Acidity on an olive oil label is free fatty acidity, not pH. It is useful, but cannot establish overall extra-virgin quality on its own.
What does acidity mean?
Acidity refers to free fatty acids expressed as a percentage of oleic acid. It does not mean sour taste or the oil’s pH.
Why does it rise?
Damaged fruit, delayed milling and poor handling can accelerate triglyceride breakdown and increase free fatty acids. Low acidity can therefore be consistent with careful fruit handling.
Why one number is not enough
Extra-virgin classification relies on more than acidity: sensory defects and other chemical parameters, including peroxide value, matter too. Even very low acidity does not guarantee freshness or excellent storage.
How to interpret it
Read acidity together with harvest date, processing practices, packaging, storage and reliable analysis, where available. ZeytinCheck aims to make that context visible.
These articles are informational only, not medical advice or independent laboratory verification of particular products.