I was spoiled by having good, high quality, organic olive oil in California for years. Then I saw this on the internet. 73 to 94% percent were substandard or fake. I tried a bottle of Bertolli and didn't like it. I'm really needing to get more healthy fats in my diet.

Found nice quality Macadamia nuts at Villia pretty expensive but important in a Veggi diet. Trying to find an on line source. Suggestions appreciated.

Anyone know for sure about a good olive oil here in Thailand. No trolling please.

http://lifehacker.com/the-most-and-least-fake-extra-virgin-olive-oil-brands-1460894373

Edited June 20, 201610 yr by joeyg

Might help if you state where you are?

Oil in Udon not much use if you are in Phuket.(as an example)

Much high quality olive oil at the Villa markets in Phuket ... not much help for the Udoners.

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Might help if you state where you are?

Oil in Udon not much use if you are in Phuket.(as an example)

Sorry. Naklua, Banglamung. Just North of Pattaya.

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

Give Italian Olive Oil a big miss,too much corruption and mafia running the country.Always buy Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tops they have good brands like Borges,basically any made in Spain it's a matter of national pride in Spain and anyone tampering with it would be lynched!

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

I place huge amount of trust on the label that says, Imported from the UK by Tesco.

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

I place huge amount of trust on the label that says, Imported from the UK by Tesco.

I never knew they made olive oil in the UK (i know there is some but to small scale). So imported from the UK means nothing.

Always buy Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tops they have good brands like Borges,basically any made in Spain it's a matter of national pride in Spain and anyone tampering with it would be lynched!

I'm guessing you're not remembering the 1981 tragedy where more than 1,000 people died in Spain and 25,000 seriously injured and/or permanently disabled from eating contaminated olive oil. This affected both poor and wealthy people, suggesting that it wasn't just cheap oil that was the problem.

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

Why would it not be real?

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

If you are concerned about "REAL" you shouldn't be in Thailand.

Expecting to find quality olive oil in the likes of Tesco, Big C etc. is rather optimistic. Better chances at Villa, Gourmet and some Tops branches.

Even then, would be hard pressed to call it quality. More often than not, products are not properly stored, higher end products pricing and expiry dates are off, and checking tags on bottles can give some interesting information regarding content, origin and date of production.

Guess it's a matter of expectations - on a regular basis, I use what's available and try not to whinge too much. Otherwise, whatever I bring in by myself or comes over with friends. Another way would be to befriend relevant good quality restaurant owners.

Here's a link to an old topic - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/390900-the-truth-about-extra-virgin-olive-oil/

Trust no one.

Always buy Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tops they have good brands like Borges,basically any made in Spain it's a matter of national pride in Spain and anyone tampering with it would be lynched!

I'm guessing you're not remembering the 1981 tragedy where more than 1,000 people died in Spain and 25,000 seriously injured and/or permanently disabled from eating contaminated olive oil. This affected both poor and wealthy people, suggesting that it wasn't just cheap oil that was the problem.

Indeed. I think most major olive oil producing countries had at least a scandal or two concerning the industry. Pretty sure smaller scale issues are prevalent everywhere. As for Borges - like every big manufacturer, there are different tiers and private label production.

Sorry for the spelling...I buy Cavallo. I have tried alot of them and it is the one I like best.

Ybarra brand available in Gourmet Food halls. Not cheap but very nice.

"I'm guessing you're not remembering the 1981 tragedy where more than 1,000 people died in Spain and 25,000 seriously injured and/or permanently disabled from eating contaminated olive oil. This affected both poor and wealthy people, suggesting that it wasn't just cheap oil that was the problem."

You are aware that's now 35 YEARS AGO?
It's actually the first I've heard of it and I lived in Spain for 15 years or so!

"Ybarra brand available in Gourmet Food halls. Not cheap but very nice."

Muchisimas gracias!!!

I was racking my brains all night long to think of the other good brand of Spanish Extra Virgin in Tops,Villa etc and just couldn't come up with it!

