Small is Beautiful

Germany’s national consumer watchdog, Stiftung Warentest, conducted tests on 19 brands sold in popular supermarkets labeled as extra virgin olive oil and found that six did not meet the required standards, exhibiting defects such as rancidity. An additional 11 samples barely met the minimum criteria for extra virgin classification. Only two samples were comfortably within the acceptable parameters. These findings suggest a decline in olive oil quality, which the watchdog attributes to factors like climate change affecting olive harvests and large scale production.

In response to these quality concerns, the watchdog encourages consumers to seek out small, privately owned olive oil producers. These smaller producers often focus on quality over quantity, offering products that are less likely to be compromised by the challenges facing larger-scale operations. By choosing olive oils from these small-scale producers, consumers can enjoy higher-quality products and support sustainable agricultural practices. To learn more about Stiftung Warentest’s olive oil testing visit this article.