According to reports, up to 70% of olive oil sold in U.S. shops is fraudulent, since it has been diluted with cheaper, inferior oils such as canola and sunflower oil!
One of the things we view as the healthiest and a cure-all for longevity, in particular, has been tainted. It has been discovered that seven of the major olive oil manufacturers in the United States have been cutting their goods with cheaper oils in order to decrease production costs.
This is comparable to what happened in Italy in 2008, when over 400 police officers participated in a huge crackdown known as “Operation Golden Oil.”
This resulted in the seizure of 85 oil farms that added certain amounts of chlorophyll to sunflower and canola oil and then marketed it as extra virgin olive oil.
After that, the oil was blended, tinted, perfumed, and flavored. These facts prompted the Australian government to launch an inquiry into their own olive oil business, and the results were disastrous.
Following the testing, none of the products marketed as “extra virgin olive oils” received the 2012 certification for being a pure olive oil.
Because of these frauds, the University of California studied 124 imported brands of extra virgin olive oil and determined that more than 70% of the samples failed the test.
These are the manufacturers’ names:
- Carapelli
- Mezzetta
- Pompeian
- Mazola
- Primadonna
- Colavita
- Sasso
- Antica Badia
- Star
- Whole Foods
- Felippo Berio
- Safeway
- Coricelli
- Bertolli
On the other hand, the following brands are trustworthy:
- Lucero
- McEvoy Ranch Organic
- Corto Olive
- Omaggio
- Bariani Olive Oil
- California Olive Ranch
- Lucini
- Ottavio
- Cobram Estate
- Olea Estates
- Kirkland Organic
You may also test the olive oil you already have at home. Put the bottle in the fridge for 30 minutes, and if it begins to harden, it signifies the oil is pure, since it includes a lot of monounsaturated fat.
If, on the other hand, it does not harden, it is a forgery. However, to be certain, seek for official government stamps of certification on the label, such as “Australian Extra Virgin Certified” and “California Olive Oil Council Certified Extra Virgin.”
We feel it is past time to take a stance and stop funding the crooked industry of chemical additives, GMOs, and harmful substitutes. Let us respect our health as much as our money and fight for what we pay for.
Furthermore, we must work to restore the integrity of the olive oil business worldwide.
Source: livetheorganicdream.com
