Organic olive oil is olive oil produced in accordance with the European Regulation on organic production and the labeling of organic products (EU Regulation 2018/848).
Let's take a closer look.
What is the difference between organic olive oil and conventional olive oil?
Las Valdesas produces Organic olive oils and Integrated Production olive oils (a production system that falls between conventional and organic production). The main differences between organic and conventional production are based on the cultivation methods and the management of the olive grove, as explained below:
1) Pest Control. Organic farming does not allow the use of synthetic pesticides. Instead, alternative methods must be used, such as traps, encouraging the proliferation of natural predators of pests, the use of olive-tree varieties that are resistant to common or endemic pests, or heat treatments (such as those used against Verticillium). It is also possible to use, in a limited manner, an approved list of natural products (of animal, plant, microbial, or mineral origin) to control pests.
2) Weed Control. As with pest control, synthetic herbicides are not allowed for weed control. Some organic farmers graze herds of sheep or goats among the olive groves to eliminate weeds. This also has the added benefit of providing organic fertilizer to the soil. We cut the weeds and remove them from around the base of the olive trees using manual equipment.
3) Fertilizers. Organic olive oil farms cannot use synthetic fertilizers (Urea Ammonium Nitrate, etc.). Only organic fertilizers of animal origin (manure) or plant origin (compost) may be used. In our case, we use alperujo from our mill to produce compost, which we incorporate into the soil after a maturation period of about one year. In our experience, this is more expensive, since applying and spreading compost is considerably more expensive than applying urea through the irrigation system or by foliar application.
By meeting all of the above requirements, we are able to produce organic olives. The following measures must also be taken during the organic olive oil production process:
1) When the olives arrive at the mill and throughout the processing stage, olives and olive oil must always come into contact only with stainless steel, food-grade rubber (for the conveyor belts), or food-grade resins. We adopted these practices more than ten years ago, when we began producing Integrated Production olive oil.
2) In mills like Las Valdesas, which process organic olives and Integrated Production olives, it is necessary to maintain a strict traceability process by controlling when each type of olive is milled. This requirement already applied to our Integrated Production olive oil.
3) Analytical tests for pesticide residues are carried out to confirm that the olive oil is free of them. We have been conducting these tests for many years on our Integrated Production olive oils, and the results have consistently shown the absence of pesticide residues.
Does organic olive oil taste better than conventional olive oil?
Let's be clear on this point: We are convinced that producing olive oil according to organic farming methods does not result in higher-quality olive oil than conventional production methods.
The key factors in producing a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, such as harvesting healthy olives, picking them at the right stage of ripeness, processing them quickly after harvest, at a low extraction temperature, and protecting the olive oil from oxidation, are not determined by the organic farming method. In fact, organic farming may even make these goals more difficult to achieve.
We are convinced that an experienced olive oil taster cannot distinguish, in a blind tasting, an organic extra virgin olive oil from an extra virgin olive oil produced by conventional methods.
With other organic products, such as eggs, chicken, or meat, organic production can contribute to their quality, and consumers may be able to notice the difference. However, we do not believe this is the case with olive oil. We believe this because conventional extra virgin olive oil is already a natural food: it is simply olive juice, with no preservatives or additives.
So, why buy organic extra virgin olive oil?
We believe there are two reasons:
1) For health and food safety. By choosing organic extra virgin olive oil, you can be confident that you are consuming an olive oil without traces of pesticides or other contaminants.
2) To support environmental sustainability by choosing a production system that is more respectful of natural resources.
Are ecologic, biological, and organic olive oil the same?
Yes. All of these terms refer to the same product, produced according to the rules of organic farming.
In some countries, such as Spain, the term "ecologic" is more commonly used, while in France the preferred term is "biological". In Germany, both terms are commonly used.
European regulations recognize both the terms ecological and biological, and allow the use of both "Bio" and "Eco" on product labels.
"Organic" olive oil is used as a synonym for those two terms, although it is not included in the official European labeling.
Another term that is sometimes used is "biodynamic", originally associated with the wine industry. As far as we know, a product must first be certified as organic before it can be labeled as biodynamic.
How are organic food producers inspected?
European Regulation (2018/848) specifies that organic food producers are inspected by a certification body, that is, private companies authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture to verify that producers comply with all the requirements of the European Regulation.
These organizations request documentation from the producer and conduct field audits to detect possible fraud. They inspect machinery and equipment, and collect samples of soil, leaves, and fruit whenever necessary. They also verify the traceability of the organic olives until they are processed into olive oil and placed in storage.
The certification body that certifies Las Valdesas olive oils is CAAE (Andalusian Committee of Ecological Agriculture). Despite its name, it is a private company and is the most experienced organization in Andalusia specializing in organic farming.
Labeling of organic olive oil
The certification body's logo may also appear on the label, although its use is optional.
Las Valdesas organic olive oil
Las Valdesas organic olive oil comes from the expansion of our olive groves following the purchase of an adjoining property. It includes about 34 hectares of Hojiblanca olives and two additional plots of intensive Arbequina olive groves.
The land was purchased in 2015, and the field must be farmed for three years under organic farming regulations before its olives can be certified as organic. Therefore, beginning with the 2018/2019 harvest, we will have organic olive oil available for sale.
It will be available as a blend of the two varieties mentioned above, and only in a 2.5-liter can.
The map below shows the location of the new organic plot, highlighted in green, within our olive groves.