Honey muffin

http://youtu.be/Xa55AY8FSE8?t=1m43s

Bhut Jolokia - Morouga scorpion - Habanero

Jamie Kocher, ceo of the Waimea Bay Chili Pepper Company, and www.BambooandTikis.com, eats the largest and most spiciest part of the Bhut (Naga/Ghost) Jolokia Chili Pepper and this old man almost dies.
The Bhut Jolokia holds the Guinness Book of World Record's title as the hottest pepper.
 Jamie personally grows these peppers organically in Hawaii. For hours he writhes in the burning pain from the back heat of the world's hottest pepper.
To purchase organic seeds or learn more about the chili pepper health benefits, or how to grow them please visit
http://www.TheHottestPepper.com

• Chocolate Bhut Jolokia testde snacksandsuch 

• Trinidad Scorpion Morouga - New World's Hottest Chilli

• 9 year old kid eats Moruga Scorpion pepper like a champ!

• Habanero challenge destroys bald guy, Hot pepper for 20$

Feines aus Bayern und Schwaben

... und beim Italiener (Türken)
Es ist mager! Es ist... gesund!
[Es magro... Es saludable!]
http://youtu.be/w7UDGVo6Glg

Cereals -The food that make Billions

94% of us have a box of cereal in our kitchen cupboards, but a century ago, nobody did. This is no surprise due to the fact that more money is spent on advertising cereal than on any other food. This documentary explores the history of cereal. Where it all began, how it became a household item and the role that advertising played in its success.

Cocinar en la evolución

Platos toscanos

http://www.oliveoilsource.com/recipes.htm

Recipes Using Olive Oil:

Spreads and appetizersSoupsSaladsMain CourseDesserts
Olive Oil Table Spread
Margarine/Butter to Oil Conversion Chart
Links to recipe sites using Olive Oil

Spreads and Appetizers

Fettunta (Tuscan Garlic Bread)

Toast old bread, preferably over an open fire, rub it with fresh garlic - the toast will act as a grater, and season with salt and pepper
Drizzle freshly pressed olive oil over it.

Olivada

An Italian olive spread, which is generally a simple combination of pureed Italian black olives, olive oil and black pepper.

Caper and Olive Oil tapenade

5 Tablespoons Capers
1/2 cup Green Olives
2 flat Anchovy Fillets - more to taste
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarsely chop the ingredients or blend in a food processor.  Spoon over slices of French bread or use as a dip

Caponatina

You can eat this bruschetta style on toast points or topped over pasta. Will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator

• 4 medium eggplants peeled and diced
• 4 onions sliced
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 12 green olives
• capers
• 12 large black olives pitted and diced
• 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
• 1/2 cup wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 4 stalks celery diced

Fry eggplant in 1 cup olive oil until browned. Remove from skillet
Add onions, browning gently over medium heat in another 1/2 cup olive oil.
Add tomato sauce and celery and cook until tender.
Add capers, olives and pine nuts, and the fried eggplant.
Heat wine vinegar  and sugar until dissolved. Add this to eggplant mixture
Salt and pepper to taste.
Allow to simmer until flavors mix

Keke

Chef Ira Meyer offers this recipe to showcase a pungent premium oil:
Servings: 4

A raw tomato sauce with many uses; can be used with 1 pound of cooked pasta then served either cold or just with the heat of the pasta.  Can be used as a bruschetta mix; make the recipe then add 1/2 tsp of hot red pepper flakes and drain off the liquid before using.  Can be used as a sauce for grilled chicken or halibut steaks. Great over poached eggs instead of hollandaise in Eggs Benedict.

• 4oz Premium Extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 pound tomatoes, very ripe
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
• 10 leaves basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Coarsely chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl.  With a gloved hand or a potato masher, crush the tomatoes to help release some of their juices.  Add the rest of the ingredients mixing well, allow to marinate at room temperature 2-3 hours covered before using.

