Olive Oil Acidity Explained: Why 0.36% Is a Good Number

Olive oil acidity measures how much the oil's fats have broken down into free fatty acids. It's a sign of how carefully the olives were handled. Extra virgin olive oil must be 0.8% or lower, and the best oils are well under that. Ours measured 0.36%.

What free acidity actually is

Olive oil is mostly made of triglycerides, which are fatty acids bound together. When olives are bruised, left too long before milling, or damaged by pests, those bonds start to break and release free fatty acids. Labs measure this as a percentage, expressed as oleic acid.

The legal limits by grade

• Extra virgin olive oil: 0.8% or lower, plus no taste defects
• Virgin olive oil: 2.0% or lower
• Lampante oil: above 2.0%, not fit to eat without refining

Can you taste acidity?

No. Free acidity has nothing to do with sourness or a sharp taste. A bitter, peppery oil isn't acidic, and a mild oil isn't necessarily low in acidity. It can only be measured in a lab.

Why lower is better

Low acidity points to healthy olives, picked carefully and milled quickly. Those same conditions protect flavour and polyphenols. That's why low acidity usually goes hand in hand with a fresher, better oil.

What 0.36% tells you

Our oil measured 0.36% free acidity in an independent lab test, less than half the extra virgin limit. Its peroxide value of 7.06 (the limit is 20) and polyphenols of 687 mg/kg confirm a fresh, carefully made oil. See the full lab results.

Quick answers

Does acidity rise over time? Only slightly in a sealed bottle. Freshness is lost mainly through oxidation, which is why peroxide value and polyphenols matter too.

Is 0.2% better than 0.4%? Both are excellent. Below about 0.5%, other measures such as polyphenols and taste tell you more.

Try our lab-tested extra virgin olive oil.