{"id":9313,"date":"2026-06-18T12:08:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T09:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/recomed.net\/?p=9313"},"modified":"2026-06-18T12:13:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T09:13:27","slug":"post-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/recomed.net\/?p=9313","title":{"rendered":"What Does \u201cFirst Cold Pressed\u201d Olive Oil Actually Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Article by North American Olive Oil Association<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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You\u2019ve probably heard this advice for buying extra virgin olive oil:\u00a0 \u201cMake sure it\u2019s first cold pressed.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>

The phrase \u201cfirst cold pressed\u201d makes it sound like olive oil is made through multiple rounds of pressing, and only the first round produces the good stuff. But that\u2019s not really how most olive oil is made today.<\/p>

Let\u2019s clear it up.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Is \u201cFirst Cold Pressed\u201d Better?<\/h2>

It may surprise you, but the answer is no because all extra virgin olive oil is, by definition, \u201cfirst cold-pressed.\u201d<\/p>

FIRST: If it is labeled as extra virgin, you can be sure that the olive oil is from the first extraction whether it says so or not.\u00a0 <\/strong>Olive oil from a second extraction would never meet the strict requirements for being labeled as “extra” virgin.<\/p>

COLD: Extra virgin olive oil must be\u00a0produced at temperatures below 80.6\u00b0F.\u00a0 While you may say that\u00a0is not necessarily cold, the key thing is that is it not “hot.” High-heat extraction methods, such as those used for seed oils, destroy flavor and impact chemistry in a way that would disqualify the oil from being graded extra virgin.<\/p>

So \u201cfirst cold pressed\u201d may help distinguish extra virgin olive oil from some seed oils, such as canola, vegetable, corn, or soy oils, which may be extracted using high heat and\/or chemical solvents. But it does not distinguish one extra virgin olive oil from another.<\/p>

Most Olive Oil Today Is Not Pressed<\/h2>

There\u2019s another wrinkle: the word \u201cpressed\u201d<\/strong> is outdated.<\/p>

It comes from a time when olive oil was commonly extracted using presses. Today, the vast majority of olive oil is not made that way.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Modern olive oil production<\/a> usually looks more like this:<\/p>

  1. Olives are harvested.<\/li>
  2. They are washed.<\/li>
  3. They are crushed into a paste using a hammer mill (not stone wheels).<\/li>
  4. The paste is gently mixed.<\/li>
  5. The oil is separated using a centrifuge (sometimes referred to as a centrifugal pressing).<\/li><\/ol>

    So while \u201cpressed\u201d is still a familiar word, most modern olive oil is not literally pressed between mats as in the past.<\/p>

    Kind of like how wine is no longer made by people stomping grapes with their feet. Modern production methods are cleaner, faster, more controlled, and better suited to preserving quality.<\/p>

    The same is true for olive oil.<\/p>

    Today\u2019s producers can crush olives quickly after harvest, manage temperature, reduce oxygen exposure, separate the oil efficiently, and keep the process more consistent and sanitary. All of that helps protect freshness, flavor, and quality.<\/p>

    What Happens After Olive Oil Is Extracted?<\/h2>

    After olive oil is extracted, it is graded.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    If it meets the required chemical and sensory standards, it can be sold as extra virgin olive oil<\/strong> or virgin olive oil<\/strong>, depending on its quality. Extra virgin is the highest grade.<\/p>

    If an olive oil does not meet the standards for virgin olive oil, it can be refined. Then some virgin or extra virgin olive oil is usually added back for flavor and color.<\/p>

    That product may be sold as:<\/p>