From an email ad I received, but still some interesting information for those who buy olive oil:

“Don’t Fall Victim to Olive Oil Fraud” Warns 60 Minutes TV Show

Did you happen to see that powerful exposé on 60 Minutes about how the Mafia has infiltrated the food industry, especially in olive oil?

All I can say is, if you enjoy olive oil for its flavor and many health benefits, I urge you to sit down, take a deep breath, and read this message. And then make sure to protect yourself by buying authentic extra virgin olive oil, free of Mafia tampering.

Here’s an excerpt from the 60 Minutes investigative report: “Italy's olive oil business has been corrupted by the Mafia, which is making big bucks tampering with Italian food products in ways that could affect American consumers.

“The Italians call it ‘Agromafia’ and it'''s estimated to be a $16-billion- per- year enterprise. One result: Much of the olive oil we import isn'''t as pure as it seems…

“‘Olive oil fraud has gone on for the better part of four millennia,’ [60 Minutes producer Guy] Campanile says. ‘The difference now is that the food supply chain is so vast, so global, and so lucrative that it's easy for the bad guys to either introduce adulterated olive oils or mix in lower quality olive oils with extra-virgin olive oil.’"

How much harm can criminally made olive oil inflict? Here’s how journalist and olive oil expert Tom Mueller describes the dangers in his New York Times best-selling book, Extra Virginity: “True, olive oil mixed with a cheaper vegetable oil doesn't compare in danger or virulence to anthrax, botulism or salmonella. Yet how many people with a peanut or soybean allergy have become sick after eating olive oil adulterated with peanut or soy oil? Italian investigators have found hydrocarbon residues, pesticides, and other contaminants in fake oils, and pomace oil, a common adulterant, sometimes contains mineral oil as well as PAHs, proven carcinogens that can also damage DNA and the immune system. Then there's the 1981 case of toxic oil syndrome in Spain, when rapeseed oil adulterated with an industrial additive, sold as olive oil, killed eight hundred people and seriously injured thousands more. " This is why you want to be sure to avoid fake, Mafia-made olive oil.

Mafia Tampering Is Not the Only Problem

In addition to Mafia tampering, another serious problem reported by 60 Minutes is improper storage. On the surface, this may not sound like much of a problem. But remember that olive oil is a perishable food. Its delicate flavor and nutrients can be seriously degraded by heat, light, time, and exposure to oxygen. In the hands of shippers who don’t care or are just out to make a fast buck, olive oil can be exposed to these “natural enemies” everywhere along its lengthy journey from the farm to your table. Indeed, as 60 Minutes explained, “by the time this heavenly liquid reaches American shores, much of it has lost its luster.” The bottom line? 60 Minutes asked olive oil expert Tom Mueller about the impact of all these factors. Mr. Mueller estimated that “75 to 80 percent of the oil sold in the US does not meet the legal grades for extra-virgin oil.” Imagine that! According to this 60 Minutes investigation, you could be paying premium prices for extra virgin olive oil (the highest quality grade), yet getting something inferior—or even tampered with!—inside the bottle.

Shamefully, This Is Nothing New

For years, others have sounded similar alarms. For example, back in July 2010, researchers at the UC Davis Olive Center tested samples of imported olive oils. They found that 69 percent of the samples they tested failed to meet internationally accepted standards to be called extra virgin olive oil.

In the years since… NBC News has reported that “fake olive oil is rampant.” The Wall Street Journal has stated: “American grocery stores are awash in cheap, fake ‘extra virgins.’” Forbes magazine has warned: “Here’s the hard truth: the olive oil in your pantry, the one you bought for its health benefits and for some sliver of the seductive Mediterranean lifestyle, is most likely a scam.”

This Is Especially Outrageous Because…

…authentic extra virgin olive oil—the real stuff—is so healthy for you! Studies have shown that genuine extra-virgin olive oil lowers “bad” cholesterol and cuts your risk of heart disease and stroke. It can help protect you against cancer, especially cancer of the breast, prostate, and colon. It’s a godsend for arthritis sufferers because it can reduce inflammation and ease joint pain without side effects.

It has also been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of diabetes, and may even help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. If you want to avoid osteoporosis, it’s outstanding because it enables the calcium in your food to be better absorbed into your bones. Finally, it’s loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols, which help regulate your immune system and aid it in protecting your body against disease.

The Easiest Way I Know to Avoid Mafia-Tampered Olive Oils As the experts in the 60 Minutes exposé recommend, you can avoid Mafia- tampered olive oils by doing your homework online. Located around the world are quite a few good and honorable farmers who bypass the Mafia’s counterfeiting factories and instead sell their olive oils directly to consumers.

We have locally grown olive oil [for a premium, of course] but a couple things you can easily watch for is:

1) light colored bottling - WRONG, the real stuff is not going to make this mistake and
2) look at the country of origin/production. The more showing, the more likely it's been dumbed down. I think I recall you want no more than 2.

I was und the impression that olive oyl is from Chester, Ill

So I shouldn't be buying the Genco Pura Olive Oil?

I picked up some Mano Nera the other day, might have to check it out closer.

Sinatra Fan, bravo, nice job.

We have very good local EVOO. It's a bit higher in price, but worth the quality. Plus, they flavor some of their oils (bacon is one of those flavors).

I wonder how Popeye feels knowing that the mafia is tampering with his goil...

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=%2fH3KeYFQ&id=626653AF4292FD82653B79069E94742226574BD9&thid=OIP._H3KeYFQJyXPBjIss9Pk_gHaJM&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2f4.bp.blogspot.com%2f-4CYyTA3bFMk%2fTys2w5aya0I%2fAAAAAAAABhk%2fGH9OwY8pJAY%2fs1600%2fpopeye2.jpg&exph=1327&expw=1068&q=images+of+popeye+and+olive+oyl&simid=608029369576456358&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0

I've been asking Kroger to carry Georgia Olive Oil, but so far no luck. I buy California EVOO - grown and bottled in Chico, CA. It is good too.

My farmer's market carries local [Lakeland]. I could probably work it out to ship you some if you want to try it.

I may take you up on this.

What is the big deal, don't you just buy the one next to the extra large container of lard?

Walden, they have pecan oil too...I'm quite sure it's awesome on salmon and the like.

Wow - I never see little old Chico mentioned in the threads. That's where I live.

What? You mean the Crisco olive oil spray I use probably isn't real??? ::faints::

Reading this reminded me of a tour I took of Mondavi's wine facility in Napa years ago. The tour guide was a college professor and he knew viticulture, agronomy, etc very well. If you didn't know, Mondavi also grows and sells olive oil. When the tour was almost complete, I asked, "what's the difference between virgin oil and extra virgin olive oil?" The professor replied, Extra Virgin olives have never been kissed." That's all I got, but I was laughing so much, it didn't seem relevant anymore.

If you ever go to Napa, take the Mondavi tours. Whether a fan of their wines or not, they have 1st class tours and tour guides.

Thanks Hap for messing up the thread view!

I read up on this last night, and looked at some of their recipe ideas. Holy WOW~! Pecan oil has more antioxidants [by far] and a much higher smoke point than any of the other oils listed [most were].

This particular oil is produced by a Pecan Farm in Louisiana. I will be picking up some soon!

I noticed this too. What is going on?

It didn't mess with mine