Emmeline Hess, autor en CrowdFarming Blog https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/author/ehess/ Alimentos ecológicos y de temporada directamente del agricultor Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:45:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0.1 https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/favicon-new-16x16-1.webp Emmeline Hess, autor en CrowdFarming Blog https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/author/ehess/ 32 32 The regeneration of rural Europe https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/the-regeneration-of-rural-europe/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/the-regeneration-of-rural-europe/#respond Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:40:28 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=19034 Luis Leblanc Torres from the farmer collective Alvelal Foods lives in one of the driest areas of Europe, the Altiplano of Murcia. Together with his partners in crime, they are trying to get people back to their land, to combat the rural exodus. They see restoring the land as an opportunity for giving back while also harvesting and producing food. For Alvelal, regenerative agriculture is not just a cultivation method but  a tool for the restoration of a landscape.

The question at the centre of Alvelal Foods’ activities: “How can we rebuild a society where the farmer is the protagonist?”

After all, since small producers are the ones producing most of the food in the world, it is them that, aided by support from consumers, have the power to transform our lands by transforming their way of cultivating. 

Find out about what Luis had to say about the transformative power of regenerative agriculture by tuning in!


You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/the-regeneration-of-rural-europe/feed/ 0 Plastics – The pros, the cons, the solutions https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/plastics-the-pros-the-cons-the-solutions/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/plastics-the-pros-the-cons-the-solutions/#respond Tue, 23 May 2023 16:50:38 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=18819 Life in plastic…is obviously not fantastic. And yet we can’t seem to live without it.
In this episode we talk to Garance Boullenger, Project Manager Plastics Initiative at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, about the complexities that are behind our obsession with plastic. An obsession with some impressive numbers behind it: “Every year we use around 80 million tonnes of plastic packaging.”

  • Why is plastic being “demonized” in the first place?
  • How helpful is recycling?
  • What can be done to minimize plastic pollution?
  • How is plastic related to climate change?
  • And why are the alternatives sometimes worse than the original?


Garance’s fact-based approach provides us with eye-opening insight on what is probably the most controversial material out there.


Tune in to find out more!


You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/plastics-the-pros-the-cons-the-solutions/feed/ 0 The drought issue https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/the-drought-issue/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/the-drought-issue/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 12:57:22 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=18774 If you live in Europe, chances are you have pondered the drought that has hit the South particularly hard this last Winter and Spring, especially because it had already been weighing heavily on our minds since last summer. The month of April was the hottest and driest April registered in Spain, and in certain regions of France, the ongoing drought crisis has been the longest on record. In fact, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of France and certain areas in the South of Spain such as Malaga, there hasn’t really been any rainfall of consequence for over a year now. In the North of Italy there was a 40% decrease in rainfall in 2022 and 2023 is off to a bad start, resulting in water storage levels that were not even half as high as normal and dried out lakes and rivers. In France, it did not rain anywhere for 32 consecutive days in January and February – the longest dry spell in winter since monitoring began in 1959.

But it’s not just the South of Europe that has been affected – even normally water-abundant countries such as Austria have been struggling due to not only the heat and drought crisis of the summer of 2022, but also this past dry winter and early Spring. The lack of snow and rain has taken its toll on the already eroding soils of large parts of our continent. And while April and May have finally brought rain to Italy and Austria at least, the sudden intense downpour paired with the lack of the soil’s capacity to absorb it is resulting in flooding and therefore turning out to be a poisoned gift. Italy has gone from having too little water to having too much practically overnight.

Image taken from the technical Report “Drought in Europe March 2023” by the EU Joint Research Center


Meanwhile, in the hard-hit regions of Spain and France, water is already being rationed, a few months before summer has even started. A situation that is already difficult for the general public is more than just disastrous for the local farmers – it can rob them of their very livelihood. Because nothing grows without water – not vegetables, not fruit, not cereals. And this should worry us all. 

But we don’t want to be fatalistic or alarmist, we prefer to look at the potential solutions and what we can learn from what nature is telling us. Having deeply reflected this topic, we have identified a few points that we would like to shed some light on:

  • We need to accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture immediately – the reversal of land degradation (and stopping it from getting that far in the first place!) will be a top priority for CrowdFarming going forward, keeping in mind that one of the keys to maintaining water resources efficiently are our soils.

