Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil, and what makes it valuable compared to other vegetable oils is its unparalleled taste combined with its high nutritional value. Most impressive of all, however, is that its aromatic notes and remarkable bioactive properties come from only 1-2% of its composition.

The quality criteria for the correct classification of olive oil are derived from its chemical analysis and organoleptic evaluation (smell and taste) in order to ensure its quality. The International Olive Council (IOC) and Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 on the characteristics of olive oils clearly define the criteria for classifying each oil.

The organoleptic characteristics of olive oil are divided into two categories, as defined in the general basic vocabulary of the IOC (IOC/T.20/Doc. No.15) and are incorporated into Regulation (EEC) No.2568/91 and its amendments (Annex XII 1991/2568/2016).

Annex VII (Part VIII) to Regulation (EU) No 1308/ 2013 explicitly provides for the descriptions and definitions of olive oils and olive-pomace oils, while the same Regulation describes the marketing standards for the four edible categories of olive oil marketed within the countries of the European Union Union.