How to properly store olive oil and at what temperature
Not everyone knows how to properly store olive oil. When returning from the store, many put perishable foods in the refrigerator. You can't do this with an olive vinaigrette. In the cold, it thickens, loses its aroma, white flakes appear in the liquid. Better to keep it in a dark glass bottle in the room. You can put the oil on the shelf of your kitchen cupboard and close the door tightly.
How to choose the right one when buying
The most delicious is olive oil made in Mediterranean countries - in Italy, Greece or Spain. It differs in taste and color. Greek olive spice has a honey flavor, golden hue and fruity aroma. Spanish is slightly bitter and resembles fresh olives. Oil from Italy has a mild, pleasant aftertaste and a light herbal aroma.
This product is also manufactured in Türkiye, Israel, France, Syria. The flavor and color of olive oil depends a lot on the variety of olives and the climate in which they are grown.This product is sold in dark glass bottles or tin packaging. The plastic container can hold refined or diluted oil.
Before buying an olive dressing, it is advisable to decide what it is for.
This product is used for the preparation of salads or for frying. Extra virgin oil is sometimes compared to fresh fruit juice. It is mechanically pressed from whole olives. It does not contain any additives or preservatives and the acidity does not exceed 1%. This oil is used in cooked dishes and for seasoning salads. You can't fry on it.
Virgin oil is obtained from the second cold pressing. This product has a pleasant taste and aroma, and the acidity does not exceed 2%. Used to season vegetable and fruit salads.
Refined olive oil - refined oil. Usually meat, fish and vegetables are fried in it. This product does not have the same intense flavor and aroma as virgin oil. The acidity should not exceed 3 percent. Manufacturers often write on the label what their product is used for. When buying olive seasonings, you should always consider the date of production. Unlike wine, this product loses its valuable properties over time. Typically, the highest quality olive oil has a shelf life of 18 months.
It is totally impossible to see the color of a product in a dark glass bottle. You can consider oil at home only by opening the cap. A quality product has a golden color. If the seasoning is greenish or gray, then it was made from overripe olives.
Points to remember when buying olive oil from the supermarket:
- before buying your favorite gas station, you need to study the whole range;
- high-quality dressing should be in a dark glass bottle;
- it is better not to take a spilled product more than a year ago;
- the manufacturer and the packer must be in the same country;
- it is better not to react to the action, usually in this way they try to sell products with an expiration date.
If a poor quality product was originally purchased, there is no point in worrying about its safety. You should always remember that good olive oil is expensive and comes in branded stained glass bottles.
How to store after opening at home
Store-bought olive seasoning should not be refrigerated. There it will become cloudy and a sediment will appear at the bottom. True, if you return the product to room conditions, the transparency will be restored, but the taste will deteriorate. It is better to put it on the table, but away from the window and the stove or on the shelf of the kitchen cabinet.
It is undesirable to open the bottle from time to time - with frequent contact with air, the olive product acquires a bitter taste. You can pour an amount from a large bottle into a smaller container and use it while cooking. Room conditions are ideal for storing this product.
The main thing is that the temperature does not fall below +7 and does not rise above +25 degrees Celsius. The bottle containing the olive oil must always be closed. Do not leave too long contact with the air.
Optimal storage capacities
A quality product is sold in bottles of dark, preferably thick glass. In such containers, the beneficial properties and taste of olives are preserved for a long time. No manufacturer will package this product in plastic containers. Olive oil will quickly lose all of its valuable properties.Even pouring seasoning into a plastic container is undesirable. The best storage option is a tinted glass bottle.
Dark and thick glass
In such a bottle, the olive product is protected from the sun and any foreign smells. Natural oil in the original, unopened container under optimal storage conditions will retain all of its beneficial properties for over a year. Even an open container of thick dark glass will not allow the product to deteriorate for a long time.
Tin packaging
Usually, olive oil is sold in such a container of the best quality. It's not always convenient to use a tin can, but tin does no harm. You can pour olive oil into a glass bottle, preferably dark in color.
Stainless steel
You can pour olive oil bought in a supermarket into a special stainless steel container with a dispenser. True, such a container has only a steel plate. Inside the container is an ordinary glass bottle that does not interact with the product. Dispensers are on sale in household goods stores.
How to choose storage space
Olive seasoning is not an entirely familiar product for us. Usually housewives use sunflower oil. It is kept in the kitchen cupboard. The same goes for the olive vinaigrette. This oil should not be placed in the refrigerator, on the windowsill or near the stove. Improper storage location will lead to the fact that the product will quickly lose its beneficial properties. In addition, the color and taste of this Mediterranean seasoning will change.
Closed from light
Better put the bottle in your kitchen cupboard and close the door. This product not only likes sunlight, but also electric light. It is better to wrap a clear glass bottle with foil. If your home has a dark, cool cupboard, you can store the olive dressing there. True, the air temperature should not fall below 12 degrees Celsius.
No temperature fluctuations
This product does not like sudden temperature changes. Do not put olive oil near a hot stove, near a radiator, and do not store it in the refrigerator. The optimum temperature for successful storage is + 14.5… + 20 degrees Celsius.
Limit interaction with oxygen
Always keep your bottle of olive oil closed. It is desirable to minimize contact with oxygen, otherwise bitterness will appear. Air accelerates the oxidation process. You can pour the required amount from the main bottle into a smaller container and use it while cooking.
How much can be stored optimally after opening
This dressing for various salads contains the most valuable substances that cannot be replaced by anything. If the oil is closed and is in its original packaging, then with proper storage all the vitamins and trace elements in it are preserved for a long time. The shelf life of an opened bottle is sharply reduced - up to 30 days. It is advisable to use this vinaigrette with olives within a month.
True, even after 3 months the oil will not deteriorate, it will simply change the taste, lose some of the nutrients, and the aroma will not be so intense.
Cold room
Modern household appliances help keep many produce fresh.However, it is better not to hide the olive seasoning in the refrigerator. If the storage temperature drops below +7 degrees Celsius, the olive seasoning will become bitter, lose its flavor, and the liquid will become thicker and white flakes will appear in it. In this case, the shelf life will not increase or decrease.
True, unfavorable processes begin if you keep this filling in the cold for 14 days. It's best to keep the oil in your kitchen cupboard behind a closed door. It should be in a dark glass bottle. Admittedly, this recommendation only applies to virgin oil, refined oil can stay cold as long as you want.
How to freeze
Like any oil, olive oil can also be frozen. True, in a home freezer it will not freeze, but will become thicker. Freezing has almost no effect on taste and color. Such oil can be stored for more than a year. However, after thawing for 24 hours, the product will lose about half of its useful properties.
Freezing is often used to test the authenticity of the oil. A natural product becomes thick at negative values and a sediment appears at the bottom. At room temperature, the original consistency returns. It is better not to get carried away with freezing olive oil, even in one room it will not deteriorate for a whole year.
Tips & Tricks
Olive oil is sometimes called Provençal condiment. This product belongs to the number of perishables. After opening, it is advisable to use the contents of the bottle within one month. True, the product will not deteriorate even after six months, it will simply lose many of its useful properties.
The main thing is to keep the Provencal seasoning well.
The main enemies of the product are oxygen and light. It is they that lead to the appearance of bitterness. Better to hide the seasoning in the kitchen cabinet and close the door tightly. The bottle must always remain sealed.
It is not recommended to freeze olive oil, it is not recommended to put it in the refrigerator. At low temperatures, it loses its aroma and sweet taste. It is advisable to keep the Provençal seasoning indoors, in a tightly closed container of dark, thick glass.