Virgin olive oil is the second-highest quality category among virgin olive oils, below extra virgin olive oil and above lampante virgin olive oil.
1) Requirements to classify an olive oil as "virgin olive oil"
To be classified as virgin olive oil, it must meet two conditions:
1.- Its acidity must be less than or equal to 2°.
2.- In a sensory evaluation, the median of the defect must be less than or equal to 2.5, and the median of the fruity attribute must be greater than zero.
Like extra virgin olive oil, regulations establish additional chemical requirements, mainly aimed at detecting possible fraud through the presence of blends with other oils.
Regarding the sensory requirements, a simple way to explain them is that virgin olive oil may have a low-intensity defect but must also have fruity aromas and flavors. If you would like to know exactly how these median values are determined, you can read our article about extra virgin olive oil.
2) Labeling
Virgin olive oils must include the following information on their labels:
"Olive oil obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means."