Store olive oil in a dark-colored glass bottle, which helps to keep out the light, or in a stainless steel container. This will protect the oil from exposure to sunlight. If you buy your olive oil in a large tin, consider pouring smaller amounts in a dark-colored bottle to use as you need it.
Minimize or eliminate light exposure at all times – it causes olive oil to degrade. Avoid storing your oil by a window and avoid storing it in clear glass. We chose our dark green bottle for a reason, the color helps filter out the damaging ultraviolet rays.
Don't forget: the best bottles to store olive oil are dark-colored bottles such as O-Live's dark green bottle. Store your olive oil in a dark-colored glass bottle to help keep out the light, or in a stainless-steel container. This will protect the oil from sunlight damage.
Buy and store your oil in airtight non-transparent containers. The best storage containers for Olive Oil are those that will keep light out and are made of either dark glass or stainless steel like our fusti. Always avoid any plastic, and iron or copper containers.
Keep in mind that the best quality olive oil is – or should be – sold in dark bottles or in tins, as light is the enemy to olive oil, especially unrefined olive oil. An olive oil's color, much like that of a wine, indicates its flavor profile, rather than its quality.
Light olive oil has no real difference other than it being processed and thus it has a lighter color. While this can last longer and be heated at a higher temperature, there are more chemicals and fewer nutrients. Ultimately, you want to go for heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil when you can.
While you may have heard that darker, greener olive oils are higher quality (or vice versa), the color of the olive oil and the darkness of the hue simply is not linked to the quality of the oil in a reliable way.
What are the Best Containers for Olive Oil Storage? The best containers for olive oil storage are glass (especially tinted glass), ceramic, porcelain, or non-reactive metals such as stainless steel. Do not store olive oil in containers made of reactive metals such as copper or iron.
Even after being opened, refrigeration is not necessary as long as stored properly. However, if you won't be using an opened bottle for several weeks, refrigeration may help preserve the oil until you need it. Just be sure to let it warm to room temperature afterward so that it is completely liquid before using.
Refrigeration is best for long-term storage of all olive oils except premium extra-virgin ones. Consider keeping a small amount of olive oil in a sealed container at room temperature in your kitchen. This way, your olive oil is instantly ready to use.
Trust your senses. Fake olive oil might taste greasy, rancid, flavorless, or just not pleasant. Good olive oil—real olive oil—should smell and taste green, bright, peppery, earthy, grassy, or any combination thereof. "If it tastes good, it's probably good," says Olmsted.
When it comes to cleaning our reusable bottles, we recommend every three months—but at the very least once a year. And when it comes to adding in a new harvest or new oil altogether, don't top up your bottle of older oil with the fresh batch without a rinse with soap and water!
Although the glass bottle does not allow the penetration of gases, it is sensitive to the action of light on the fatty acids, which also produces an increase in acidity. The evolution of this chemical parameter shows slightly lower values in the olive oils stored in tin containers than in dark glass bottles.
Sunlight, heat and oxygen are olive oil's enemies—they break down the oil and cause it to go rancid more quickly. The best way to store olive oil is in a bottle with a lid in a dark cupboard or pantry.
Store your oil in a tin or dark glass bottle.
Olive oil will stay fresher longer if you keep it away from the light (which will oxidize the oil). Store in a dark glass bottle or wrap your clear bottle with aluminum foil or something that will keep the light out.
The good news is that Olive Oils shelf life is much longer than the average product and some Olive Oils can last up to 18-24 months before becoming unappetising. However, Extra Virgin Olive Oil tends to last a shorter period, usually around 12-18 months.
Olive oil needs to be filtered before it can be stored. You should pour it into a jar through a fine sieve. If you remove all the bits in it, you can reuse olive oil three or four times without any problem.
Once bottled, olive oil has an 18-24 month shelf life so extra virgin olive oil should be purchased within 12 to 18 months of its harvest date and should be used up within six months of opening. We recommend using up the oil within 30 to 60 days upon opening.
Non-transparent metal containers protect the olive oil well against light and air. Dark-colored, especially green (to prevent chlorophyll oxidation), glass bottles protect it well also. Transparent plastic bottles on the other hand provide less protection.
Even though olive oil has a lower smoke point than other cooking oils, quality extra virgin olive oil is still a good option option for cooking. The main thing that happens when olive oil is heated is that some of the flavor compounds will evaporate.
The difference between olive oil and virgin olive oil is that regular oil is refined, heated, and filtered while virgin olive oil is mostly unrefined and cold-pressed to extract the oil.
Opt only for extra virgin.
Look for labels that identify the oil as “extra virgin.” This means that the olive has not gone through any chemical processing to extract the oil. The Extra virgin label also implies that the olive has been pressed without heat (or, first, cold pressed).