Salads

Panzanella (Tuscan bread and tomato salad)

Take brown bread torn in chunks, soak in water, then wring dry.
Add shredded basil, finely chopped onion, ripe sliced tomatoes, olives and capers and a few anchovy fillets

Penne al Pomodoro Fresco

12 oz dried penne pasta (about 8 cups cooked)
1/4 cup B.R. Cohn Balsamic & Herb Kipping Oil
1 lb (about 3 cups) cherry or Campari tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cook penned according to package directions.  While past is boiling, shake the B.R. Cohn Dipping Oil until thoroughly mixed and pour 1/4 cup into large serving bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes or quarter the Campari tomatoes and toss with basil in the dipping oil.  Drain pasta and add to the bowl; toss well with grated parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-5. Compliments of Christine Vestfals, B.R. Cohn Olive Oil Co.

Soups

Zuppa di fagioli (bean soup)

Add white beans boiled in plenty of water spiced with garlic, sage, and salt to a bowl with a few slices of toasted bread. Season with salt, pepper and lots of olive oil.

Ribollita (leftover soup)

Sauté onion, garlic, Swiss chard, carrots, celery, and sliced potatoes.
Add to white beans prepared as for bean soup above.
Simmer ingredients together.
Layer the mixture in a tureen with lightly toasted bread.
The bread soaks up the liquid leaving a dish the consistency of thick stew.
Drizzle olive oil over at the table 

Soup Sandwich

A classic Italian dish from Umbria. A hearty vegetable and ceci ( chick pea) soup. Put a piece of bread in the bottom of the bowl. Plenty of good olive oil over the top. Some soup over that. Another layer of bread. More olive oil. More soup on top again. This is the classic version but we sometime change the ceci for lentils.
High energy snacks we use during the olive harvest. Cheers Brian Chatterton

Main Courses

Tuscan Strata: (Serves 10 people)

Oil a large baking dish.
Line bottom with 10 pieces of sliced French bread (cut off crust).
Layer bread with shredded cheddar, then a layer of chopped green & black olives, pimentos, onion creating your own Italian salsa (save 10 tablespoons of mixture for garnish).
Sprinkle garlic powder & Italian herb seasoning on top.
Optional add chopped Italian Salami, or ham or bacon.
Cover with 10 pieces of French bread (cut off crust)
Add a light cheese layer on top bread, jack or Parmesan work well.
Beat 1 dozen eggs with 3 cups of light milk, & pour around the bread.
Press each individual Tuscan layer down with a spatula, enough to cover with the egg mixture.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, until souffle'd and bubbly.
Cut and loosen from baking dish and neatly place serving on center of each plate.
Place a tablespoon of reserve olive mixture upon each serving
Drizzle a sharp Tuscan oil over the top
Dust borders of plates with chopped Italian parsley & serve.
From Celeste Carducci of McClelland-Priest Bed & Breakfast Inn 

Pasta with lemon olive oil

Serves 4-6 people

Zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 large garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme or basil
Salt and freshly coarse ground black pepper
1 pound favorite pasta

You can used a lemon olive oil or add the lemon: Zest or grate the lemon and combine with the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves, olives, thyme, and the salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl.  Toss the hot cooked pasta with the sauce.

 

Desserts

OIL OF JOY Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

• 2 C granulated sugar
• 3/4 C OIL OF JOY TM Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Large eggs
• 3 C all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 C fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 C sour cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• OIL OF JOY TM Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a pump sprayer
• 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 4 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350.Beat first 2 ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until well-blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries in a small bowl and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in blueberry mixture, lemon juice and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch bundt pan sprayed with a coating of OIL OF JOY Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and drizzle over warm cake. Yield: 16 servings.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 5 large eggs beaten
• 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water lightly beaten for glaze
• 1/4 pound whole almonds toasted for 5 minutes on a cookie sheet then finely chopped
• 1/4 pound semisweet chocolate, shaved or diced

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine ingredients and mix well to a soft dough.  Divide into 3-4 pieces, shaping each into a roll.  Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with beaten egg water and  bake 15-20 minutes until golden.  When cool enough to handle, cut diagonally into pieces. place back on cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes longer.  store in airtight container for up to a week.
 

