Tests confirm the olive oils withdrawn from sale in Spain in March 'were not fit for consumption'

In March the Spanish agency for food safety and nutrition issued an alert related to the sale of virgin olive oil of "dubious quality" that was allegedly sold irregularly in five-litre bottles in street markets, shops and fuel stations in Extremadura and Andalucía.

In addition to the nine brands initially identified, two more were subsequently added, bringing to eleven the number of denominations withdrawn from the market for an alleged offence against public health. To date, the Directorate-General for Public Health has immobilised some 70,000 litres of oil.

Now, the analysis of 13 new samples and tests have cast further light on the alleged fraud. Initial tests determined that at least one of the oils was mixed with lampante oil. Now analyses carried out by the Extremadura Agri-Food Laboratory on the products have concluded that all the oils have been mixed with lampante oil and are "not fit for human consumption", as the Food Safety and Environmental Health departments have noted.

The Guardia Civil, which has taken charge of the investigation, pointed out that the bottles of oil seized were labelled as "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" (EVOO), but contained mixtures of vegetable oil (oilseeds) with refined olive oils (olive pomace), commonly known in the food sector as "lampante oil". This is a product of poorer quality, with high acidity, and a very unpleasant taste and smell; its name comes from its use as fuel in old oil lamps.

The eleven brands withdrawn for this alleged fraud are La Esmeralda, Vareado, Acebuche, Virgen del Guadiana, Cortijo del Oro, La Campiña de Andalucía, Galiaceite 2022, La Abadía, Aromas Villa de Jerez, Don Jaen and Imperio Andaluz.

Consumers are reminded that if they have purchased any of the affected products, they can take them to the establishment they were purchased from to request a refund of the price paid or a replacement with a new product that complies with the regulations.