Origin and Traceability

The extra virgin olive oil VIRENS EVOO that you have in your hands, with batch number 59901, is part of a group of 1,000 bottles that we filled especially for this edition. We avoid easy generalities; that is why we tell you the story and traceability of each batch individually.

This olive oil comes from the Lechín variety, originally from the southwest of Andalusia and very common in the Sierra de Cádiz (Andalusia, Spain). Specifically, the olives in this batch were harvested in Arcos de la Frontera, from an ancient and venerable olive grove—an authentic Garden of Eden more than 200 years old—originally planted by a religious order around a retreat monastery (“desert monastery”).

The olive grove, located at 320 meters above sea level, has a predominantly southwest orientation. The slope of the terrain is moderate, and the soils are what we call “alberos”. The cultivation system is traditional, with about 90 trees per hectare, and it follows the rules of organic agriculture—hence the European seal that guarantees its production, from tree to bottle, as an organic product.

The olive grove estate covers a total of 50 hectares. A wonderful flock of sheep helps maintain the grove: the soil is not tilled, and if you stop for a moment in silence, you can hear and appreciate the diversity of animals that live there.

Production Process

At the mill, the batch of olives for this lot was kept cold (refrigerated temperature) from the moment it was received until it was crushed. The olive paste obtained was processed cold at 22°C, and finally, the extracted oil was decanted, filtered, and stored until bottling in a nitrogen-inerted tank to preserve all its aroma and flavor.

Physical-Chemical and Sensory Quality

As you can see in one of the attached certificates, the physical-chemical characteristics of this oil are exceptional. Its acidity is 0.21 degrees, which indicates that the olives were processed immediately after being harvested, ensuring extremely high quality.

The tasting panel authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has confirmed, through its experts, that this batch is classified as extra virgin olive oil with a median fruitiness score of 3.9 (value shown in the attached certificate). The official tasting panel certificate is included.

We also carry out specific analyses for every batch of VIRENS EVOO, because no two olive oils are the same. Every batch, depending on the olive variety (each variety has different genetic components) and also based on the altitude at which the trees grow, the characteristics and richness of the soils, the age of the trees, the cultivation system, and the availability of water, offers unique organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, which impact human health in different ways. Below you will find the nutritional information of this batch and its health implications.

Nutritional Information for Batch 59901

The recommended daily dose of this product is 35 ml. This number is not random: in the internationally recognized CordioPrev study, the daily dose given to participating patients was between 30 and 40 ml. We chose to stay right in the middle: 35 ml.

Also, the World Health Organization recommends an average intake of around 2,000 kcal per day for an average adult, considering personal circumstances. It also advises that less than 30% of those calories should come from fats, prioritizing vegetable fats and avoiding saturated and trans fats. With this recommended daily dose, we meet these important guidelines.

The following table shows the specific nutritional information of this batch, with values per 100 g of oil and per 35 ml portion (approximately 32 g), as shown on the label. The most relevant health-related properties are highlighted:

Table 1: Nutritional Information of EVOO Lot 59901 (per 100 g and per 35 ml portion). RDI = Recommended Daily Intake.

As you can see, the vast majority of fats in this oil are monounsaturated, the healthiest type of fat, because it helps maintain proper blood cholesterol levels. Therefore, as has been scientifically proven, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet helps reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol levels are a risk factor for coronary heart diseases, so the fat profile of this oil is highly beneficial. The main monounsaturated fat present in extra virgin olive oil is oleic acid, the major component responsible for many of its healthy properties.

To put the extraordinary proportion of monounsaturated fats in this oil into context, below is a comparison with some common vegetable oils, showing the approximate percentage of monounsaturated fats in each:

Table 2: Comparison of fat profiles (monounsaturated and saturated fat content) of different vegetable oils.

Vitamin E

Another outstanding parameter in this batch’s nutritional profile is its high vitamin E content. Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble nutrient for the human body, acting mainly as a powerful antioxidant. Its most active and common form in the diet is alpha-tocopherol.

According to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a nutrient contribution is considered significant if a food provides at least 15% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) per 100 g of product. For vitamin E, the RDI is 12 mg, so 15% equals 1.8 mg per 100 g. Our batch 59901 provides 19.47 mg/100 g of vitamin E. A 35 ml portion of this batch provides approximately 6.8 mg of vitamin E, meaning that on its own it provides nearly 57% of the daily recommended amount. This allows us to affirm that this batch is a natural source of vitamin E, thanks to its high content of this antioxidant micronutrient.

In addition, as a natural antioxidant, vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative damage (this statement is an authorized generic health claim under current European Union regulations for vitamin E).

Phenolic Compounds

This batch of VIRENS EVOO also stands out for its content of phenolic compounds. According to European legislation, “olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative damage.” To use this authorized health claim, an olive oil must contain at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol (and its derivatives) per 20 g of oil.

As shown in the attached phenolic analysis certificate, batch 59901 provides 13.8 mg of phenolic compounds per 20 g of oil—more than double (almost triple) the minimum required level. This figure allows us to use the mentioned claim: it is an olive oil naturally rich in phenolic compounds, with nothing added.

Phenolic compounds act as natural antioxidants, helping neutralize free radicals that damage cells. Moreover, combined with vitamin E, they produce a strengthened and unique antioxidant effect: acting synergistically, both components work together against oxidative damage to protect our bodies.

Conclusions – A Functional Food

For all these reasons, this extra virgin olive oil can be considered a functional food that contributes to a healthy lifestyle. In summary, batch 59901 of VIRENS EVOO brings together an exceptional origin, a careful cold-extraction process, maximum physical-chemical quality, and an outstanding nutritional profile (rich in monounsaturated fats, with abundant vitamin E and antioxidant polyphenols). All these qualities provide health benefits, supported by European legislation, without any additives or artificial processes.

You can consult the official certificates that confirm everything described here, as well as photos and videos of the olive grove and of the people who live and work continuously under the shade of these ancestral trees: THE OLIVE TREE