Health and Delight – RM EVOO Guide
The "Health & Delight" EVOO Competition was created with the purpose of raising consumer awareness that extra virgin olive oils are not only a sensory pleasure – color, aroma, and flavor – but also healthy foods whose daily consumption provides multiple health benefits.
Another objective of this initiative is to encourage olive growers and industry professionals to improve the quality of their oils from a dual perspective: sensory and healthy.
Origin of the Competition and the "TweetsAOVE" community
The TweetsAOVE community began as a small gathering of tweeters in love with EVOO in Martos (Jaén), held every February 14th, Valentine's Day. Over time, it has become an international meeting of extra virgin olive oil lovers from various countries and continents.
During the event, attendees have the opportunity to taste the selected EVOOs in the competition, meet their producers, and enjoy a unique sensory experience. The awarded oils are subsequently published in the RM "Health & Delight" Guide.
“We continue to grow, and that gives us strength to improve year after year.”
— Rosa María Marchal, creator and organizer of the competition
About Rosa María Marchal
Rosa María Marchal is a chemist specializing in oils and an Accredited Panel Leader. An entrepreneur since 1981, she has been dedicated to the world of EVOO for over 30 years. She is the director and owner of the CM Europa Chemical Analysis Laboratory and a passionate advocate for the Olive Oil Culture.
The philosophy of the "Health & Delight" Guide
According to Marchal: “Science confirms what the ancients already knew: virgin olive oils are food, medicine, ointment, cosmetic, and a source of health”.
The world of EVOO is a captivating sensory universe. Each oil possesses a unique personality and a distinct aroma profile, making its pairing a true culinary art.
With this "Health & Delight" Extra Virgin Olive Oil Guide, Marchal realizes her dream of highlighting EVOOs not only for their organoleptic quality but also for their health benefits and their role as an educational tool for choosing the ideal EVOO for every need.
Olive Oil Culture
To appreciate an extra virgin olive oil, it is essential to have a minimum olive oil culture and understand that there are different qualities. All oils are good, but extra virgins represent the highest quality: natural olive juices obtained only by mechanical means.
In this context, the term "virgin" in the 21st century means "natural juice."
Structure of the RM "Health & Delight" Guide
The Guide brings together the EVOOs participating in the II RM Competition and evaluates each sample using two parameters, with a maximum of 100 RM points:
- Sensory aspect (50 points): fruitiness, sensory profile, balance, harmony, and complexity.
- Health aspect (50 points): evaluation of healthy compounds such as oleic acid, total polyphenols, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, tocopherols, squalene, and β-carotenes.
Results for LaSolana2 EVOO
In the RM "Health & Delight" Guide, our LaSolana2 EVOO was categorized as a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, with a medium green fruitiness and no defects.
It presents aromas of cut grass with notes of olive leaf, tomato, and almond. On the palate, it offers a medium bitterness and pungency, balanced and elegant.
| Parameter | Result |
|---|---|
| Fruitiness median | 5.0 |
| Dominant defect median | 0.0 |
| Bitterness median | 4.3 |
| Pungency median | 4.2 |
Chemical composition of LaSolana2 EVOO
Fatty acid determination by gas chromatography:
| Acid Name | % Composition |
|---|---|
| Oleic Acid | 80.6% |
| Linoleic Acid | 3.3% |
| Linolenic Acid | 0.6% |
| Myristic Acid | 0.01% |
| Palmitic Acid | 11.3% |
| Palmitoleic Acid | 0.9% |
| Margaric Acid | <0.1% |
| Margaroleic Acid | 0.1% |
| Stearic Acid | 2.6% |
| Arachidic Acid | 0.3% |
| Eicosanoic Acid | 0.2% |
| Behenic Acid | 0.1% |
| Lignoceric Acid | <0.1% |
| Compound | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Squalene | 573.0 mg/100 g |
| Alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) | 223.8 mg/kg |
| Beta-carotene | 2.82 mg/kg |
| Tyrosol and derivatives | 104.8 mg/kg |
| Hydroxytyrosol and derivatives | 186.2 mg/kg |
| Total Polyphenols | 671.5 mg/kg |
Determination of trans isomers:
- Trans-oleic isomer: <0.1%
- Trans-linoleic and trans-linolenic isomers: <0.1%
Conclusion
LaSolana2 EVOO reflects the perfect balance between sensory delight and health. Its high content of oleic acid, polyphenols, and natural antioxidants makes it an excellent extra virgin olive oil, a symbol of Spanish olive oil quality and culture.