Basically any extra Virgin Olive Oil from that region,Andalucia such as Granada,Cordoba,Cadiz (probably only cold-pressed or bottled there as it's a port city) etc. is the good stuff.Also there are Catalan brands in Tops,Villa etc. which are also very,very good!

"I'm guessing you're not remembering the 1981 tragedy where more than 1,000 people died in Spain and 25,000 seriously injured and/or permanently disabled from eating contaminated olive oil. This affected both poor and wealthy people, suggesting that it wasn't just cheap oil that was the problem."

As I suspected knowing Spain so well and how Olive Oil is worshipped to the point of deification,like Jamon Serrano (Jabugo,Pata Negra etc.) in Spain,it was NOTHING to do with cooking oil :

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/aug/25/research.highereducation

It was analine poisoning from contaminated,imported rapeseed oil with the analine added to make it usable for industrial purposes only,the unscrupulous sellers of it hadn't removed it!

I read some online reviews and bertolli seems to be legit. Not the best quality out there, but definitely not fake.

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

If you are concerned about "REAL" you shouldn't be in Thailand.

I said no trolling...

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

Do you know for sure it's the real thing?

Why would it not be real?

Read the OP and try again.

Thanks for the input the real problem is oils other than olive are not hear healthy and in fact can be dangerous. I can get by without the finest quality.

I just want it to be 100 % Olive oil. These other partially hydrated vegetable oils are on of the worst if not the worse thing you can eat.

In Bangkok, heading to the big lotus supermarket will get me some good olive oil for my tenderloins.

I know I said I'm veggie you had to throw in the tenderloin thing. Well eat this...

Give Italian Olive Oil a big miss,too much corruption and mafia running the country.Always buy Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tops they have good brands like Borges,basically any made in Spain it's a matter of national pride in Spain and anyone tampering with it would be lynched!

From another Thaivisa poster Olive oil scams are big business in Europe, and it pays to be careful. Italy imports huge amounts of crap olive oil from Spain, mixes it with local oil and markets it as 'Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil'.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/615315-tesco-extra-virgin-olive-oil-really-evoo/

"Indeed. I think most major olive oil producing countries had at least a scandal or two concerning the industry. Pretty sur smaller scale issues are prevalent everywhere. As for Borges - like every big manufacturer, there are different tiers and private label production."

Borges and Ybarra are very,very popular in Spain having lived there for 15 years plus.Borges is from Les Garrigues which is a comarca (county) in Spain and its capital is Les Borgues Blanques.
I've seen Borges oils in Tops or Villa Market with the specific Olive tree varieties such as Arbequina (originally from Palestine),Hojiblanca (Northern Malaga,Sevilla and Cordoba) and the famous,highly-prized Manzanilla you can read some more about here :

http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olivarama/manzanilla-cacerena/32437
As the Aussies say "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story" though eh?

Not only do the Italians buy Olive Oil from Spain to add poorer quality oil then rebrand it as finest Extra Virgin they are also doing the same with their wines!
"Some of the oil sold with the Bertolli brand, one of Italy’s and America’s favourites, is in fact pressed by Deoleo from the fruits of Spanish olive groves.":

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21600996-government-frets-about-foreign-hands-nations-olive-presses-pressing-issue

Oh and so are the French!

The lesson here is of course...always buy Spanish!

Bertolli olive oil used to be owned by Unilever, one of the worlds biggest companies. They produce a large number of the world's best known brands. https://www.unilever.com/brands/ It sold the olive oil business to a large Spanish company about 10 years ago, and other Bertolli product ranges were later sold to American and Japanese companies.

I find the olive oil imported from France by BigC to be reliable, especially their own Casino brands. I expect quality control to be quite high with them.

I also buy some cheap stuff from Makro that I use for cooking, though generally olive oil should not be used for high temperature cooking (frying) as its low smoke point makes it unsuitable.

Thanks good info!!!

Macro have a big selection go look