Olive Oil Tasting Section

Olive oil is renowned for its significant health benefits, necessitating the preservation of its quality. The IDRAC Center plays a pivotal role in this aspect, boasting a specialized department dedicated to examining olive oil to ensure its purity and detect any fraudulent practices.

The sample within the department is subject to two types of tests:

A chemical test that determines the type of oil

• Ultra-Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Virgin Olive Oil
• Ordinary Olive Oil

Entrepreneurs can avail of this service by submitting a quantity of olive oil for examination to verify its quality and packaging in a specialized department, ultimately obtaining the quality seal issued by the Quality Control Center laboratories.

Olive Oil Tasting

Another distinctive service offered by the IDRAC Center in Lebanon is the olive oil tasting section. This facility is recognized by the International Olive Oil Council in Spain, which supervises and regulates olive oil standards globally. Olive oil tasting is considered a fundamental assessment of oil quality, and in Lebanon, the only center available is situated in the Tripoli chamber within the IDRAC Center.

This section works on two levels:

• Issuing tasting results to any exporter or owner of a quantity of oil
• Specialized training on three levels:
  • Simple training for all people who want to know what olive oil tasting is
  • Higher level training to know how to evaluate the quality of oil
  • The third level where people take exams after the end of the training period to gain experience in tasting olive oil

The examination process is based on three levels:

• The smell of olive oil
• The sharpness of olive oil
• The taste of olive oil in terms of bitterness

The finest quality oil exhibits a fragrant aroma akin to green almonds, a pronounced bitter taste, and sharpness. Assessment is conducted on a scale of 1 to 10, with the tasting process carried out in ten enclosed rooms. Each participant in a separate room rates the sample, and the final average score is calculated based on the collective ratings.

Noteworthy is the formation of the National Council of Olive Oil Tasters in Lebanon, comprised of thirty certified individuals listed on the Ministry of Agriculture website as official olive oil tasters. In the North Governorate, specifically the Tripoli Chamber and its laboratories, there are 10 tasters, with three being accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture as part of the National Council of Olive Oil Tasters team.

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