Which are the best ways to preserve and store extra virgin olive oil?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a fruit juice. Its flavor and properties decrease over the time. It is a process in which the product looses its properties, or more technically oxidizes.

In the absence of oxygen the olive oil is perfectly conserved and has traditionally been used as a preservative of tinned meat and fish. In contact with air, the olive oil develop rancid flavors, but, in general, it is usually harmless to health, it is simply not agreeable to tasting. That is the reason why olive oils indicates in its label a 'best before' date instead of 'expiration date'.

Another consequence of rancidity is that the polyphenols, antioxidants components in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil goes declining, with what the beneficial properties for the health of these substances also decrease.

The rancidity is an oxidative process, and therefore it needs oxygen. Light and a high temperature are the other main enemies of the Olive Oils due to they accelerates the oxidation process.

Tips:

- Keep the olive oil in a dark place, in a pantry, or inside the cardboard boxes of PET bottles.
- Open the bottle and after using, close the cap.
- Keep the olive oil in a cool place.
- Keep the oil protected from strong odors. Olive oil has a great easily to trap other flavors. That is why it is great to prepare sauces and stir-fries; but also in its storage it can takes undesirable flavors.
- For regular use in crude and salads, use small oilcans. This way it will not give time to becomes rancid, and go by filling the oilcan from the bottle according to your needs.
- To preserve better the olive oil already used for frying, you can follow these tips.