Extra Rich Brownies

Brownies were tasted at an Olive Oil Culinary Guild meeting in Sonoma.  We tasted five oils and four chocolate brownies made with olive oils.  The oils were all rated favorably by members of the group.  Of the brownies, the favorite by far was the one made with Orange Olive Oil produced by Nick Sciabica & Sons.  The least favorite turned out to be the one made with real butter!  So for a healthier and tastier brownie, substitute olive oil for butter.

Adapted from The Art du Chocolat by Robert Linxe

Makes: 20 small brownies Preparation: 20 minutes   Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
 

2 1/2 cups	Walnut pieces
1/2 lb	Bittersweet chocolate
	(4 ounces maracaibo, 4 ounces ordinary)
14 Tbl	Butter
or 10 Tbl.	Olive Oil - try the orange oil
4	Eggs
3/4 cup	Ground Almonds
1 cup	Granulated Sugar
l tsp	Baking Soda
1/2 cup	All purpose Flour

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x10-inch rectangular baking pan.
2.   Coarsely chop the walnuts. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in the top of a double boiler to melt. Add the butter or olive oil and stir to blend. Remove from the heat. Set aside.
3.   In another bowl, combine the eggs, ground almonds, and sugar. Add to the melted chocolate and stir to blend.
4.   In another bowl, combine the baking soda and flour. Sift into the chocolate mixture. Stir to blend. Add the walnuts and stir again.
5.   Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove pan from the oven. Let stand for 5 minutes, then un-mold onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Cut into 3” squares for serving.

Tip:      These are best served cold.

Links to recipe sites using Olive Oil

La Cucina Italiana - magazine
The Italian Culinary InstituteCucina Italiana online - excellent articles and recipes
Arabic Recipes from Arabic News.com
Armenian Recipes from Ohan
A taste of the Mediterranean - Greek olive oil recipes
Mrs. Gee's Focaccia Bread
Turkish Vegetable dishes in Olive Oil
Hunkar's Turkish recipes - Artichokes in olive oil, kidney beans in olive oil
Iranian/Persian recipes
Broccoli with olive oil
Greek Olive Oil RecipesTuscan Bean Soup

Margarine/Butter to Oil Conversion Chart

butter/margarine =1 teaspoon = 1 tablespoon = 2 tablespoons = 1/4 cup = 1/3 cup = 1/2 cup = 2/3 cup = 3/4 cup = 1 cup =

olive oil3/4 teaspoon 2 1/4tsp 1 1/2 tablespoons 3 tablespoons 1/4 cup 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons 1/2 cup 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon 3/4 cup

Olive Oil Table Spread

500g of butter or margarine
1.5 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (Make sure it is fairly light-flavored oil, otherwise the oil will overwhelm the butter taste)

Beat the butter in a food processor or Mixmaster until softened, then gradually add the olive oil.
When it is all completely blended, it will be quite pourable.
I pour it into 500 ml containers and put lids on, then store them in the fridge.
When cold it is quite hard.

Variations: You can add some milk to make it go a bit further - up to 1/4 cup for this quantity. We make winter and summer blends too. The recipe above is for winter. In summer I use only 1 cup of olive oil, because the spread becomes too soft when it is left out in warm weather."

