Dear Antony, Joao, Terry and others,

It may be of interest to you that infused oils of any form cannot be
marketed as Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or even Olive Oil), as per the IOOC
definitions of these products, which clearly state that they should
derive "solely from the fruit of the olive".

(To the established members of this esteemed group, I apologise for
harping on this subject).

I have taken this matter up with the Director of the IOOC about a year
ago, and received a prompt and unequivocal reply as to the status quo.
Infused products should, according to the IOOC, be marketed as
"Seasonings", with "olive oil" or "extra virgin olive oil" merely being
stated as an ingredient.

This sounds a bit harsh, but it is aimed at preventing the adulteration
of olive oil with anything whatsoever. The question to ask is: are we
going to bother about IOOC definitions, or not (whether we are
affiliated with them, or otherwise). My own opinion is that there should
very definitely be reliable international definitions for these
products. We are, after all, using the IOOC grades and other
nomenclature (extra virgin, virgin, pure, pomace oil, etc.) on our
labels in competing on world markets, so I think it is a bit cheeky to
select only those rules and regulations that suit us, and disregard
those that don't.

I am not a fan of the word "extra virgin", because it seems to be rather
meaningless in the English language. Maybe the Spanish translation has a
more attainable meaning. Or maybe the Spanish have highly superior
morals...

I've heard of Extra Virgin olive oils ostensibly having been made from
very, very ugly olives, or even from olives that haven't been stuffed,
but generally it is a bit of a quaint term to say the least.

I do agree with Joao insofar as infused oils are really a marketing
gimmick, and inherently contra to everything we are aiming to do in
terms of producing a top quality "extra virgin". It seems absolutely
crazy to spoil something that can indubitably stand very firmly on its
own two feet (in terms of flavour and character) with something as crude
as garlic, chili, ginger or, heaven forbid, parmesan cheese. I think we
totally underestimate the competence of (even) the average olive oil
consumer in being able to conjure up these mixes (and far more
interesting ones) in the kitchen, directly upon the dish before serving.
In this way there is absolutely no chance of any extraneous degradation
of the natural oil, and better still, no chance of encouraging the
growth of clostridium botulinum, which finds the anaerobic environment
of a bottle of olive oil a very attractive medium. One case of botulism
can destroy more than an individual Company.

Flavoured oils, as with stuffed olives, originally derived from products
that needed a flavour change. But be that as it may.

Regards,

Guido Costa
Paarl
South Africa