There are several different types of Olive Oil available:

Extra-virgin: This is the premium grade and is produced from the first pressing of the olives. When using the best-sourced olives combined with organic production methods this is potentially the highest quality available. In actual fact the term “first pressing” although often used in this context is an inaccurate marketing term as most extra virgin olive oil is now made in centrifuges in a continuous process. Oil made in a press is usually inferior to that from a centrifuge due to inherent problems with the pressing process.

Virgin: Has very low acidity (below 2%) and containing no added refined oil.

Pure olive oil: This is normally a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil. Charcoal or other chemical filters are used to produce refined oil.

Extra light: This description can be a misleading term used by manufacturers. It usually refers to a highly processed product, often mixed with other oils, or sometimes is just a pure olive oil grade.
Note: The “light” refers to taste rather than low calorie.

The Suma Brand Team tried many different types of olive oil in our drive to find the best and in our opinion we feel that our Suma brand Organic Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil (GT017) was the outright winner of the beauty contest.

Suma olive oil is available in wholesale quantities and in 3 litre, 750ml and 500ml sizes.

Our oil is pressed from Italian olives grown in Sicily, Calabria and Puglia and is part of our authentic Italian range. It has a complex yet fruity flavour and is perfect for cooking and drizzling and is excellent combined with Suma Oak Aged Balsamic Vinegar (KJ654) and dunked with crusty bread.

Other Uses for Olive Oil:

Whilst researching this article I have discovered that some people tend to get very imaginative in their quest to find worthwhile uses for the old bottle of cheap olive oil in their cupboard when trying to justify buying some good stuff – the following are all genuine and some may surprise you:

• Shave lubricant
• Furniture polish
• Freeing a stuck zip
• Hair product – controlling frizz
• Earache cure
• Headlice cure
• Sore throat treatment
• Makeup remover
• Squeaky door cure
• Cleaning garden tools
• Personal lubricant – yes really !
• Nappy rash cure
• Rust preventative
• Leather softener
• Massage oil

At Suma we are always looking to push out the boundaries with our customers so why not tell us your favourite alternative use for olive oil by making a comment to this article ?