Margaret Chidgey, editor of the journal of the Australian Olive Association 

Curado de olivas y sus aceites

Curing olives

Green ripe olives:

Lye treated green olives - This recipe courtesy U.C. Davis publications
A. Lye treatment - lye can be purchased at hardware stores. Don't use an aluminum pot or it will leach out the zinc

- Soak 12 hours in lye solution - 4 tablespoons lye in 1 gallon cold water. (Solution should not be over 64 to 70 F before adding olives.) stir occasionally.
- Drain, and soak 12 more hours in fresh lye solution. Cut into a large olive - lye will change the flesh to a yellow-green, penetrating to the pit.
- If the lye has not penetrated to the pit, soak an additional 12 hours in a fresh lye solution.

B. Rinse

- Rinse in cold water
- Soak 6 hours in fresh, cold water.
- Change the water and soak 6 hours in fresh cold water, repeating four times a day for 4-8 days, until there is no lye taste

C. Preservation

To keep up to 2 weeks:

Brine cure l. Cover with salt brine - 6 tablespoons salt per gallon of water. Let stand 2 days. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.

To keep longer than 2 weeks:

Brine cure ll.
Step 1. Cover with salt brine - 13 tablespoons salt per gallon of water. Store 1 week.
Step 2. Cover with fresh salt brine - 1 pound or 1 2/3 cups salt per gallon of water. Store in a cool place, preferably a refrigerator. Use    within 2-4 months. Before eating, soak olives overnight to remove excess salt. Use with 3 days after soaking.

Pickling. Prepare a vinegar-water solution - equal parts vinegar and water. Add salt to the vinegar-water solution: ½ to 1-cup salt per gallon - do not omit salt as it prevents bacterial growth. Add garlic an spices if desired. Cover tightly and store at room temperature. Good for 4-5 months at room temperature or 10-12 months in the refrigerator.

Stan's Green Olives (and half ripe ones)

Any variety - Collect olives by hand in a clean plastic bucket to
prevent bruising.
Day 1 Wash in running water. Add boiling hot water and allow to soak for 24 hours.
Day 2 Pour off cold water add more boiling water
Day 3 Pour off cold water add more boiling water
Day 4 Pour off cold water. Place the olives into clean jars. add a mixture of brine and white (or any other type) vinegar in the proportions of 3 to 1 by volume

Brine = 10%w/v salt in water that is 100grams/litre of final solution

Fill jars well and add a layer of olive oil.

We eat the olives by both methods after one week. When the olives are at
their most tastiest they have all gone!

courtesy Prof Stan Kailis, University of Western Australia, Perth WA

Some web sites with green olive recipes:

http://www.volcano.net/~dkglomski/olive1.html

---------------------------

Oil Cured Greek Style Olives

This is one of several recipes from U.C. Davis publication 2758 - Home Pickling of Olives.  Go to "Books" for ordering information

It is usually best to prepare Greek-style olives from mature olives that are dark-red to black. Mission olives are commonly used, but any variety will do. Use smaller olives because larger ones get soft. The olives will become shriveled since they are salt cured. These olives are salty and slightly bitter, and you may have to acquire a taste for them.

How To Prepare

Cover the bottom of a wooden box with burlap. Weigh out 1 pound of salt for each 2 pounds of olives. Mix the salt and olives well in the box to prevent mold from developing. Pour a layer of salt over the olives to a depth of 1 inch. CAUTION Place the box outdoors so that the brine formed will not ruin the floor.

After 1 week, pour olives and salt into another box, then back into the first box to mix them. Repeat this mixing process once every 3 days until the olives are cured and edible. This usually takes about 30 to 35 days.

Sift out most of the salt through a screen. Dip the olives momentarily in boiling water. Drain. Let them dry overnight.

Add 1 pound of salt to each 10 pounds of olives. Mix and put the olives in a cool place. Use within 1 month, or store in a refrigerator or home freezer until used. Just before using, coat the olives with olive oil. Do not use oil if you plan to use the olives for cooking. To coat with oil, put them in a large pan or box and sprinkle a little olive oil over them. Work the olives with your hands to coat them with oil. This type of olive is useful for flavoring stews, tamale pie, spaghetti, and as a relish eaten out-of-hand.

