The North American Olive Oil Certification (NAOOA) is tightening certification standards to ensure every bottle of extra virgin olive oil meets higher quality and freshness benchmarks.
NAOOA’s “NAOOA Certified” seal is present on 49% of US branded olive oil sales, according to the association. The program, which features 99 products including private label brands, introduces stricter chemical standards, shorter shelf-life limits, more frequent testing and mandatory third-party bottling audits.
“We’re trying to further enhance consumer confidence in the quality of the olive oil that they’re buying in supermarkets,” said Joseph Profaci, executive director, NAOOA.
The stricter certification standard comes after NAOOA petitioned FDA in 2022 to establish a standard identity which lowered the free fatty acid limit from 0.8% to 0.5%.
“It just seemed logical that if we’re enhancing the certified seal program, we should track what we proposed to the FDA,” he said.
Lower acidity, shorter shelf life
The new 0.5% free fatty acid limit is nearly half the international standard of 0.8%, a mark that Profaci says is “reachable” for producers. With improved technology around production and storage, “quality is only going to just get better and better,” he added.
NAOOA also shortened the “best if used by” date from two years to 18 months. This change will “directly impact and encourage better supply chain management” and ensure oils reach consumers in peak condition, he explained.
Testing confirms market integrity
These changes build on NAOOA’s 2024 testing study, which examined 190 samples representing 85% of the US market.
“We didn’t find a single adulteration in that group,” which included private label brands like Costco’s Kirkland brand, Profaci noted.
NAOOA’s program is now expanding to Canada, informed by testing in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. This step could attract new members and extend NAOOA’s standards beyond the US, Profaci explained.
Consumer education and promotion
While NAOOA encourages brands to promote the certification themselves, the association also emphasizes broader education efforts.
NAOOA’s promotion board aims to help consumers learn about olive oil’s benefits and how to cook with it – an approach other boards like the American Egg Board and Avocado Board have taken to increase awareness and interest.
NAOOA encourages brands to promote the seal themselves, but Profaci noted the association’s own outreach at trade shows, such as the more recent Winter Fancy Food Show.
These efforts align with the work of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Alliance, which promotes transparency, taste and quality in global extra virgin olive oil products, as well as federal promotion programs educating consumers on proper use and health benefits.
