Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the North American Olive Oil Association
A. The North American Olive Oil Association is a trade association of marketers, packagers and importers of olive oil in the United States and Canada and their suppliers abroad. The association strives to foster a better understanding of olive oil and its taste, versatility and health benefits. For more information about olive oil and the NAOOA, visit www.aboutoliveoil.org .

Q. Can any company’s product bear the NAOOA Seal?
A. No. Only members of the North American Olive Oil Association may use the NAOOA Seal, contingent upon signing a licensing agreement. Product of program participants undergoes additional testing to further ensure it meets the international standard for olive oil.

Q. What is the international standard for olive oil?
A. The international standard for olive oil was developed by the International Olive Council, an intergovernmental agency created under United Nations charter to help develop, manage and oversee the olive and olive oil industries. Two important missions for the IOC are educating the public about olive oil and creating and updating, when necessary, the international standard for olive oil. Any changes in this standard occur only after much discussion and agreement of scientists in olive oil producing countries around the world. The standard is very technical in nature. It outlines specific chemical properties of different types of olive oil.

Q. What are the types of olive oil?
A. Rather than give the scientific definition, we’re listing descriptions of the three types of olive oil typically sold in the United States.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Made from full-flavored ripe olives that are pressed immediately after harvest, extra virgin olive oil boasts a robust, fruity flavor. It has the most full-bodied taste and aroma of the olive oil varieties. Extra virgin olive oil is a superb choice for salads and vegetable dishes, for basting meats and seafood, and for seasoning soups, marinades and sauces. Also use it alone as a dip for breads. Reach for extra virgin olive oil when you desire a full rich flavor in your foods.

Olive Oil
Olive oil, sometimes described as "pure," is an excellent all-purpose cooking oil that is more golden in color compared with extra virgin olive oil. It has a mild flavor with just a hint of fruitiness. It can be used for everything, from sautéing and stir-frying, to basting grilled or oven-roasted meats, poultry and seafood. Olive oil also works well as a flavor enhancer for sauces, marinades and dressings.

Extra Light Olive Oil
Extra light olive oil, with its light golden color, is the mildest flavored of the olive oils and has just a hint of olive flavor. It's an excellent choice for all types of cooking, especially baking. It can be used in place of plain vegetable oil in most recipes. Extra light olive oil also is the best choice for high heat cooking methods, because it remains extremely stable and won't burn. Extra light olive oil has the same amount of calories and the same nutrient content as other olive oils.
Q. What is olive pomace oil?
A. Olive pomace oil is created by treating olive residue from previous pressings, called pomace, with solvents. Olive pomace oil cannot be called olive oil and does not have the flavor and many of the health characteristics associated with olive oil.

Q. Is product bearing the Seal the only product in the U.S. and Canada that meets the IOC Seal 
A. No. All members of the NAOOA agree to market product that meets the international standard and random testing is conducted to ensure that happens. Participants in the NAOOA Seal Program have agreed to undergo more frequent testing and have signed a licensing agreement that allows them to include the Seal on their packaging and other communications.

Q. How is the olive oil tested?
A. All NAOOA testing is done using only IOC-accredited laboratories. Accreditation is such a difficult process that only about 40 labs worldwide are accredited – none in the United States. The NAOOA samples are carefully packaged and given codes known only to the NAOOA staff so the labs do not know the brands of oils being tested.

Q. Why is there a need for testing?
A. Olive oil is a premium product, so there could be some who want to cut corners. Industry leaders saw the need to protect their investments and started the NAOOA in 1989. For 20 years, the NAOOA has educated consumers about olive oil and continually monitored the quality of the market so consumers shopping in grocery stores could be confident that what they read on the label is what’s in the bottle. While the NAOOA’s test results show consumers can indeed be confident, NAOOA members elected to take things further and introduce the NAOOA Seal Program.

Q. What brands of olive oil can bear the Seal?
A. The list of approved brands appears on the homepage of this site.

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North American Olive Oil Association
3301 Route 66, Suite 205, Bldg. C • Neptune, NJ 07753