Stan's Black Olives

Day 1 Wash in running water. Place in flat trays (large surface area)
or plastic ice cream containers. Add boiling hot water and allow to soak for 24 hours.
Day 2 Remove cold water and add dry salt
Day 3 Onwards - mix well and keep adding dry salt
After about a week water comes out of the olives - pour off
Total salt = about 15% OF THE OLIVE WEIGHT IE 150 To 200 grams
Test - wash salt off olive and taste. When the salt has penetrate into the olive, wash off salt and add olive oil.

Prof Stan Kailis, University of Western Australia, Perth WA

===========================
Flavored Oils

Our friend Tony Pennisi at Big Paw Grub makes some excellent infused oils using dried wild herbs. He says that the intensity of the flavor varies with the season, whether the herbs are wild or domestic, how the local growing conditions have been, etc. etc. It takes a lot of trial and error. Its more art than science and the people who are good at it are reluctant to share their trade secrets. The oil will pick up the flavor fairly quickly, in the first few weeks, and then slowly intensify. Its OK to leave the herbs in for a long time, eventually all the flavor leaves the herbs and the oil flavor stabilizes. Most oil sellers keep it simple and use one herb at a time. I have seen smoke flavoring added to an herb or peppers added to any one of the herbs. When mixing herbs, think salad dressing. Look at some recipes for dressing and substitute the dried herbs for any fresh herbs called for in the recipe. A dipping blend is like an Italian dressing with much more oil than vinegar. Flavored olive oils and dressings make great gifts but watch out; there are safe and unsafe ways to make flavored olive oil.  The unsafe way is to put anything in the oil that contains water.  That would include garlic, lemon peel, fresh peppers, fresh herbs and spices.  The oil will not support bacterial growth but the water containing herbs will.  Botulism bacteria can grow in this type of environment. There are several ways to get around this 1. Mix all the ingredients, refrigerate them and use them within a weekThis is the best way if you are using fresh ingredients such as fresh basil, fresh rosemary or garlic. Garlic: ideal for adding to pasta dishes, then top with a little grated dry cheese. Fill a decorative 1-litre bottle with extra virgin olive oil. Add a clean head of garlic (whole if desired), and leave to marinade for a few days. 2. Preserve the added ingredients: Maybe you have seen garlic or herbs mixed with oil.  The way it is done commercially is to first preserve the water-containing garlic, herb, etc.  with a strong brine or vinegar solution, then put it in the oil.  The vinegar solutions used commercially are up to 4 times stronger than the vinegars you find in the supermarket. You can find them at commercial food supply outlets. Many of the herb mixes have both salt and vinegar which both prevent bacterial growth.  You could use one of the olive pickling solutions listed above. Commercial vinaigrettes and sauces also have chemical preservatives not usually available to the home cook. 3.  Dry the herbs to remove all water, leaving the essential oils:This can be done with a food dehydrator or just by leaving in the sun.  Then add the spices and herbs.  Whole sprigs of thyme, rosemary, dried peppers, etc. can decorate the inside of the bottle this way.  4.  Press the olives with the spices Putting lemon, garlic, etc. in the olive press with the olives is the safest way to flavor oil.  You must have your own olive press (See First Press), or take it to a commercial press.  The oils from the added ingredients mingle with the olive oil and the watery part of the spices are removed along with the olive water.  You could add essential spice oils to the olive oil to achieve the same effect.  Check out our bottle selection for home cooks who want beautiful containers for their gift oil,  dressing or vinegar.   We also sell bulk oil for your private labeling ===========================

Baking with Olive Oil
Recipe Links

Rancidez del aceite de oliva

http://web.archive.org/web/20071011140518/oliveoilsource.com/olive_oil_storage.htmOnline Olive Oil Encyclopedia

When olive oil is too old and has oxidized, it is usually rancid.  Rancidity is most commonly detected by taste but a chemical test can also check for rancidity. The "rancimat" chemical method is mostly used for large industrial frying operations. Oil doesn't suddenly go rancid, it slowly becomes more oxidized and as it does, the flavor suffers.

