Olive Oil Panel Scores: What Swiss Test Marks Mean
"Only virgin", 6.6 out of 10 or "insufficient": what the verdicts of the ZHAW sensory panel in Swiss olive oil tests mean, and which number is law.
Topic
Basics
The Olive Harvest: Why Timing Decides Quality
On the tree the oil is already perfect; after that it can only lose. Maturity index, harvesting methods and the hours to the mill, with the Olive Council's figures.
Cold-Pressed Olive Oil: What the Word Means
«Cold-pressed» is not the same claim as «first cold pressing»: 50 °C against 27 °C. What Swiss and EU rules allow, and what the label leaves out.
Olive Oil Acidity: What 0.8 % and 0.3 % Really Mean
Acidity is a laboratory figure, not a verdict on taste: what 0.8 % and 0.3 % mean in law, and why the number almost never appears on the label.
How to Tell If Olive Oil Is Rancid: A 2-Minute Test
Rancid, fusty or musty: the three defects that disqualify an "extra virgin" – and how to find them with your own nose in two minutes.
Olive Varieties in Europe: The Complete Guide from Picual to Koroneiki
More than a thousand olive varieties grow around the Mediterranean. A guide to the key varieties of Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, Croatia – and Ticino.
What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil? The Complete Guide
Extra virgin olive oil explained simply: how it's made, quality grades, how to spot the real thing, and what to check for when buying in Switzerland.