color of olive oil

The color spectrum of olive oil varies from deep green to light yellow, some speak of a golden hue. The color depends on the degree of ripeness of the olives before the grinding process. The color of an olive is influenced by the breakdown of plant dyes, so-called pigments. While in green olives it is primarily the breakdown of carotenoids and chlorophyll that determines the color of the olive, in darker olives, broken down anthocyanins form a hue of up to dark purple.

Chlorophyll and carotene are fat-soluble and thus characterize the later image of olive oil, anthocyanins are not soluble in fat. Improper processing or storage can affect the color of olive oil.

The proportion and distribution varies greatly between the olive varieties and also depends significantly on the time of harvest.