Edible oil having an increased shelf-life and a clear appearance

Abstract

There is described an edible oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, having an increased polyphenolic content, thereby an increased shelf-life, while maintaining the organoleptic characteristics unaltered, particularly a clear appearance. The edible oil of the invention is obtainable by a method which comprises the step of introducing a predetermined number of olives having a polyphenolic content ranging between 1000-3000 mg of polyphenols/kg of olives in a predetermined volume of oil. According to the method, the olives are preventively treated with an anti-mold agent, and are dehydrated, preferably by thermal treatment in an oven at a temperature ranging between 80° C. and 160° C., so as to achieve the elimination of a water amount ranging between 1% and 30%, preferably between 7% and 15%, more preferably of about 10%.