Frequently Asked Questions
What does cold pressed mean for olive oil?
Cold pressed is an extraction method specification: the olive paste must be processed at or below 27°C (80.6°F) during the mechanical separation stage. For a complete overview, see our Extra Virgin Olive Oil guide.At this temperature, the oil's flavor compounds, phenolic antioxidants, and vitamin E (tocopherol) content are preserved. Above 27°C, the heat begins to degrade thermally sensitive compounds — specifically the polyphenols that provide olive oil's anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits. The term is regulated by the International Olive Council (IOC) in most olive oil-producing countries; oils that meet this specification can be labeled "cold pressed" or "first cold pressed" (the latter indicating that no second pressing was performed). Importantly, "cold pressed" is a process specification, not a quality grade — an oil can be cold pressed and still fail to meet EVOO standards for free fatty acidity or sensory quality.1
Is all extra virgin olive oil cold pressed?
In practice, most genuine EVOO is produced using cold extraction, but technically "extra virgin" and "cold pressed" are separate designations. Extra virgin is a quality grade defined by five criteria: free fatty acidity (≤ 0.8%), peroxide value (≤ 20), UV absorbency, fatty acid composition, and sensory evaluation (zero defects). Cold pressed is an extraction method defined by temperature (≤ 27°C). An oil could be cold pressed and still fail the EVOO sensory test — it might have off-flavors from fermentation despite meeting the temperature specification. Conversely, some modern centrifugation systems operate at temperatures slightly above 27°C but still produce oils with excellent polyphenol retention (because the exposure time is brief). The most reliable designation combines both: IOC-certified EVOO that is also verified cold pressed.^12
Does cold pressed mean better quality?
Generally, yes — but with important caveats. The temperature at which olive oil is extracted directly affects its polyphenol content: research has consistently shown that lower extraction temperatures preserve more hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal, and other phenolic compounds. A 2019 study in Food Chemistry found that every 5°C increase in extraction temperature above 25°C reduced total phenolic content by approximately 15–20%. This means that cold pressed oil from a quality-focused producer will, all else being equal, have meaningfully higher polyphenol content than oil extracted at higher temperatures. However, extraction temperature is only one of many quality factors — olive fruit quality, Harvest timing, processing speed, and storage conditions matter equally. A cold pressed oil from overripe, poorly handled olives can still be inferior to an oil extracted at slightly higher temperatures from pristine early-harvest fruit.^13
The Extraction Process and Why Temperature Matters
Olive oil extraction separates the oil from the olive paste — a mixture of skin, flesh, and pit. In modern production, this is done using a centrifuge rather than the traditional hydraulic press. The centrifugation process generates heat through friction, and if not carefully controlled, it can raise the paste temperature above the threshold that preserves the polyphenol fraction. The IOC's 27°C limit for "cold pressed" designation was established based on research showing that polyphenol degradation accelerates measurably above this temperature, and that oils extracted below this threshold retain superior flavor and nutritional profiles.1
The phenolic compounds in olive oil — particularly hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and oleocanthal — are antioxidants that protect the oil from oxidation and provide the health benefits documented in clinical research. These compounds are partially water-soluble, which means they partition between the oil phase and the water phase during centrifugation. Lower temperatures favor their retention in the oil phase; higher temperatures increase their solubility in the water phase, reducing their concentration in the final product. This is why cold pressed oil from the same olives, processed at the same speed, but at 22°C versus 30°C, will have measurably different polyphenol content.3
"First Cold Pressed" — What It Actually Means
The term "first cold pressed" (prima spremitura a freddo in Italian) indicates that only the first mechanical pressing was used, and that it was performed at or below 27°C. This was the standard method in traditional olive oil production using hydraulic presses. The first pressing produced the highest quality oil; a second or third pressing of the same paste (with added water or heat) produced progressively lower quality oil. In modern centrifugation production, the "first cold pressed" designation is somewhat historical, because the centrifuge continuously separates oil without the discrete pressing events of traditional production. Most premium producers who use centrifugation still meet the temperature specification and label their oil "first cold pressed" to communicate the quality standard. The term "cold pressed" alone, without "first," is used by centrifugation producers who want to indicate temperature compliance without claiming the traditional first-press designation. Both are legitimate quality indicators when properly certified.2
Modern Centrifugation vs. Traditional Pressing
Traditional hydraulic pressing produced olive oil by placing olive paste in stacked fiber discs and applying pressure to separate the oil from the solids and water. The process was slow (3–4 presses per hour) and generated significant heat only if the olives were pre-heated (which low-quality producers sometimes did to increase yield). Premium traditional producers did not pre-heat the paste, making the hydraulic press capable of producing genuinely cold oil.
Modern horizontal centrifuge systems (the decanter centrifuge) separate oil, water, and solids continuously. They can be operated at controlled temperatures and are more efficient than pressing. For quality, the critical variables are: (1) the centrifuge temperature setting, (2) the speed of processing (faster = less heat buildup), and (3) the duration of malaxation (the slow churning that precedes centrifugation, which must be long enough to allow oil droplet coalescence but short enough to limit polyphenol leaching into the water phase). Well-managed modern centrifugation can produce oil with equal or superior polyphenol retention to traditional pressing. Poorly managed centrifugation — too hot, too fast — produces oil that is technically "cold pressed" by the IOC definition but is of mediocre quality. The process specification does not guarantee the management quality.1
What to Look For Beyond "Cold Pressed"
The term "cold pressed" is valuable as a quality indicator, but it should be combined with other markers for a complete quality picture:
Harvest date: Cold pressed oil from olives harvested weeks earlier and stored improperly will have degraded regardless of extraction temperature. A recent harvest date on the label indicates the oil is fresh.
PDO or IOC certification: Third-party verification that the oil meets both the cold pressed temperature specification AND the EVOO sensory standards.
Polyphenol content: Some premium producers now include polyphenol content (mg/kg) on the label. This is the most direct measure of the health-relevant compound concentration and allows direct comparison between oils.
Country of origin and variety: Oils from specific regions and varieties (Picual from Spain, Koroneiki from Greece, Frantoio from Italy) have documented quality characteristics. Multi-origin blends at low prices cannot provide the same quality assurance.
Sensory profile: If you open a cold pressed EVOO and taste no bitterness or pungency, the polyphenol content has depleted regardless of the harvest date or extraction temperature. The sensory experience is the final quality test that no lab certificate can replace.^13
References
- [1] Olive Oil Source — Olive Classification: https://www.oliveoilsource.com/info/olive-classification
- [2] International Olive Council — Culinary Cultures: https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/our-products/culinary-cultures/
- [3] PMCID PMC6770583 — Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6770583/