Tip of the Day: Store your extra virgin olive oil appropriately

by Max Shrem, Posted Aug 2nd 2008 @ 9:01AM

When purchasing an artisanal extra virgin olive oil, people tell me completely different ways to store it. While some urge me to refrigerate it, others argue that refrigeration spoils the oil's flavor.

Olive oil being sold at a stall at the Borough Market in London

Ideally, extra virgin olive oil should be stored in a tinted container with a tight cap at 57 degrees Fahrenheit and away from direct sunlight. In this condition, it will last for about 15 months, possibly longer. However, for many of us without wine cellars, it's not easy to keep our olive oil at a fairly constant temperature. The goods news is that keeping it at a normal room temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit works well too. This is because of the presence of natural antioxidants.

Why should I avoid storing olive oil in the refrigerator?
Drastic changes in temperature tarnish the flavor of extra virgin olive oil. This is precisely why it's pointless to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil for cooking. You miss out on the oil's unique aroma and piquancy. When olive oil is refrigerated it congeals and solidifies. Yes, it's true that when you take it out of the fridge it will return to its liquid state. Nevertheless, its flavor will not be the same. Every time you take olive oil in and out of the refrigerator, it loses its uniqueness.

When is it appropriate to refrigerate olive oil?
Refrigerating olive oil can prevent it from going rancid. If your entire home is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit and there's no place where it can remain at a constant cooler temperature, it's wise to use refrigeration. Also, if you have a large amount of olive oil that you do not plan to use for over ten months or more, you'll want to refrigerate it.

Words of advice:

Place your olive oil in a kitchen cabinet away from the stove and oven.
Store it in tinted glass or porcelain. Stay away from plastic containers as the oil can absorb the chemical polyvinyl chloride.
Make sure that the bottles are tightly sealed. An airtight container works best.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day, Food Politics, How To
Tags: olive oil, OliveOil, storage, tip of the day, TipOfTheDay

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-03-2008 @12:23PM mick said... I've a question:

For those of us with small kitchens (NYC here, but it has a window!) and EVERYWHERE is close to the stove (cabinets), or sun from the window (shelves)...short of traveling around the room taking scientific measurements with a thermometer...

Can anyone make experiential suggestions that have worked? Or comment on how violating one or the other "rule" has worked out? I really don't want to refrigerate for reasons above. (Wacky fridge that has to be seriously regulated with a thermometer.)

disclaimer: newbie foodie; Slashfood is a resource for learning to treat food better.
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