Different oils age at different rates. Some olive varieties make oil with more natural antioxidants which resist ageing.  These oils may be good for up to 3-4 years if properly stored in unopened containers.  Other oils, particularly unfiltered oils, may be unpalatable in a year even if stored well.

A two year old olive oil may taste rancid to some while others don't mind it. Most people would be put off by the taste of any vegetable oil more than 4-5 years old. Rancid oil has fewer antioxidants but is not poisonous. A good percentage of the world's population routinely eat rancid oil because of lack of proper storage conditions and some actually prefer the taste. In historical times olives which had dropped to the ground or which may have spoiled were made into olive oil which was stored in open-mouthed earthenware vats. Practices like these encouraged rancidity. People have come to expect non-rancid oil in the past 50 years because of chemical refining and better production and storage methods.

Fatty acids are oxidized by one of the following mechanisms:

1.   "Auto-oxidation" occurs in the absence of air by reactive oxygen species or "free radicals". It is temporarily prevented by  natural anti-oxidants in the oil which absorb these free radicals. When the antioxidants are used up, the oil ages quickly

2. Photo-oxidation occurs when a double bond interacts with singlet oxygen produced from O2 by light.  This can be 30,000 times faster than auto-oxidation (Frenkel EN et al. Lipids 1979, 14, 961).

3. Enzymatic peroxidation.  lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase enzymes are naturally found in plants and catalyze reactions between oxygen and polyunsaturated acids (http://www.cyberlipid.org/perox/oxid0006.htm#3)

A reader asks about using olive oil for dry mixes such as pancake mix:

Olive oil will oxidize with exposure to air and dry mixes have very high surface areas for exposure. Using air-tight or inert gas packaging will help prevent oxidation. Anti-oxidant food additives will slow oxidation. Unfortunately auto-oxidation happens in the absence of oxygen and may be accelerated by exposure to other ingredients.

Olive oil has not been used traditionally in dry mixes because it is expensive, it permeates packaging because it is liquid at room temperature and it oxidizes more quickly. Trans saturated fats are ideal for dry mixes; they are cheap, solid and stable. Unfortunately they are generally considered less healthy. Large companies which supply the food industry with edible fats do a great job of advising their clients and doing research on the best use of their formulated fats in areas such as dry mixes. The olive oil industry has not done this traditionally because olive oil was out of the price range for this use. With new health concerns and interest in olive oil I am hoping that the IOOC and other olive oil organizations can come to the aid of manufacturers such as yourself with better advice on how to use our product.

Olive Oil Storage Temperature

Many people ask about the proper storage temperature for olive oil. Heat speeds up all of the above reactions.Keeping your oil next to the stove in a clear bottle will quickly age it.  Better to keep a large container in a dark, cool cupboard and pour a small amount into a dispenser for everyday use. Olive oil can be put into the refrigerator or freezer without harm, which will greatly extend its shelf life.  Waxes in the oil may crystallize out into needles or a slurry when the oil is chilled.  Warming the oil back to room temperature will re-liquefy it.

Antioxidants

Oil from green olives have higher levels of anti-oxidants such as carotenoids  and some varieties naturally have higher levels than others.  Blending an oil high in antioxidants with a more bland oil can greatly extend its shelf life.  Auto-oxidation proceeds slowly until all anti-oxidants are used up at which time the free radicals attack the fatty acids and the oil quickly becomes rancid.  This can happen in 1 to 3 years depending on oil storage conditions and variety.  Sometimes an old oil will taste fine when first exposed to the air but a few weeks later can taste old and oxidized whereas a new oil will last for months after opening because it's natural antioxidants have not been used up.  Look for olive oil brands which date their oil.  Note that for oil made in the northern hemisphere and sold in the year 2005 will often have been picked in the fall and winter of 2004.  It is the freshest oil you can buy even though it may be dated the year before.

