EU limits for extra virgin and virgin olive oil
| Parameter | Extra virgin | Virgin | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free acidity (% oleic acid) | ≤ 0.80 | ≤ 2.0 | Condition of the fruit and speed of milling |
| Peroxide value (meq O₂/kg) | ≤ 20 | ≤ 20 | Early oxidation |
| K232 | ≤ 2.50 | ≤ 2.60 | Primary oxidation products |
| K268 / K270 | ≤ 0.22 | ≤ 0.25 | Secondary oxidation; refining |
| ΔK | ≤ 0.01 | ≤ 0.01 | Presence of refined oil |
| Fatty acid ethyl esters (mg/kg) | ≤ 35 | — | Fermented or damaged fruit |
| Median of defects (panel) | 0 | ≤ 3.5 | Sensory defects |
| Median of fruity (panel) | > 0 | > 0 | Positive olive fruitiness |
Source: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104. Always check the current consolidated text; limits are occasionally amended.
Lot checker
Copy the values from the certificate of analysis and see them against the quality limits of Regulation (EU) 2022/2104.
Example values to try the tool. They do not belong to any lot.
Enter your analysis values to see the result.
Indicative: it compares the Annex I quality criteria only. The legal grade also requires the purity criteria and a test by a recognised tasting panel. It does not replace an accredited laboratory.
The eight EU olive oil categories
EU law defines eight categories. Only four may be sold to consumers.
| Category | How it is obtained | Retail sale |
|---|---|---|
| Extra virgin olive oil | Mechanical extraction only; top chemical and sensory grade | Yes |
| Virgin olive oil | Mechanical extraction; minor sensory defects allowed | Yes |
| Lampante olive oil | Virgin oil not fit for consumption without refining | No |
| Refined olive oil | Refined from virgin oils | No |
| Olive oil — composed of refined and virgin olive oils | Blend of refined and virgin oils; acidity ≤ 1.0% | Yes |
| Crude olive-pomace oil | Extracted from olive pomace with solvents | No |
| Refined olive-pomace oil | Refined crude pomace oil | No |
| Olive-pomace oil | Blend of refined pomace oil and virgin oils; acidity ≤ 1.0% | Yes |
What each parameter means
Free acidity
The percentage of free fatty acids, expressed as oleic acid. It rises when olives are damaged, over-ripe or wait too long before milling. It cannot be tasted: a 0.2% oil is not "milder" than a 0.6% one. Low acidity is necessary for extra virgin, but not sufficient.
Peroxide value
Measures the first products of oxidation. It increases with exposure to oxygen, light and heat — during storage, filling and transport.
K232, K270 and ΔK (UV absorption)
Spectrophotometric readings in ultraviolet light. K232 tracks primary oxidation; K270 tracks secondary oxidation and also rises when oil has been refined; ΔK detects the characteristic signal of refined oil. Together they are the best chemical indicators of ageing.
Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE)
Formed when fruit ferments or is poorly stored before milling. A high value points to low-quality fruit, even if the oil is otherwise within limits.
Panel test
A sensory assessment by a trained, accredited panel following the International Olive Council method. Tasters score defects (such as fusty, musty, winey or rancid) and positive attributes (fruity, bitter, pungent). Extra virgin requires zero defects and some fruitiness.
Purity criteria
Beyond quality, the regulation sets purity limits — fatty acid composition, sterols, waxes, stigmastadienes and others — used to detect blending with other vegetable oils or with refined and pomace oils. Ask for them when you buy from a new source.
How to read a certificate of analysis
A useful certificate of analysis (COA) for olive oil shows:
- Laboratory name and accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025 for the methods used)
- Sample reference that links to the lot on offer
- Sampling date and analysis date
- Methods used (EU or IOC official methods)
- Each result with its unit, next to the legal limit
- Panel test result, when the sensory category is being certified
Check the dates: a certificate from months ago describes the oil as it was then, not as it is on the day you buy.
Why an extra virgin oil can stop being extra virgin
Oxidation does not stop at bottling. Peroxide value, K232 and K270 slowly rise, fruitiness fades and defects such as rancidity can appear. An oil that starts close to the limits — or is kept in light or heat — can drop to virgin before its best-before date. For a buyer this means two things:
- Compare margins to the limits, not just compliance. An oil at K270 0.12 has far more headroom than one at 0.21.
- Protect the oil: dark glass or tinted PET, cool storage, minimal headspace, rotation by lot.
Regulated label terms
- "Cold extraction" — only for oil obtained below 27 °C by percolation or centrifugation.
- "First cold pressing" — only for oil obtained below 27 °C in a first mechanical pressing with a traditional hydraulic press.
- Acidity on the label — only together with peroxide value, wax content and UV absorption, as expected at the best-before date.
- Tasting descriptors — only when backed by a sensory panel assessment.
How Iberian Olive uses this
Every Iberian Olive offer states the legal category, harvest and lot, and comes with the certificate of analysis of that lot; the sample you approve is drawn from it. The figures in the tables above are the legal ceilings, not an Iberian Olive specification — the actual values are in each offer.