  • The water resources we do have need to be managed more efficiently. As an example, we can find some efficient irrigation techniques in Spain,  where we can find dryer regions used to going long periods without rain. Our farmers implement practices such as drip irrigation, systems that prevent run-off, respecting contour lines, use of sensors so that the irrigation is as precise as possible and never wasteful. 

  • Water allocation in regions under water stress should follow a “need” versus “want” principle: Perhaps it is time to favour sustainable food production over perpetually green golf courts; and preferably before a drought crisis is already on hand.

  • All activities exacerbating climate change should be reflected – let’s  do our part in curbing CO2 emissions and fight to maintain the temperatures so crucial for a balanced ecosystem



But first things first:

Understanding the situation

In order to understand the drought situation in Europe, it must be borne in mind that there are three different but related types of drought: 

  1. Meteorological: Rainfall deficit (water in the atmosphere)
  2. Hydrological: Deficits of flow or storage in natural watercourses and bodies of water (surface water).
  3. Agricultural: Deficits in soil moisture (water in the soil)

Normally, meteorological drought – meaning lack of rainfall – is the main trigger for the rest. However, high temperatures and unsustainable farming contribute to aggravating the consequences of the former. 

The World Meteorological Organization defines drought as ”a prolonged dry period in the natural climate cycle that can occur anywhere in the world” and ”a slow on-set phenomenon caused by a lack of rainfall”. This means a “real” drought does not occur just because there is no rain for a few months. It is a creeping process. This means that a drought is something that should not overtake a country by surprise, as the respective State Meteorological Organization normally measures rainfall and water levels over time. It also means that something can be done in terms of preventative measures – especially in the fields of water management, but also within the sectors that are highly affected by drought, such as agriculture. Being mindful of what researchers and data are telling us and monitoring the situation on both the political, governance side and the farmers’ side could help mitigate the severity of a drought and its consequences. 


Image taken from the technical Report “Drought in Europe March 2023” by the EU Joint Research Center



The contributing factors

→ Global warming

While it may be a case of stating the obvious, it does need to be mentioned: The high temperatures are one of the major factors contributing to the drought’s effects, causing water evaporation and further stressing plants and animals alike. Records show that heatwaves in Europe significantly increased between 1951 and 2017, leaving water reserves severely depleted. Precipitation is overall more spaced out and tends to be intense when it does occur. While there seems to be a clear trend in some regions – such as certain areas of France, Italy and Spain, as mentioned above, no clear pattern has emerged yet, making our weather quite unpredictable.

However, the current drought crisis has a clear correlation with human activity: There is ample scientific evidence (see the annual IPCC report for example) that emissions (caused mainly by the energy industry, but also by transport and industries such as food and fashion) have not only caused but are accelerating global warming. The occurrence of extreme weather conditions and prolonged drought periods falls within the possible scenarios that the scientific community has been warning us about. 

→ Soil degradation

According to the EU Soil Observatory, near 60% of our soils are either already degraded or in an unhealthy state.

Land degradation is directly related to water cycles, through processes such as soil erosion. Extreme water conditions can cause soil erosion by removing the fertile topsoil and exposing the remaining soil, so that it becomes highly vulnerable to the elements. On top of decreasing agricultural productivity, erosion increases the risk of occurrences such as landslides or floods.

Healthy soils play a vital role when it comes to water management:

  • They filter water, trapping pollutants and preventing them from leaching into the groundwater.
  • They capture and store water better, avoiding for it to run-off together with nutrients contained in the soil and protecting soils from eroding. 
  • They minimize surface evaporation, reducing the need for irrigation.

Intensive and conventional agriculture contributes to soil degradation due to heavy machinery and tilling, use of fertilizers and pesticides and soil exposure to direct sunlight via deforestation.

If you have to remember one thing of in all of this: Take care of the soil. Support those who take care of the soil. There is a lot at stake in keeping the world below our feet alive. 





The possible solutions


For us as farmers and members of the food industry, the main contribution we can provide, on top of efficient water management, is to implement regenerative practices – mulching, cover crops, minimizing tillage and increasing organic matter – to encourage water retention in the soil. 

