Olive Nation Blog

Cloudy Olive Oil is Not a Problem

Posted by John Rusnak in Olive Oil, Jan 25 2009

If you store your fine extra virgin olive oil in a refrigerator you may note that when you remove it for use, it has turned cloudy. Do not worry since this is not going to affect taste or quality. So what causes the cloudiness? Olive oil contains an abundance of polyphenols. These occur naturally in oils which are minimally processed. It is the polyphenols that solidify under refrigeration. Return the olive oil to room temperature. The polyphenols will dissolve and the oil will return to normal. To avoid this cloudiness it is best to store the olive oil in a cool dark place rather than refrigerating. If you are not going to use up your olive oil within three months then it is best to store under refrigeration. Otherwise there is no need to refrigerate.