Once again, it seems that FAKE olive oil is showing up on the market. The Ministry of Health announced today that the following oil, which is being sold as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, is not what it claims to be.
They tested olive oil that was found in the marketplace, that is bottled by an entity unknown to the authorities, and found that it is NOT pure olive oil, but rather, tests show that it contains some other vegetable oils (not specified). The presence of other oils renders it unfit to be sold as Olive Oil.
The oil in question is shown in these pictures, comes in 1 liter bottles, and has a best by date of 12/2018
Note: I'm ALL for finding a deal, but if you find "extra virgin olive oil" at a price that appears to good to be true, you should be suspicious.
If you want to be sure that what you're getting is pure Israeli olive oil, be sure to check the label. You can see the special symbols that are displayed HERE.
I'll post more updates if more fakes are found. Be sure to follow me on Facebook so you stay in the loop!
The Ministry of Health runs random checks on olive oil in the marketplace, to assure compliance with health and labeling standards.
The following oils, marked as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, were tested and found to have significant deviations from the standard, and are most likely not pure olive oil (most likely another oil has been mixed in with the olive oil):
1. "Mary" brand 4 liter can. Marked Extra Virgin Olive Oil, produced in Tzur Yigael. The sample tested had expiration date 7.12.17
2. Shemen Zayit HaGalil, 1liter bottles, produced in Kidmat Galil. The sample tested had expiration date 8/2017
3. Shaarei Yerushalayim "Extra Virgin Olive Oil", had multiple issues, including a forged, outdated seal. The sample was found at "Maadanei Achim Eliyahu" at Shuk Machaneh Yehudah in Jerusalem
4. "Umanut Hashemen" (The Art of Oil) "Extra Virgin Olive Oil", 4L bottle, produced in Kidmat Galil
5. An unmarked bottle of oil being sold at "Roshdi, Druze Food" at Sarona Market in Tel Aviv. It was represented as Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Last night, Kolbotech on Channel 10 was finally able to air their olive oil investigation. Apparently, the segment had been blocked by the courts, but the ban was lifted yesterday.
And they have caused an uproar. We all know that olive oil has made it into the news nearly as much as honey - fake olive oil abounds, the world over.
Kolbotech revealed that not only are we being sold fake olive oil here in Israel, but we are being sold olive oil that contains toxic substances. Yes, some of those pricey, fancy olive oils claiming to be pure are low quality oils, unfit for human consumption. Quality testing for the show was done in Spain.
The show focused on two importers: איבו and חוסן, who were found to be selling olive oil that is unfit for human consumption as premium olive oil. Among the brands that are rebottling EVO oils are "Gaya" and "Adama". The problematic oils include some that are sold as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as well as Cooking oil.
There is a way to avoid the fake and unsafe oils: Purchase the brands that they tested that appear to meet quality standards - Zeita, Etz Zayit, Shufersal, Yad Mordechai, and Meshek Ahiya. And if you can't get those, the bright light at the end of the tunnel is the Olive Leaf seal of quality. It is only given to domestic oils, so if you buy imported olive oil, you will have to do additional research to be sure you are not buying a fake or dangerous product.
Interesting fact: projected domestic olive oil production for this year is 19,000 tons - which producers are claiming should suffice for the entire population. Perhaps it's time to support local producers! (My problem with that is it is sometimes MUCH more expensive than imported versions, but now, it seems, we know why...)
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