Other measures we – as a society, as voters, as companies, as consumers – can actively pursue include:

– Reduction of food waste, so that we only use water to produce the food we are going to consume. Let us not forget: One third of the food produced globally ends up lost or wasted – more so in the case of fresh food. 

– Avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals, fires, and deforestation that degrade the soil and work against water retention. Choosing organic products or those in conversion to organic and, if possible, products produced through regenerative practices. 

The situation of our farmers

In the case of our farmers specifically, they can only use their own water resources – which vary considerably, as they might have their own reservoirs where they collect rain water or their own wells – as well as the water resources allocated to them by official organisms. When both their own water resources and the water resources allocated to them on a municipal level are depleted, as was the case for some of our farmers in the especially hard-hit regions of the South this Spring already, this simply means that they cannot irrigate anymore and thus lose their crops or experience a significantly reduced harvest.  

This is why we had fewer avocados or oranges available than usual at this time of the year – the season was simply cut short. Luckily, even in the South we do have a lot of farmers – in Granada for example – that have so far not been significantly affected by the drought.

Our farmers benefit from having healthier soils and being very resource-conscious.  In Spain, all of our farmers have learned to avoid over-irrigation and to make due with reduced amounts of water even before the drought crisis hit.




The million-dollar drought question

As a consequence, should we stop cultivating water-intensive crops?

There is no easy answer to this question. While it is true that there are crops that cannot be solely rainfed in some regions, there are certain foods that are more in the public eye than others when it comes to their water consumption.   

There is a reason why it makes sense to cultivate these irrigated crops in the South of Europe: it is quite simply the only region of Europe where it is possible to cultivate them. The alternative would be importing them from overseas, and becoming dependent on food imports from overseas cannot be the answer to food security in Europe.

It is also important to keep a few facts in mind: According to the Water Footprint Network, the production of 1 kg of bovine meat requires a whopping 15,000 litres of water.  No crop comes even remotely close to that number. And within the world of crops, a lot of very common cereals also require more water than many types of fruit, including avocado or oranges. There is also the nutritional value of the food we are producing to consider, especially in comparison to water need. 

We also need to remind ourselves: Any and all plants need water. Where there is no water, there is no life. So let us focus on managing our water resources more efficiently, sharing knowledge, supporting regenerative agriculture and questioning the water use of industries that are not vital for our survival.

And, remember, the life below your feet is key for all of the above.




Sources:

  • Water scarcity conditions in Europe | Water exploitation index plus (8th EAP)
  • IPCC 2022
  • FAO Campaign Materials | World Soil Day, 5 December
  • World Meteorological Organization
  • Soil erosion must be stopped ‘to save our future’, says UN agriculture agency | News.un.org
  • Conservation Agriculture as a Sustainable System for Soil Health: A Review | Mdpi
  • Which foods need the most water to produce? | World Economic Forum
  • Erosion in Europe – Projections by 2050 | ESDAC – European Commission
  • Europe’s Water Crisis: From Overshadowed to Potentially Catastrophic | European Journal of Development Studies
]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/the-drought-issue/feed/ 6 B Corp – Greenwashing or game changer? https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/b-corp-greenwashing-or-game-changer/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/b-corp-greenwashing-or-game-changer/#respond Tue, 25 Apr 2023 18:00:33 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=18393 B Corp is a global certification that certifies the social and environmental impact of a company, aiming to change the economic system towards accountability and a stronger community focus.  More and more conscious consumers are looking out for the circled B on websites and products to determine whether a company is sustainable. But how easily is the certification handed out? What does B Corp really stand for?  And how do they make sure that they’re not being used for greenwashing?


Maria Correa, Head of Communications and Community Engagement at B Lab Europe answers all of this and more in a candid discussion about the advantages and limitations of B Corp from both a company and a consumer perspective.  


Tune in to find out all you need to know about the B Corp label and what it stands for.



You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/b-corp-greenwashing-or-game-changer/feed/ 0 A love letter to millet –  the forgotten power crop https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/a-love-letter-to-millet-the-forgotten-power-crop/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/a-love-letter-to-millet-the-forgotten-power-crop/#comments Mon, 10 Apr 2023 19:59:50 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=18248 While there are thousands of plants we could derive food from, only a small number of crops are being cultivated to fill our bellies nowadays and we are making limited use of even that. Case in point: Millet. To promote its use as an alternative to more popular crops such as rice and wheat, the UN has chosen 2023 as the year of the small albeit powerful grain that many of us seem to have forgotten.

