Olive oil is essentially a pressed fruit juice, and unlike a bottle of fine wine its quality does not improve with age. Yes, olive oil can go bad.
Experts say that rancid olive oil is commonplace in American kitchens. Many families have become so accustomed to this expired flavor that they now prefer it. Most of us have trouble distinguishing the quality of an olive oil, or understanding if and why it went bad.
Olive oil tasting is like wine tasting; it’s a sensory experience, an acquired taste. What’s different though is that the law clearly stipulates that only those who have reached the legal drinking age can pick up and savor a glass of wine. That law thankfully does not apply to olive oil. Learning to appreciate olive oil at an early age is an advantage to young adults; it puts them on the right path towards a healthy lifestyle later on.
How soon then can our taste our taste buds start recognizing flavors and distinguish between excellent, mediocre and bad olive oil?
