THE OLIVE STING

See what the experts are saying about oleocanthal

Oleocanthal (meaning olive sting) was discovered by scientists who described the taste as a similarity between the back of the throat "burn" from both Ibuprofen (the anti-inflammatory) and in extra virgin olive oil by that nice peppery taste. Oleocanthal occurs only in extra virgin olive oil when the oil is at its freshest. So when you try Gourmet Oil & Vinegars extra virgin olive oils you will notice many of our oils are extremely pungent and throat catching, meaning that they pack an extraordinary amount of oleocanthal polyphenols.

This oleocanthal polyphenol is an anti-oxidant, which helps protect the olive oil in the aging process as well as contributes to its durability under all applications such as heat & storage. So although the oleocanthal produces a nice peppery, pungent burn at the back of the throat, this sensation can only be pronounced at the olive oils freshest and highest of quality products. As the oil ages the oleocanthal, as well as many other polyphenols will dissipate, which typically causes most grocery store olive oils, that are old and oxidized, to be deprived of any oleocanthal and most other polyphenols.

So next time you are trying extra virgin olive oils, look not so much the flavor of the oil but instead the sensation which contributes to the olive oils pungency as it hits the cough receptor in the back of the throat. This “peppery burn” in the olive oil will describe the freshness and quality of the product.