The reasoning behind the UN’s choice is clear: Changing climatic conditions require us to adapt our nutritional and agricultural practices to ensure food security and mitigate the myriad environmental problems we are facing. Millet, as a grain that is less affected by high temperatures and drought than other crops, could be on track to become our new favourite food source. It also happens to be highly nutritious and very versatile in the kitchen!

An old friend 


Although millet has since been forgotten, it was actually one of the first plants humans decided to cultivate. Supposedly its cultivation started around 3500-2000 years BC in Asia, but was later replaced by wheat and rice. No one quite knows for sure how millet ended up in Europe, but it has been around for thousands of years and once played an important role in our diet. While there are many different varieties of millet, there are two types of the plant (which is classified as a small-seed domestic grass) that are cultivated on the European continent: Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum). As millet has a short life cycle, meaning it is grown and harvested in the same season – usually in the summer –  it is perfect for crop rotation with other cereals. Its growing period is a mere 40 to 90 days and once harvested, millet can be stored for a long time. Paired with its easy management and good return, this is probably why it was so popular with our ancestors. 


A hero to the people and the environment


One of the reasons why millet is a great crop is the fact that it can adapt to almost any type of environment. It does not discriminate between altitude, climate or soil conditions and is a valuable addition to both human and animal diets. Although it of course needs water in some capacity – like all plants do – it needs much less water than its cousins (aka other grains). The pearl millet variety for example is especially tolerant to extreme heat and drought, which makes it a top contender for assuring especially the African continent’s food security. Millet also requires less use of fertilizers and pesticides and its cultivation therefore tends to contaminate the soil and groundwater much less than other types of (conventionally grown) crops. 

A nutritional powerhouse


Millet might be the least exploited grain, but it is one of the most significant in terms of minerals, vitamins and protein content. What makes it especially powerful when it comes to nutrition are, among other aspects, its abundant phenolic compounds, its high levels of fiber and calcium. Overall, it is quite a unique grain regarding its nutritional properties, and is a food staple on the Asian and African continent. Millet is also a very interesting option for celiacs as it is gluten free! 

A great kitchen companion


Millet, just like other cereals like rice, has a very neutral taste and is easy to cook. You simply add the desired quantity to a saucepan and bring it to boil, then leave it to simmer for around 15-20 minutes. Once the water has been absorbed, you should take it off the stove and fluff it and let it sit for around 10 more minutes. It can then be served as a side dish, mixed with vegetables or other ingredients or even used as a base for a bowl or a salad.

You can make creamy millet by cooking it with a little more water and adding (plant-based) cream and/or cheese to it or add milk and cook it a little longer (about 30 minutes) to make porridge. There are plenty of recipes out there showcasing the many facets of millet.


We highly recommend checking it out!


Discover our regenerative millet project
]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/a-love-letter-to-millet-the-forgotten-power-crop/feed/ 1 Dismantling the cheese issue https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/dismantling-the-cheese-issue/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/dismantling-the-cheese-issue/#respond Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:18:57 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=18148 Did you know that stricter animal welfare regulations can actually accelerate the increasing expansion of factory farms? 

The topic of animal products has become a subject of heated discussions in the past decade. There’s a seemingly unbreachable chasm between vegans and meat lovers, farmers and politicians, climate scientists and nutritionists. While we do not sell meat at CrowdFarming, we do sell cheese. We are often confronted with whether that choice is in keeping with our sustainability ethos both internally and externally. This is why we invited experts from two sides to discuss the different aspects of animal husbandry and cheese production: Cristina Domecq, our Sustainability Director, and Antonia Herm-Stapelberg, our Farmer Analyst and daughter of dairy farmers. They help us dismantle the two main issues – environmental impact and animal welfare – but also touch upon the social implications and what the reality for our farmers looks like.



