What does Lampante Virgin Olive Oil mean?

Lampante olive oil has traditionally been the olive oil of worse quality. Lampante olive oils have high level of acidity, a flavor and a very unpleasant smell that prevents its consumption. In fact the traditional name of lampante comes from its use as a fuel in oil lamps.

According to the current spanish legislation, a virgin olive oil is lampante when it does not meet any of the requirements to be Virgin olive oil. So, it will be lampante when it meets any of the following characteristics:

1.  Its acidity is more than 2 grams of free oleic acid per 100 grams (2º)
2.  In the tasting panel, the median of the defects is more than 2.5 .
3.  In tasting, the median of the fruityness is zero. 

Lampante Olive Oil is often an olive oil of unpleasant taste and smell, and a high level of acidity. Sometimes its colour is different to typical green and gold of the extra virgin and virgin olive oils. They usually come from olives in a bad state of conservation due to pests, frost, and time-consuming falls on the floor without collecting.

Like the other two categories of virgin olive oil, the legislation includes other chemical parameters to avoid fraud among producers and refiners.

Given the poor features of this oil it is forbidden to sale it directly to consumers. For its consumption it is necessary to refine it.