molecules. Producers usually blend such
refined or “pure” oil with some virgin oil to
give it flavor.
Storing Olive Oil The fact that virgin olive
oils are unrefined has both desirable and
undesirable consequences. Of course the
beautiful color and rich flavor are great assets.
The oils also contain significant quantities of
antioxidant substances — phenolic
compounds, carotenoids, and tocopherols
(vitamin E and relatives) — which make them
more resistant than other oils to damage by
oxygen in the air. However, the same
chlorophyll that colors them also makes them
especially vulnerable to damage by light,
whose energy the chlorophyll is designed to
collect. To prevent “photooxidation” and the
development of stale, harsh aromas, olive oil
is best stored in the dark — in opaque cans,
for example — and in cool conditions, which
slow all chemical reactions.