2009 California Health and Safety Code - Section 112875-112879 :: Article 1. Olive Oil Grades

112875.  "Olive oil," as used in this chapter means the edible oil
obtained solely from the fruit of the olive tree (olea europea L.) to
the exclusion of oils obtained using solvents or reesterification
processes and of any mixture with oils derived of other kinds except
in the making of flavored olive oil.

112876.  Olive oil grades shall be in the following order of
quality:
   (a) Virgin olive oils.
   (1) Extra virgin olive oil.
   (2) Virgin olive oil.
   (3) Ordinary virgin olive oil.
   (b) Olive oil.
   (c) Refined olive oil.
   (d) Olive-pomace oils.
   (1) Olive-pomace oil.
   (2) Refined olive-pomace oil.
   (3) Crude olive-pomace oil.

112877.  Olive oil grades are defined as follows:
   (a) "Virgin olive oils" means those oils fit for consumption as
they are, obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by
mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly
thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and
which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decanting,
centrifuging, and filtration. Virgin olive oils fit for consumption
as they are include:
   (1) "Extra virgin olive oil" means virgin olive oil which has a
free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per
100 grams oil, has a peroxide value of not more than 20
milliequivalent peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil and meets the
sensory standards of extra virgin olive oil as determined by a taste
panel certified by the International Olive Council, or, if the
International Olive Council ceases to certify taste panels, meets the
sensory standards of a taste panel that is operated by the
University of California or California State University according to
guidelines adopted by the International Olive Council as of 2007.
   (2) "Virgin olive oil" means virgin olive oil which has a free
acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100
grams oil and has a peroxide value of not more than 20
milliequivalent peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil.
   (3) "Ordinary virgin olive oil" means virgin olive oil which has a
free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 3.3 grams
per 100 grams oil and has a peroxide value of not more than 20
milliequivalent peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil.
   (b) "Olive oil" is the oil consisting of a blend of refined olive
oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption as they are as defined
in this section. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of
not more than 1 gram per 100 grams oil.
   (c) "Refined olive oil" means the olive oil obtained from virgin
olive oils by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in
the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity, expressed as
oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams oil.
   (d) "Olive-pomace oils" means oils obtained by treating olive
pomace with solvents or other physical treatments, to the exclusion
of oils obtained by reesterification processes and of any mixture
with oils of other kinds. They shall be labeled and marketed with the
following designations and definitions:
   (1) "Olive-pomace oil" is the oil comprising the blend of refined
olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption as they
are. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than
1 gram per 100 grams oil. In no case shall this blend be called or
labeled "olive oil."
   (2) "Refined olive-pomace oil" is the oil obtained from crude
olive-pomace oil by refining methods which do not lead to alterations
in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity,
expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams
oil.
   (3) "Crude olive-pomace oil" means olive-pomace oil that is
intended for refining for use for human consumption or that is
intended for technical use.

112877.  Olive oil grades are defined as follows:
   (a) "Virgin olive oils" means those oils fit for consumption as
they are, obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by
mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly
thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and
which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decanting,
centrifuging, and filtration. Virgin olive oils fit for consumption
as they are include:
   (1) "Extra virgin olive oil" means virgin olive oil which has a
free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per
100 grams oil, has a peroxide value of not more than 20
milliequivalent peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil and would meet the
sensory standards of extra virgin olive oil as determined by a taste
panel certified by the International Olive Council, or, if the
International Olive Council ceases to certify taste panels, would
meet the sensory standards of a taste panel that is operated by the
University of California or California State University according to
guidelines adopted by the International Olive Council as of 2007.
   (2) "Virgin olive oil" means virgin olive oil which has a free
acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100
grams oil and has a peroxide value of not more than 20
milliequivalent peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil.
   (3) "Ordinary virgin olive oil" means virgin olive oil which has a
free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 3.3 grams
per 100 grams oil and has a peroxide value of not more than 20
milliequivalent peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil.
   (b) "Olive oil" is the oil consisting of a blend of refined olive
oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption as they are as defined
in this section. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of
not more than 1 gram per 100 grams oil.
   (c) "Refined olive oil" means the olive oil obtained from virgin
olive oils by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in
the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity, expressed as
oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams oil.
   (d) "Olive-pomace oils" means oils obtained by treating olive
pomace with solvents or other physical treatments, to the exclusion
of oils obtained by reesterification processes and of any mixture
with oils of other kinds. They shall be labeled and marketed with the
following designations and definitions:
   (1) "Olive-pomace oil" is the oil comprising the blend of refined
olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption as they
are. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than
1 gram per 100 grams oil. In no case shall this blend be called or
labeled "olive oil."
   (2) "Refined olive-pomace oil" is the oil obtained from crude
olive-pomace oil by refining methods which do not lead to alterations
in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity,
expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams
oil.
   (3) "Crude olive-pomace oil" means olive-pomace oil that is
intended for refining for use for human consumption or that is
intended for technical use.

112878.  "Flavored olive oil," as used in this chapter, means extra
virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, or olive oil, that is mixed with
a flavoring, or olives that are processed into oil with any fruit,
vegetable, herb, nut, seed, or spice and the product resulting from
either process contains not less than 90 percent extra virgin olive
oil, virgin olive oil, or olive oil, and is labeled for sale as an
olive oil that has been flavored.

112879.  "Imitation olive oil," as used in this chapter, means the
mixture of any edible oil artificially colored or flavored to
resemble olive oil.