Although the topic is complex and very controversial, we did our best to answer all of the most common questions we receive regarding milk production, including:

  • Is there a distinction between organic and non-organic in terms of animal welfare?
  • Why are the young separated from their mothers right after birth?
  • What is the difference between cheese from the supermarket and CrowdFarming cheese?

Listen in to find out more! 

You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/dismantling-the-cheese-issue/feed/ 0 No dig – healthy soil, happy gardener https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/no-dig-healthy-soil-happy-gardener%ef%bf%bc/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/no-dig-healthy-soil-happy-gardener%ef%bf%bc/#comments Tue, 07 Mar 2023 15:45:46 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/es/?p=17951 Charles Dowding, award-winning organic gardener, book author and creator of the “No Dig” method has a recommendation that will make all those looking to grow their own food very happy: leave your soil alone!

In this podcast he explains to us why that is, what’s most important for our soil to be healthy, how to treat it and how to achieve a bountiful harvest without using any chemicals. 


We also get philosophical and talk about our food system, whether food security can be achieved through organic food production and the importance of educating youth. 

Did you know that gardening can improve both your mental and physical health? 

Tune in to find out how your gut is related to gardening, how the No Dig method works and more!

You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/no-dig-healthy-soil-happy-gardener%ef%bf%bc/feed/ 2 Growth for good? https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/growth-for-good/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/growth-for-good/#respond Sat, 11 Feb 2023 12:31:12 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=17864 In this episode, Alessio Terzi, Economist at the European Commission and author of “Growth for Good” talks about how we can reconcile economic growth with sustainability. While circularity and phasing out fossil fuels are important pillars of a green economy, we also need a determined society that demands to put nature first: “We need action from all sides”.

Some major questions we discuss include:

  • How important is the role of policy to achieve a “green economy”?
  • Can new sustainability-oriented business models thrive in the current socioeconomic (inflation!) climate?
  • How is the war on Ukraine affecting the “green transition”?


One thing is for sure: “We cannot continue down the current growth model.” But the good news is: the “green” option is becoming increasingly attractive and is making more and more economic sense.

Tune in to learn more!

You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/growth-for-good/feed/ 0 Saving food, avoiding waste https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/saving-food-avoiding-waste/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/saving-food-avoiding-waste/#respond Mon, 23 Jan 2023 15:39:16 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=17728 A shocking third of all the food produced worldwide is thrown away, while millions are starving. How did we get to this point? Why is it so hard to avoid food waste? And what is the difference  between food waste and food loss?

In this first episode of the second season of our podcast, Too Good to Go’s Helena Calvo shares her perspective with us and explains what the company is doing to make an impact.  We discuss the complexities of the food waste issue, where most of it occurs, its relation to emissions, why households are not necessarily to blame and what we can all do to better the appalling inefficiency of the food system. To put it in Helena’s words: “It’s nonsense!” 

Considering the fact that there is no consensus on what actually constitutes food waste and the blind spots when it comes to tracking food loss (food waste at origin) the problem is certainly not an easy one to solve, but initiatives such as Too Good To Go are a good start.

Listen in or watch the episode to learn more!


You can download the episodes of our podcast in audio format on all of the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, ApplePodcasts, you name it) or here.

]]> https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/saving-food-avoiding-waste/feed/ 0 Things you should know about olive oil https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/things-you-should-know-about-olive-oil/ https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/things-you-should-know-about-olive-oil/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2023 12:27:56 +0000 https://blog.cf-tech.link/blog/en/?p=17564

Surprisingly, although it has become a staple in many European households, quite a lot of myths and misconceptions prevail when it comes to olive oil. Can I fry with it? Can I bake with it? What's the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil? Miguel Abad, expert, helps us clarify some of the main points that you should be aware of when buying some of that liquid gold.]]> Surprisingly, although it has become a staple in many European households, quite a lot of myths and misconceptions prevail when it comes to olive oil. Can I fry with it? Can I bake with it? What’s the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil? 

Miguel Abad, expert, helps us clarify some of the main points that you should be aware of when buying some of that liquid gold.

What is the quality of an olive oil based on? 

There are two fundamental aspects to the quality of an oil:

  1. Volatiles, i.e. the aromas it has (of which fruitiness is the main one).
  2. Phenols, i.e. the polyphenol content (the precondition of which is a healthy fruit in perfect condition).

