The olive oils which have high free acidity level have defects in their smell and taste and are not recommended for direct consumption. They are called as lampante olive oil according to legal regulations. In our modern refinery facility, we apply physical refining to lampante olive oil. So, we produce refined oil without any chemical treatment. Then in order to add olive fruitiness, we blend extra virgin olive oil from the North Aegean Coast with refined olive oil at a certain ratio in order to produce Kristal brand Riviera Olive Oil.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is superior category olive oil obtained directly from best olives solely by mechanical means. Extra Virgin Olive Oil free acidity is lower than 0.8% and have positive sensory characteristics (i.e. pungency, bitterness and fruitiness). Olive Oil is composed of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils. There is a quality class difference between them. Olive oil contains less than 1% free acidity. The main difference is generally comes from the quality of olives used for olive oil production.

Our facility established in Bornova- İzmir/Turkey was renovated in 2010 with all production processes and turned into a modern environmental-friendly refinery and filling facility. In our refinery plant, olive oil is produced without any chemical treatment.

Virgin olive oil which doesn't conform to quality parameters of the standards and can't be consumed as edible is then refined to get rid of undesirable smell, taste and free acidity, whereas giving the oil a more neutral flavor and lighter color. It's then blended with a bit percent of virgin olive oils to produce what is labeled as just "Riviera Olive Oil" in Turkey which named the oil that is composed of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil according to International Olive Council Trade Standard. For Kristal Olive Oil blend, we use extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), on the other hand, is the highest grade of olive oil made by crushing olives and malaxation of the paste, then separating the oil from the paste with two-phase centrifugation process without being heated. EVOO is produced solely by mechanical (with no chemical treatment) means. The resulting oil has forest-green color, grassy, peppery flavor, and fruity aroma, containing less than 0.8% free acidity. Even though it is the highest grade, the quality, aroma, flavor, color, health benefits, and price can vary greatly from one brand to another. It's best to use extra-virgin olive oil in salads as a light and tasty dressing.

Refined olive oil is the olive oil obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods that do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. Refined olive oil has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of no more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams (0.3 percent) and its other characteristics correspond to those set for this category by the International Olive Council. It is often an oil that is preferred to be blended with virgin olive oils.

Extra virgin olive oil can be obtained with two processes from best quality olive fruit: the First Cold Pressed process or Cold Extraction process. The choice of the process influences the denomination of olive oil and its quality.

First cold-pressed
First cold pressure implies the use of a hydraulic press to crush the olive paste. The pressure generated by the press causes the natural flow of oil. This process consists of creating a paste with the olives in a stone millstone. It is spread over the scourtins, stacked on each other in a hydraulic press. The scourtins are subjected to such a strong pressure that a liquid composed of water and oil flows. This liquid is recovered and then decanted for the purpose of separating the two substances. Only the oil is kept for bottling.The first-cold pressed process is almost no longer used for olive oil production. Nowadays, cold extraction is preferred because this process is cleaner, hygienic and ensures better control of the process parameters.

Cold extraction
The cold extraction involves the mixing of the olive paste in order to extract the oil in the form of fine droplets which agglutinate to each other. Traditionally, the olive paste was formed with a stone grindstone, as for the first cold pressed process. However, the risks of the oil oxidizing and its aroma being adversely affected were far too great. Centrifugation was therefore preferred to reduce them considerably. The olive paste is now produced in a mixer, which grinds the olives around 26-27 °C (app. 80 °F). It is then put into a centrifuge so that the oil, the solid residues and the vegetation water are separated. Once all the oil has been recovered, it is packaged in dark glass bottles.

The olive oil was pressed without using scalding water or harsh chemicals to extract oil from the olives. Cold-pressed means olive oil paste temperature during the entire process is not higher than 26-27 °C (app. 80 °F) while in the malaxer—the stage in the pressing process where the olive paste is churning at low speed in the machine in order to move the later stages of separating the olive oil from the water and paste. This mechanical and manual method is the tried and true process for creating the highest quality meaning olive oil is richer in flavor. This is considered superior feature of an EVOO compared to other olive oils and will have a higher price tag.

The color of olive oil is NOT an indicator for higher nor lower quality. Both the flavor and color of the olive oil depend on the region where olives grow and type of olives used. Whether the olives are harvested early or when they're more mature can also make a difference in the flavor and color.

