The Definition of “Cold Pressed”

In the old days, olives would be “pressed” between stone wheels. This is where the term “Cold Pressed” comes from. Majority of oils are now centrifuged. Up to 14-18% of an olive is oil. You could increase the amount of oil you get from the olive if you heat up the pulp. However, by doing […]

In the old days, olives would be “pressed” between stone wheels. This is where the term “Cold Pressed” comes from.

Majority of oils are now centrifuged. Up to 14-18% of an olive is oil.

You could increase the amount of oil you get from the olive if you heat up the pulp. However, by doing this you decrease the quality of the oil. This is because the Polyphenols would drop and the free fatty acids would rise. In other words, the subtle flavours in the olive oil would drop and the amount of rancidity will increase.

While we are not aware of local (South African) farmers heating their pulp, the threshold above which pulp should not be heat is 30°C, which is a summer day in February or March. Some might therefore argue that the refining of cold-pressed oil doesn’t change the fact that it was cold pressed.

It is our humble opinion however, that because the process of refining oil involves heat, regardless of the weather, the oil therefore loses its cold-pressed status.