When the oil is being created in the olive (as the lipid biosynthesis, the lipogenesis, is already constituted) the ripening process begins. In this maturation process there is a quality formation curve (so to speak) and there is a peak at which the oil already has the highest fatty oil content and the highest physico-chemical and organoleptic quality. This point coincides with a maturity index and the formation of oil in the olive. From a certain point of maturity – this is measured by the colouring of the fruit – the quality starts to drop. 

It is always advisable to buy oil of the year and never – if possible – to use oils from past seasons. The oil is a juice and should be bought fresh if possible, to avoid getting an oil that has already lost its qualities and becomes rancid faster.

Green olives – making for the highest quality oil


What is the difference between “normal” olive oil, virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil? 

The maturity index is one of the differences between virgin and extra virgin olive oil. But the main difference is the state of health of the fruit. If the fruit is affected by pests and diseases, the oil extracted from it cannot be classified as an extra virgin olive oil. Depending on the intensity of the defects, it will be considered virgin. This classification depends on the health of the fruit and the maturity index. 

When the damage to the fruit is very severe, the resulting oil has major defects. These are organoleptic defects – in aroma – and there are also chemical defects – altering both the acidity and the peroxides. When this alteration is serious, the oil obtained from this olive cannot be bottled directly. This oil, which regulations prohibit from being bottled directly, is taken to a refinery, where its undesirable smell, colour and flavour are removed by chemical and physical processes. The chemical alteration (acidity, etc.) is neutralised with chemical products. The oil resulting from this refining process is simply called olive oil (neither virgin nor extra).

Once refined, this oil remains a neutral fat – all (poly)phenols and all flavourings have been destroyed. In other words: the two fractions that classify virgin oils have been destroyed. And, in order to be able to sell it to consumers, a small amount – between 5% and 10% – of virgin or extra virgin olive oil is added. On the label, where the ingredients are indicated, it says: virgin (or extra virgin) olive oil and refined olive oil. This oil is no longer olive juice, it only contains a percentage of 5-10% of olive juice, which can be virgin. Only virgin and extra virgin oils are considered olive juice – and they are bottled directly from the fruit.

Fun fact: The chemical composition of virgin or extra virgin olive oil in terms of fatty acids is the same percentage as the fat in mother’s milk. That means that our body is perfectly adapted to this type of fat and it can already be fed to six-month-old babies. 

What makes for the defects in olive oil?

Pests that affect the fruit, malpractice in processing, poor harvesting, olives that are collected from the ground – all this causes defects. The weather and temperatures also affect quality and taste a lot.

If the tree has suffered hydric stress for example, the oils have a higher polyphenol content – they are more bitter and spicy and have less aroma. Water is important for quality control and stability, but low temperatures are also important, for example during harvesting. If the olive freezes, the volatiles disappear, the pleasant aromas disappear. The weather can thus have a a positive or negative effect, each year is different.

Different types of olive oil


Is cold-pressed olive oil of superior quality?

Nowadays there are very few companies that extract oil “the old-fashioned way” using presses. It is an obsolete practice that resulted in oil with less aroma and less quality. These days, olive oil mills use centrifugation systems to extract the oil from the fruit. A centrifuge is used which separates the oil by weight difference. What used to be called cold pressing is now called cold extraction. 

There is a regulation that establishes that up to 27 degrees centigrade, anything extracted below this temperature can be called cold extraction. For the production of top-of-the-range oils, the very best extra virgin olive oils, much lower temperatures are used – 27 degrees is already much higher (6 or 7 degrees) than usual for the elaboration of top quality oils. But this does not apply to all extra virgin oils. There are extra virgin olive oils that can be worked at 28, 29 degrees. But when an extra virgin oil is made at 28, 29 degrees it has a lower quality, as the intensity of the fruitiness, for example, is lower.  At a certain temperature, the quality starts to decrease, but up until that point there is a significant difference between maximum quality and minimum quality within the extra virgin olive oil category. 

What is the difference between conventionally and organically grown oil?

