How to keep your olive oil at its best – tips for maximising shelf life
By Laura Thomas
It was a bumper 2025 oil yield for many Aussie producers and a prime selection of EVOO is now on the domestic market, much to the delight of consumers.
After meticulously growing and producing a top tier oil product, it’s important to maximise its shelf life and maintain supply of a consistent product to market.
So how can producers keep their oil at its very best for as long as possible?
It all comes down to good management and storage practices.
Filtration
Post-processing oil filtration is an important step in improving the shelf life of your oil.
Traces of olive and plant waste, water and sediment are inevitably left behind after processing.
Separating and removing this will help improve the integrity and appearance of your oil and reduce the rate of its deterioration – meaning fresher, better quality EVOO for longer.
Read all about it via this interesting article published in Spain’s Olimerca.com. (Just remember to hit the translate button on your browser to read it in English!)
Store with care
It is important your prized liquid gold is stored with care during processing and beyond to help keep it at its best.
Oxygen, light and exposure to high temperature are all known to contribute to the oxidation of oil, both lowering its quality and reducing its shelf-life.
More information on oil storage best practice is available exclusively to members on the AOA website.
Container selection
Oil is best stored in clean, sealed stainless steel containers, ideally at a temperature less than 18 degrees centigrade.
You should also minimise the time your olive oil is stored in plastic.
Storage containers and their effect on olive oil quality was explored in the December 2024 edition of Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower and Processor. More back issues are available on the AOA website.
Get your oil tested
We’ve said it before – there’s no more accurate way to gauge the quality and shelf life of your oil, than to have it laboratory tested.
Luckily for growers, testing technology is readily available thanks to the Australian olive industry’s ongoing dedication to quality and scientific development. (You can read more about that here.)
Understanding the quality and shelf life of your oil will help you plan, store and deliver a better quality and more consistent product to market – and provide better returns.
More information
Take a look back at the AOA productivity and profitability webinar with Pablo Canamasas from 2021, covering post-processing practices, including the use of “racking off”, “purging” and “filtration”.
The AOA is committed to industry education and enhancement. This series of technical webinars was a huge success, providing industry members with information, learning and discussion about a wide range of timely and relevant topics and is available on the AOA website.
Looking for more? AOA membership unlocks a further wealth of exclusive information and resources.
It definitely pays to be a member of the nation’s peak industry body representing Australian olive growers.
Sources
Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor magazine
www.australianolives.com.au
www.olimerca.com