In its latest June test bench, “60 million consumers” points to 23 links… out of 24. Getty Images:
Finding quality “extra virgin” olive oil free of unwanted substances seems to be a difficult quest, the magazine laments. 60 million consumers in his latest testbed.
110,000 tons. This is the amount of olive oil consumed in France each year, the magazine reports 60 million consumers. Rich in essential fatty acids, this green gold is truly a health asset associated with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and “bad” cholesterol. And when it comes to getting a bottle worthy of the name in the supermarkets, connoisseurs generally turn to the “extra virgin” labels, which guarantee a product with a lower level of acidity and a better taste quality, thanks to the careful, cold pressing of the olives. and chemical free. But the reality is far from justifying these expectations. This is what the magazine regrets 60 million consumers in the June issue (1). After analyzing 24 “extra virgin” olive oils, 11 of which were labeled organic, the magazine found several compositional defects that alter flavor and can affect the body.
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Sour and musty flavors
The first observation is clear. Of the 24 references to extra virgin olive oils analyzed, half should not be mentioned, according to the journal. Indeed, if their composition in fatty acids and sterols (vegetable lipids) corresponds to the characteristics of this category, then the expected taste and smell are not there. Overall, this half of the commission was downgraded by the jury to “virgin” oil instead of “extra virgin.” 60 million consumersbecause of the sorrel, earthy, damp, even musty flavors.
According to our colleagues, these odors may be related to insufficient washing of the olives or mold growth on the olives stored in a humid environment. Among the pinned links we find links to Auchan Pouce, Puget Bio or Bouton d’or.
Presence of plasticizers and traces of hydrocarbons
If the addition of other oil or other ingredients that degrade the composition of the tested olive oils is not detected, 60 million consumers however, traces of contaminants were found. Plasticizers, more specifically phthalates, were found in 23 of the 24 references analyzed. Some of these molecules are classified as endocrine disruptors and reprotoxic (can affect fertility). “It is difficult to know the origin of pollution. tanks, tarpaulins, pipes used in storage or transportation… However, regulations prohibit the use of materials containing phthalates in the production and storage chain of fatty substances such as olive oil,” reports the National Consumer Institute.
60 million consumers Also points out five olive oils, such as those from Aldi or Bio Village, which contain traces of mineral oil hydrocarbons. These chemical derivatives are known especially for their carcinogenic and genotoxic properties. How to explain this presence? It is also difficult to be sure about the origin of contamination. “It’s almost everywhere,” says Franck Dejean, head of analysis and expertise at the Fats and Related Products Institute. 60 million consumers. Olives can be contaminated during harvesting by diesel engines and agricultural machinery lubricants, during tarpaulin storage (…), not to mention environmental pollution.”
However, the good news is that the only bottle in this test bench that can claim to be the “cleanest” shows a reasonable price of €6.99 and is found in Lidl under the link “Primadonna”.
(1) The full survey can be found in the journal 60 million consumerson newsstands now.
Source: Le Figaro
