Smoke Point Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The smoke point of any edible oil is the temperature at which white smoke (as opposed to water vapor) begins to appear. Be aware that as smoke takes on a darker color, it has gone well beyond an acceptable temperature and is no longer safe to consume. The smoke point depends on the free-fatty acidity (FFA or acidity) of the oil. The lower the acidity the higher the smoke point. All refined oils such as canola, vegetable, sunflower, peanut, and flaxseed have close to zero acidity, as the refining process removes all of the free-fatty acids. "Pure olive oil" and "Light olive oil" are also refined and as such they smoke around a rather high temperature of 440°F.

 

On the other hand, extra virgin olive oil is a natural product and as such its acidity varies greatly from brand to brand. Some carefully-made artisan oils have acidities as low as 0.07%, and a high-quality EVOO will typically come in around 0.2 to 0.25% (as listed for each of our individual EVOOs as the "FFA"). However, your typical, inexpensive, supermarket-variety "EVOO" will probably be around 0.5% acidity, with some even nudging the International Olive Council limit of 0.8%. These seemingly small differences in acidities actually have a significant influence on the temperature at which the oil will begin to smoke. The smoke point for extra virgin olive oil, then, can range from 350 - 430°F. 

 

So, the question is, can I cook with extra virgin olive oil? The absolute answer is yes! And you should! The flavor and health benefits of Ultra Premium EVOOs are incomparable!

 

When frying, the starting temperature for oil may briefly start out at 325-375°F, but it quickly drops once food is placed into it. And while roasting often takes place with an oven temperature around 400°F, the temperature of the food itself, including the EVOO, never comes close. In essence, if you don't see smoke, you are perfectly safe! Check out this study on Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil produced by the North American Olive Oil Association.