Olive Oil Storage Containers

Olive Oil can be stored in containers as mundane as plastic or as indestructible as stainless steel.
Metallic drums lined with epoxy resins resist light and impart little flavor however resin coatings can peel after several years, exposing metal surfaces which impart off odors and flavors.  Most large producers feel that the newer plastic drums are excellent for long term storage and are inexpensive but unattractive.
Glass is an excellent storage container if it is tinted to exclude light but is not practical for bulk storage.
Stainless steel is much better and is considered one of the best storage methods, but has been considered expensive.  Custom stainless steel tanks fabricated domestically can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Imported standard sized containers are now fairly reasonable.   The Olive Oil Source is currently importing stainless steel tanks from Italy for those who like the look, durability and keeping characteristics. The tanks are specifically made for olive oil in the Imperia region.  500 liter tanks with conical bottoms, welded steel legs, 2 stainless ball valves, a site glass to determine oil level and a floating air-tight lid (see containers).  1000 liter tanks end up being 67 inches tall.  2000 liter tanks are also available.  The floating lid has an inner-tube type gasket which can be inflated to exclude air.  As the oil level drops, the top drops too, keeping oxygen out.  Tanks without floating lids can be filled with nitrogen or inert gas to exclude oxygen.  Tanks can be ordered with extra access hatches for easier cleaning.  Flat bottom tanks are considerably cheaper than the conicals.  A Florentine swirl finish adds 6% to the price.
Stainless Fustis are also available in a variety of sizes from 5 to 100 liters with airtight lids and stainless spigots.  These look something like milk cans with handles on the top and are highly polished.  Some producers are offering their oil in the smaller fustis or are allowing retail locations to refill the customer's empty bottles out of the larger ones. This encourages brand loyalty and makes buying oil an event.

Storage with Inert Gas

Bottling equipment is now available which will put a charge of inert gas into the airspace above the oil in the bottle which delays oxidization and rancidity.  See bottling equipment and look for sparge options.

Rancidez

Rancidification, the product of which can be described as rancidity, is the chemical decomposition of fats, oils and other lipids (this degradation also occurs in mechanical cutting fluids). When these processes occur in food, undesirable odors and flavors can result. In some cases, however, the flavors can be desirable (as in aged cheeses).^[1] In processed meats, these flavors are collectively known aswarmed over flavor. Rancidification can also detract from the nutritional value of the food. Some vitamins are highly sensitive to degradation.^[2]

Contents   [hide]  1 Rancidification pathways 1.1 Hydrolytic Rancidity 1.2 Oxidative Rancidity 1.3 Microbial Rancidity 2 Reducing Rancidification 3 Measurement of oxidative stability 4 Further reading 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

[edit]Rancidification pathways

Three pathways for rancidification are recognized.^[3]

[edit]Hydrolytic Rancidity

Hydrolytic rancidity occurs when water splits fatty acid chains away from the glycerol backbone in triglycerides (fats). The chemical term is ester hydrolysis. Usually this hydrolysis process goes unnoticed, since most fatty acids are odorless and tasteless. When, however, the triglyceride is derived from short chain fatty acids, the released carboxylic acid can confer strong flavors and odors. A particular problem arises with butter, which contains triglycerides with a high content of butyric acid derivatives and acetic acids.

[edit]Oxidative Rancidity

Oxidative rancidity is associated with the degradation by oxygen in the air. Via a free radical process, the double bonds of anunsaturated fatty acid can undergo cleavage, releasing volatile aldehydes and ketones. This process can be suppressed by the exclusion of oxygen or by the addition of antioxidants. Oxidation primarily occurs with unsaturated fats.

