Food and Drug Regulations

B.09.003 [S]. Olive Oil or Sweet Oil

• (a) shall be the oil obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea L);

• (b) shall have a fatty acid content that is

  • (i) not less than 56.0 and not more than 83.0 per cent oleic acid,

  • (ii) not less than 7.5 and not more than 20.0 per cent palmitic acid,

  • (iii) not less than 3.5 and not more than 20.0 per cent linoleic acid,

  • (iv) not less than 0.5 and not more than 3.5 per cent stearic acid,

  • (v) not less than 0.3 and not more than 3.5 per cent palmitoleic acid,

  • (vi) not more than 1.5 per cent linolenic acid, and

  • (vii) not more than 0.05 per cent myristic acid, calculated as methyl esters;

• (c) shall not contain more than minute amounts of arachidic acid, behenic acid, gadoleic acid or lignoceric acid;

• (d) shall have

  • (i) a relative density of not less than 0.910 and not more than 0.916, calculated with the oil at 20°C and water at 20°C (20°C/water at 20°C),

  • (ii) a refractive index of not less than 1.4677 and not more than 1.4705, calculated using the sodium D-line as the light source and with the oil at 20°C (n_D20°C),

  • (iii) an iodine value of not less than 75 and not more than 94, calculated using the Wijs test,

  • (iv) a saponification value of not less than 184 and not more than 196, expressed as milligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram of oil,

  • (v) an acid value of not more than 6.6 milligrams potassium hydroxide per gram of oil,

  • (vi) a free acidity of not more than 3.3 per cent expressed as oleic acid,

  • (vii) a peroxide value of not more than 20 milliequivalents peroxide oxygen per kilogram of oil,

  • (viii) an unsaponifiable matter content of not more than 15 grams per kilogram, and

  • (ix) a Bellier index of not more than 17;

• (e) shall show negative results when tested for semi-siccative oil, olive-residue oil, cotton-seed oil, tea-seed oil or sesame seed oil; and

• (f) notwithstanding section B.09.001, may contain alpha-tocopherol in a quantity sufficient to replace that lost during refining, if such an addition is declared on the label.