted in order to become raw materials for better quality oil. But squeeze such olives in a traditional way - a method of cold pressing. Of course, the spoiling of raw materials inevitably affects the taste. Previously, this oil was used for lamps and lamps. Now the need for this has disappeared. To improve the taste of this olive oil, refining is carried out. But with it, polyphenols also disappear. From such a product, mayonnaise is prepared in Spain.

So how to be with olive oil?

Let's summarize the results. In this article, we tried to answer the question of why olive oil is bitter and what to do when this happens. We dwelled in detail on the first part of the problem. But what if the oil you got is bitter? We answer: nothing. Add it to salads. You will see how exquisite will become the taste of the usual dishes. At this oil, you can and fry, although this will come a little expensive. Meat, fish and vegetables cooked in this way, will not be bitter. If you have bitterness in taste, you are unbearable, heat the product to a temperature of 60-70 degrees and mix with finely chopped garlic. The Spaniards dunk their toasted bread and eat it as a snack.