[edit]Microbial Rancidity

Microbial rancidity refers to a process in which microorganisms, such as bacteria, use their enzymes such as lipases to break down fat. This pathway can be prevented by sterilization.

[edit]Reducing Rancidification

The free radical pathway for the first phase of the oxidative rancidification of fats.

Antioxidants are often added to fat-containing foods to delay the onset or slow the development of rancidity due to oxidation. Natural antioxidants include polyphenols (for instance flavonoids), ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherols (vitamin E). Synthetic antioxidants include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT),TBHQ, propyl gallate and ethoxyquin. The natural antioxidants tend to be short-lived^{[citation needed]}, so synthetic antioxidants are used when a longer shelf-life is preferred. The effectiveness of water-soluble antioxidants is limited in preventing direct oxidation within fats, but is valuable in intercepting free radicals that travel through the aqueous parts of foods. A combination of water-soluble and fat-soluble antioxidants is ideal, usually in the ratio of fat to water.

In addition, rancidification can be decreased, but not completely eliminated, by storing fats and oils in a cool, dark place with little exposure to oxygen or free radicals, since heat and light accelerate the rate of reaction of fats with oxygen. The addition of antimicrobial agents^{[clarification needed]} can also delay or prevent rancidification by inhibiting the growth of bacteria or other micro-organisms.

[edit]Measurement of oxidative stability

Oxidative stability is a measure of an oil or fat's resistance to oxidation. Because the process takes place through a chain reaction, the oxidation reaction has a period when it is relatively slow, before it suddenly speeds up. The time for this to happen is called the "induction time", and it is repeatable under identical conditions (temperature, air flow, etc.). There are a number of ways to measure the progress of the oxidation reaction. One of the most popular methods currently in use is the Rancimat method.

The Rancimat method is carried out using an air current at temperatures between 50 and 220 °C. The volatile oxidation products (largely formic acid^[4]p.47) are carried by the air current into the measuring vessel, where they are absorbed (dissolve) in the measuring fluid (distilled water). By continuous measurement of the conductivity of this solution, oxidation curves can be generated. The cusp point of the oxidation curve (the point where a rapid rise in the conductivity starts) gives the induction time of the rancidification reaction,^[5]p.31 and can be taken as an indication of the oxidative stability of the sample.

The Rancimat method, the oxidative stability instrument (OSI) and the oxidograph were all developed as automatic versions of the more complicated AOM (active oxygen method), which is based on measuring peroxide values^[5]p.31, for determining the induction time of fats and oils. Over time, the rancimat method has become established, and it has been accepted into a number of national and international standards, for example AOCS Cd 12b-92 and ISO 6886.

[edit]Further reading

• Imark, Christian; Kneubühl, Markus; Bodmer, Stefan (December 2000). "Occurrence and activity of natural antioxidants in herbal spirits". Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies 1 (4): 239–243. doi:10.1016/S1466-8564(00)00018-7.

[edit]References

1. ^ Alfred Thomas "Fats and Fatty Oils" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.doi:10.1002/14356007.a10_173
2. ^ Termes, Waldemar (1990). Naturwissenschaftliche Grundlagen der Lebensmittelzubereitung. Hamburg: Behr's Verlag. pp. 50–37.ISBN 3-925673-9.
3. ^ Ian P. Freeman in "Margarines and Shortenings" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.doi:10.1002/14356007.a16_145
4. ^ Allen, J.C. and Hamilton, R.J. (1994). Rancidity in Foods. Springer-Verlag GmbH. ISBN 978-0-8342-1287-9.
5. ^ ^a b Miraliakbari, H. (2007). Tree nut oils: chemical characteristics, oxidation and antioxidants. Library and Archives Canada = Bibliothèque et Archives Canada. ISBN 978-0-494-19381-5.

[edit]See also

Look up rancidification in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Fermentation
• Food preservation
• Preservative
• Putrefaction
• Lipid peroxidation

[edit]External links

• Olive oil storage and rancidity