The answer to this question is No. Olive oil is a totally natural product that does not expire in any of its varieties or types. It has a preferential consumption date, «best before» label, which is something very different. The “best before” date simply embodies the freshness of the olive oil.
On the other hand, “expiry” date is used on all perishable products, such as meat and fish, to outline the potential risks involved in the consumption of the products once the expiration date has passed. The consumption of olive oil will not make you be sick, but it will not be as good for you as when it was fresh and also the taste will change.
Once olives are picked, they slowly start decay just like any other food, and the nutrients and enzymes that make extra virgin olive oil famous for its healthful properties begin to break down and turn rancid. Unlike wine, extra virgin olive oil doesn’t improve with age. Time, light, heat and oxygen are the enemies of Olive Oil.
Should I continue using the Olive Oil that I have already bought even if its best before date has already passed? YES. Those are the reasons:
- Olive oil is not a perishable product. Then, two things will happen to olive oil over time in general:
- The flavour of the olive oil will be diminishing but not gone
- The health-promoting polyphenols are still there but not at its peak.
- However, one thing does not change: the Omega-9, or the monounsaturated fat, remains intact and those monounsaturated fats have a lot of benefits for our health.
Also, the better you storage your olive oil the longer it will keep its healthy properties. The best material to contains olive oil is dark glass. In addition, you must preserve it from the heat and the excessive daylight.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Non Perishable