The Complete Guide To Storing Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The extra cost means you should try and make your extra virgin olive oil last as long as possible. Therefore, where to store extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil should be stored in a cupboard or cabinet no hotter than room temperature. This is the same whether it is opened or not. The bottle it gets stored in should be tinted to limit the amount of light it gets exposed to.

In today’s article, we’ll discuss what should and shouldn’t be done with extra virgin olive oil and storing it. The blog post will where to keep it, how to store it and what temperature is the best. In addition, should it be refrigerated or when?

The Best Place to Store Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin Olive oil and avocado oil stored in Kevin Garce's cabinet at home. — Extra virgin Olive oil and avocado oil stored in my cabinet at home

The best place to store extra virgin olive oil is in a cabinet at room temperature ((Iowa State University: Olive Oils)). The most important thing to make sure of when keeping your extra virgin olive oil is to limit the amount of light it’s exposed to.

The other day while explaining this to someone, they said they have an island in their kitchen. It’s where they do all of their cooking and where they dress their salad. They want the extra virgin olive oil to be there on hand at all times, which makes total sense.

In this situation, have a small bottle available, pour some olive oil into it and keep it on your island or where you want to keep it on hand.

If you decide to keep your entire bottle of olive oil sitting on the kitchen counter, island or a standard counter, you might end up wasting it. If you transfer some of your extra virgin olive oil into a small bottle to keep on the counter, try and use that olive oil quickly. It will also help to use a tinted bottle.

This article covers extra virgin ((USDA: Grades of Olive Oil)), how about regular olive oil? Check out my blog post, This Is The Best Way To Store Your Olive Oil.

The Best Container For Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The best container for extra virgin olive oil is a tinted glass bottle. The tint will prevent the oil from being exposed to light. The tinted bottle should have a cap or seal at the top.

When you buy extra virgin olive oil, it will often come in a tinted bottle. This tint is not just for aesthetics. Extra virgin olive oil comes in tinted glass because it’s the most efficient way of keeping the olive oil from being exposed to light ((Michigan State University: Store olive oil to avoid spoilage and maintain nutritional quality)).

If you end up buying extra virgin olive oil at wholesale, it might not come in tinted glass. You might have to transfer the olive oil into your own bottle. If this happens, you have two choices. You can use a tinted glass container or use a steel container with a proper seal.

If you don’t have a tinted glass bottle, transfer the extra virgin olive oil to a see-through glass bottle. However, make sure to cover the bottle with a brown paper bag before placing it in the cupboard.

Extra virgin olive oil shouldn’t be stored in a plastic container. The only time it should ever go into a plastic container is to use the olive oil as a spray. In this case use a small amount in the bottle and try to use it up as quickly as possible ((Olive Oil & Beyond: Olive Oil Storage & Handling)).

Extra virgin olive oil on a salad. — Extra virgin olive oil on a salad

Disclaimer: Some links in this article are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How Long Olive Oil Lasts

Unopened olive oil can be expected to last up to 24 months. However, it’s recommended using it before this time.

I prefer using olive oil within a year. This way, you know you are safe from consuming extra virgin olive oil that has gone bad. Remember, the time frames should only be taken into account if you store your extra virgin olive oil properly.

Once you have opened your extra virgin olive oil, it is best to use it within three or four months. Even if you store your extra virgin olive oil properly, once the seal is broken, oxygen finds its way into the container or bottle. Once that happens, it causes it to go bad quicker.

Keto Diet Tip: Extra virgin olive oil a great choice for a low-carb diet. It contains zero carbs and healthy fat. One of the biggest reasons for failing a Keto diet is not having a plan. Simply follow this plan for only 28 days, The 28-Day Keto Challenge and you can Succeed!

What temperature is too hot For Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Any temperature exceeding room temperature is too hot to store extra virgin olive oil. A good temperature range is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

It won’t turn immediately, but it will significantly reduce the amount of time you can keep it.

Room temperature depends on where you live and what season you are in. A good range to consider is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. If your house or apartment exceeds those temperatures for a long period of time, you’ll want to consider an alternative storage area.

Refrigerating Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil can be refrigerated if located in a hot climate where the room temperature is above 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can refrigerate your extra virgin olive oil; however, storing it this way can cause a few problems. First, the premium extra virgin olive oil becomes thicker the longer it stays in the refrigerator. If the temperature is cold enough, it can even solidify.

This article talks about extra virgin olive oil and not just olive oil in general. Extra virgin olive oil is considered premium. You’ll want to stay away from placing extra virgin olive oil in the refrigerator.

Like I mentioned before, extra virgin can be costly but it’s worth it. You may find some at more affordable prices on Amazon. Check out some current prices on Amazon here, Extra Virgin Olive Oils.

However, storing extra virgin olive oil in the refrigerator is a good idea if you live in an extremely hot climate. For example, if you stay in Arizona during the summers, refrigerating extra virgin olive oil might be your best bet against the heat.

Find out how olive oil compared to sunflower oil in my article, Sunflower Oil vs Olive Oil: Which is Better? Let’s Compare.

Storing Extra Virgin Olive Oil In a Spray Bottle

If you enjoy putting extra virgin olive oil on your salads, you might want to use a spray bottle. A spray bottle is also handy for spraying a pan to coat it for cooking. Can you store extra virgin olive oil in a spray bottle?

Extra virgin olive oil shouldn’t be stored in a plastic spray bottle. Plastic spray bottles allow oxygen into the bottle which can make it turn bad faster.

Your best bet would be to get a glass spray bottle. If you can’t, try and minimize the amount of extra virgin olive oil placed in the spray bottle at any given time.

Find out how olive oil compared to grapeseed oil in my article, Grapeseed Oil vs Olive Oil: Which is Better? Let’s Compare.

How to Know When Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Bad

The only way to detect if extra virgin olive has gone bad is tasting it. If the extra virgin olive oil tastes sour or bitter, it has turned bad.

When olive oil goes bad, there isn’t much you can do to detect it. Even if you had to smell the extra virgin olive oil, it would be challenging for you to distinguish between whether or not it is bad. Unfortunately, the only way to detect if olive oil has gone bad is to taste it.

Just a tiny drop is all you need. If the olive oil tastes bitter or sour, then it is most probably bad. If this is the case, you will have to replace it.

Find out how olive oil compared to avocado oil in my article, Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil: Which is Better? A Comparison.

If you have any questions about this article don’t hesitate to comment below or email us. You can find an email on our contact page.

Find out how vegetable oil compares to olive oil in my article, Olive Oil vs Vegetable Oil: Which is Better? Let’s Compare.