The difference between one and the other lies in the respect for the environment. From the point of view of intrinsic quality and taste, no difference has been scientifically demonstrated. But there is one significant fact that can give us a clue: in the last 10 years, many of the finalists or even award winners (such as this year’s Spanish Ministry of Agriculture prize, one of the most prestigious prizes in the world) have been organic oils. Apart from this, organic olive growing is also observed to have better tolerance to pests and diseases and better adaptation to climate change – to water stress for example.  Trees that rely on chemicals develop far fewer natural defenses. 



A popular myth: Is it possible to fry with olive oil?

Any burnt oil contains compounds that are unfit for consumption. However, olive oil withstands high temperatures well – extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point (= when it burns) of 215 degrees. However, the ideal temperature is 180 degrees and it is preferable not to overdo it. With virgin olive oil you can fry several times (without exceeding 210+ degrees) without risking the appearance of polar compounds. With sunflower oil you cannot fry so many times. In fact, Dr. Martínez-González, a world reference in nutritional health and author of the PREDIMED study, recommends the exclusive use of virgin or extra virgin olive oil for cooking (and in general). And yes, it can also be used to make cakes, and following the Mediterranean diet it is preferable to butter. 

Among other things, virgin (extra) olive oil penetrates less into the food being fried (compared to seed oils).  However, when frying, the polyphenol fraction and volatiles are degraded, which means that the oil loses a large part of its benefits. 



How many olive varieties are there? 

There are hundreds of varieties of olives. In the Valencian Community alone, for example, there are 54 autochthonous varieties, but some 74 varieties are cultivated. In Spain, where most of the world’s olive oil is produced, there are more than 250 varieties. The varieties vary according to the country of cultivation and the growing areas. Although the autochthonous varieties are completely different, there are popular varieties that are cultivated all over the world, which are the varieties with a high level of rusticity (which gives them a tolerance to certain types of soil, different types of climate, etc.). But in general the olive tree adapts to many types of soils and climates, and is therefore cultivated in several countries. The main varieties in Spain are Picual, Hojiblanca, Cornicabra and Arbequina, which occupy the largest surface area. In Italy, for example, the main varieties are others, such as Coratina, Moraiolo, Frantoio or Leccino and in Greece the most popular varieties are Kalamata and Koroneiki. 

Which is the best variety?

There are some varieties which, in terms of polyphenol level and volatile content, are almost always at the top in competitions: Picual, Hojiblanca, Cornicabra, Coratina and Frantoio. What is valued in an oil is its complexity. The notes of each variety are very different, the Picual for example has very intense and complex notes that usually taste bitter and spicy due to the high polyphenol content. The softer Arbequina variety can also be very complex, depending on the processing system etc. but it is much less bitter, much less spicy, because the polyphenol content is much lower. The taste depends very much on the chemical composition. Normally, olive oils that have a high linoleic content and a high polyphenol content are intense oils that harmonise very well with intense foods and withstand oxidation and high temperatures very well. For milder foods, such as steamed fish, fresh cheeses, sauces, desserts or salads, a mild oil is more suitable. For the preparation of mayonnaise, for example, we recommend an Arbequina or a Sevillenca, varieties that have a high linoleic content and that give off the aroma of the extra virgin olive oil without altering the flavour too much. 

How do I know which variety to buy? 

Extra virgin olive oil is like wine – you don’t stick with just one. We recommend tasting one oil from each of the three categories that are awarded – the three types of olive oil: bitter-green, sweet-green-fruity and ripe-fruity. In general, any oil that is classified as a pure extra virgin olive oil can be considered a good olive oil. Within extra virgin, we recommend you try varieties that are very distinct, to taste the differences – with Picual, Arbequina and Cornicabra and you would have three totally different varieties for example.

 When tasting, keep in mind that bitterness and spiciness is a positive attribute because it indicates that the oil is rich in phenols, which is an indicator for its healthiness.

What’s the deal with unfiltered olive oil?

Unfiltered oil contains moisture and impurities. This moisture and these impurities ferment and alter the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the oil.  Extra virgin oils must be filtered immediately.  The shelf life of an unfiltered oil is much shorter, as the fermentation process starts after only one or two months. Fermentation alters the aroma, taste and chemical components of the oil, making it unfit for sale. It also contains water, which means that it is not pure olive juice.

Unfiltered (left) vs. filtered olive oil (right)


Let us know if you are left with any questions!


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