Olive Oil: Herbs and Aromatics infused in EVOO is Changing the Olive Oil Market
Herbs and Aromatics infused in EVOO is Changing the Olive Oil Market
Flavored oils have a long history, with ancient civilizations using them for a variety of purposes. Today, the market for flavored olive oil is experiencing strong momentum and is expected to double in the next decade, driven by consumer preferences for gourmet products and the health benefits of olive oil. However, critics argue that flavored olive oil may perpetuate misinformation about fraud and adulteration of olive oil.
As oliveoiltimes.com reports in an extensive article, in the Hebrew scriptures, God told Moses to anoint the priests with olive oil flavored with myrrh and cinnamon. The ancient Greeks also offered flavored olive oil to their gods.
Molecular analysis of Roman tombs has also shown that olive oil infused with cinnamon, pine resin, frankincense, or myrrh was poured over bodies before cremation or burial.
Significant Growth on Infused Olive Oil Sales predicted
Two recent reports predict that the market for flavored olive oil will double in the next decade, growing from $1.29 billion in 2024 to $2.47 billion by 2033.
Market research group Dataintelo cited the growing consumer preference for gourmet foods, the versatile culinary applications of flavored olive oils, and the growing awareness of olive oil’s health benefits as the main reasons for the popularity of flavored olive oil.
By comparison, separate data predicts that the entire olive oil market will grow more slowly, from $15.11 billion in 2024 to $19.77 billion in 2032.
While many producers see flavored olive oil as a way to diversify their product portfolio, other experts worry that the growing segment could prevent consumers from learning about the many natural flavors of minyak zaitun extra virgin.
“A lot of people still need to be educated about olive oil,” said Amy Riolo, a self-proclaimed olive oil enthusiast, co-author of Olive Oil for Dummies and award-winning chef.
“When we introduce flavored olive oil, people forget what extra virgin is and what polyphenols are,” she added. “They still won’t know anything about what makes a good quality extra virgin olive oil and all the different flavor nuances you can get from different varieties.”
Flavored Olive Oil: methods and processes
Flavored olive oil is a broad category that encompasses several production methods, including oils flavored with extracts, infused olive oils, and those made by blending olives with other ingredients.
Blending olives with other fruits or herbs is especially popular in southern Italy, where olives are blended with citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons.
“The best results come from using the whole fruit, not just the peel,” says Riolo. “That way, you get the juice and all the health benefits of the fruit. It’s the most honest, intense flavor that remains authentic.”
“If I’m making a fish recipe that calls for orange or lemon, then [blending olive oil with other fruits] eliminates an ingredient, but I know I’m still getting the real flavor of the fruit and the olives,” she added. “It’s a win-win situation.”
“It makes the process in the kitchen faster and easier, so I can justify it,” Riolo continued. “But if it’s an artificially flavored olive oil with a lemon flavor, I would rather add fresh lemon zest or juice separately.”
Dangers of naturally flavored olive oil at home
While co-processed oils must be produced in a mill, anecdotal evidence suggests that more people are making naturally flavored olive oil at home by infusing herbs or vegetables.
However, Amy Riolo warned that this method can be dangerous if done incorrectly. “If the herb has not been adequately processed, washed, or dried before use and simply not placed in the olive oil bottle, then there is a risk of certain bacterial infections.”
He advises adventurous home cooks making naturally flavored olive oil to ensure that all ingredients going into the oil are sterilized and dry before steeping.
In addition to co-processed and infused variants, olive oils blended with flavor extracts are commonly found on supermarket shelves.
Criticism
Nancy Harmon Jenkins, producer and author of The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, is very blunt in her criticism of flavored olive oil.
“It’s a gimmick. It’s not real. It plays on the public’s ignorance and anxiety,” she said. “I don’t like the flavor in my olive oil. If I want the lemon flavor in my salad, I add lemon juice to it.”
Harmon Jenkins added that in her experience, flavored olive oil is less versatile than extra virgin olive oil for cooking.
“In my very limited experience, the flavor disappears quickly and is not incorporated into the product,” she emphasizes, adding: “If you want rosemary flavor in your dish, add rosemary, not rosemary-flavored olive oil.”
“I know I’m a snob, but someone has to stand up for the standards,” she said.
A matter of name
Despite its criticisms, the popularity of flavored olive oil continues to grow. However, a long-standing debate continues over the product’s nomenclature.
By definition, any quality of olive oil, including extra virgin, is a single-ingredient food and cannot contain additives. “Flavored oils cannot be considered olive oils” and cannot be labeled as such under the rules of the Majlis Zaitun Antarabangsa, former executive director Abdellatif Ghedira told Masa Minyak Zaitun in 2018.
Some critics argue that since flavored olive oil is by definition adulterated — to be made impure by the addition of foreign ingredients — its producers may be perpetuating common misinformation about olive oil fraud.
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