Olive Lexicon
The olive is one of the world's oldest cultivated plants and has shaped the landscapes and traditions of the Mediterranean for thousands of years. But what makes an exceptional extra virgin olive oil? Which olive varieties exist, how does an olive tree grow, and how can you recognise outstanding quality?
Our Olive Encyclopedia offers valuable insights, fascinating background information and practical knowledge about olives, olive oil and olive trees – clearly explained and continuously expanded.
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Lampant oil
Inferior, inedible olive oil that must be refined and may not be sold as food.
Lampante oil (from ‘olio lampante’ = lamp oil) is a low-quality virgin olive oil that:
- has sensory defects (rancid, musty, earthy, foul, etc.)
- has a free acidity of over 2.0%
- does not meet the criteria for ‘virgin’ or ‘extra virgin’
In the past, it was actually used as fuel for oil lamps.