It is one of the directly consumed olive oil, yet having quality features not meeting extra virgin olive oil standards. Virgin olive oil's free acidity level is lower than 2.0 %.

The free acidity of our extra virgin olive oil products is less than 0.8%. According to the national and international regulations acidity ratio does not have to be indicated on the packaging. In case the free acidity ratio is indicated, additional information should also be written henceforth as set by the legislation. Due to the narrow writing space on our labels, we prefer not to indicate the free acidity ratio.

Turkey is a country very rich in terms of olive cultivars (over 90 different varieties) so making a list of characteristics of each, would be a very complex task. The excellent taste and flavor of olive oil depends on the olive variety, the climate and soil conditions, pest control, the tree’s nutritional status, the seasonal conditions, the degree of maturity, the harvest time and method, the working conditions of the olive pressing installation and the storage method. These factors affect over 100 components that conserve their natural characteristics and give flavor to the olive oil, creating different tastes and flavors in each new batch.

All quality grades of both North Aegean EVOO and South Aegean EVOO are the same, both of which are categorized as cold pressed (cold extraction) extra virgin olive oil. The main difference between them is the characteristic flavor difference that results from the difference in the type and region of olives used in their production. The variety and region of olives cause different characteristics in taste and smell. In Turkey, there are two main regions which produce two distinct authentic flavors: smooth and fresh flavor (obtained from the olives of the North Aegean Coast) and rich and intense flavor (obtained from the olives of the South Aegean Hills).

Uzman Eller is a sub-brand of Kristal specifically created and designed for HoReCa customers. Not recommended for sale to end consumers. Under this brand there are 3 types of olive oil: Uzman Eller Natural EVOO, Uzman Eller Virgin Oil and Uzman Eller Riviera Type Olive Oil. All products are filtered and filled at our premises.

Uzman Eller Extra Virgin Olive Oil is obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means. It is not cold-pressed. Its acidity level is less than 0.8%. It is recommended for all meals, especially cold meals, salads, sauces and dips.

Uzman Eller Virgin Olive Oil is obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means. It is not cold-pressed. Its acidity level is less than 2.0%. It is recommended for all meals, especially cold meals, salads, sauces and dips.

Uzman Eller Olive Oil is produced by blending Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and Refined Olive Oil specifically for HoReCa customers and recommended for all kinds of hot or cold meals as well as frying and pastries. Its acidity level is less than 1.0%. It is not chemically processed.

Glass is a suitable packaging to store olive oils, but there are some precautions to keep in mind for its correct preservation.

Once a bottle of olive oil is opened, its shelf life depends on how the bottle is stored. It is probable that the olive oil smell and taste change negatively Exposure to light, oxygen and heat causes the olive oil to oxidize faster. If you store your olive oil in a glass bottle or tin can, close the lid or cap tightly immediately after use, always keep the olive oil in a cool and moisture-free place,away from the sunlight and from strong smells.

We do not accept on-line international orders on our website for the time being. For exports, you are welcome to send your queries to export@kristaloil.com

Olive oil does not get better with age and should not be saved for a special occasion or later date. Once bottled or tin-canned, olive oil has generally a 24-month shelf life. Its shelf life also depends on how the olive oil is stored. Direct exposure of the package to light deteriorates the basic features of olive oil.

Every Kristal olive oil is stamped with a recommended best before date. The expiration of this date doesn’t mean that the product, if used, will cause contamination or other unpleasant health issues like food poisoning. Rather, this is the final date which olive oil is best at use, ensuring that any bottle bought within that time period will still be flavourful and full of the health benefits extra virgin olive oil is known for.

We recommend using up the olive until it finishes by storing olive oil in a cool and moisture-free place, away from the sunlight and from strong smells.

Yes, we supply private label products as per customer or target market needs. Please contact to our export department for further information and the procedure.

Yes, we supply our products in different sizes and packaging as per customer or target market needs. Please contact to our export department for further information and the procedure.

We comply with national and international quality standards without compromise. Our facilities are operated in accordance with national and international standards. Our company has TS EN ISO 9001 Quality, TS EN ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems and BRC International Food Safety standard certificates and is regularly audited by the issuing institutions. We also provide Ecocert Organic Food, Halal Food and Kosher Food certificates upon request.

Besides local Turkish food stores and supermarkets, our products are available in Kaufland and Albert Heijn chain stores in Europe.