How to Detect and Avoid Olive Oil Fraud

Food fraud is one of the oldest commercial issues known to humankind, and its primary motivation has been to generate greater profits by using cheaper substitutes. Food fraud is often concentrated in high-value, widely consumed products such as olive oil, honey, milk, spices, coffee, and tea, as well as certain types of meat mixed with other substances. Olive oil tops this list; it is considered one of the oldest forms of food fraud in history, given its high nutritional value and high price. By 2026, detection and analysis methods had advanced, but fraud methods had also evolved in an alarming way. Adulteration typically involves adding cheaper vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and cottonseed oil. Additionally, old or rancid oil may be added to be repackaged and sold as new. It is important to read the label affixed to the front and back of the package; the front may state that the oil is “virgin,” while the back lists other ingredients indicating the presence of oils mixed with the virgin oil, without specifying the actual blending ratios. Pomace oil is also sometimes added; this is oil extracted from the remains of the pressing process, such as pits and husks, using chemical solvents, and is then sometimes marketed as virgin oil. Some fraudsters resort to using additives that give inferior oil an appearance suggesting quality and freshness; such as adding chlorophyll to give it a green color and deceive the consumer into believing it is “first-press,” as well as using beta-carotene to give it an attractive golden color, and falsifying the country of origin and source of production. Therefore, I advise anyone buying olive oil to keep the following tips in mind: Make sure to read all the information printed on the front and back of the package. Buy oil packaged in dark glass or tin containers, and avoid transparent plastic bottles. Compare prices carefully; if the price is unusually low, it is best to avoid purchasing it. Check the harvest date and expiration date, and verify that the label indicates the “country of origin” and not just the “country of bottling.”