Extra Virgin Olive Oil: In a Study of 20 Brands, 11 Were Found to Be Inauthentic, Sparking Censorship Attempts on the Revealing Test

In light of the latest Il Salvagente oil test, we revisit the topic of extra virgin olive oil, specifically focusing on instances where the product fails to deliver on its promises.

To clarify, numerous tests from various countries have analyzed different brands of EVOO in recent years, revealing that many of these products were merely "virgin" oil instead of "extra virgin," contrary to their labels.

Notably, the Italian publication Il Salvagente has been exposing this issue for years, causing some producers to bristle. See also: Nearly half of olive oil is not truly extra virgin; Monini and Bertolli emerge as top brands.

It's no surprise that previous oil tests have sparked controversy and legal disputes from companies that felt targeted and accused the magazine of defamation. We discussed these incidents in a previous article.

The Salvagente article summarizes the situation involving Codacons and the Antitrust Authority:

In 2021, following a similar test by Il Salvagente on 15 bottles, Codacons defended some bottlers and filed a complaint against the magazine with the Antitrust Authority. This led to a fine for the publication (an appeal to the Regional Administrative Court is still pending), citing an alleged conflict of interest. However, the Court of Spoleto ruled on January 10 that comparative tests are a legitimate "tool of investigative journalism," ordering the Coricelli company to pay €80,000 in legal fees after losing a criminal trial and seeking €20 million in damages through civil court – a move that backfired.

The recent oil test and its aftermath

The launch of the new 2023 test was equally contentious, with Codacons requesting the Antitrust Authority to block its release before publication.

The aim was to silence the magazine, but fortunately, the censorship attempt failed (the test results are now available in Il Salvagente).

Clearly, the findings of this test were unwelcome to some parties (with 11 out of 20 oils being downgraded).

Today, we're not discussing the new test's results (we'll do that soon), but rather, we want to express solidarity with our colleagues at Il Salvagente, who share our commitment to providing free and transparent information about the food we consume.

May investigative journalism like that of Il Salvagente continue to thrive despite challenges.

Consumers have a right to know the truth about the food industry, including specific names and details, and those who produce such information should be able to share it without fearing retribution.