“NAOOA Certified” Seal Olive Oils

Participants in the NAOOA Certified Seal program must agree to have us randomly test their products regularly and repeatedly (at least 2x per year). We sample from store shelves and submit the samples to certified independent laboratories. The oils are tested to ensure that they meet or exceed the physico-chemical standards set by the International Olive Council (IOC) to ascertain purity and quality. Participants pay a fee to participate in the program (to cover the cost of testing and overhead expenses) and license the NAOOA Certified Seal for use on their packaging. It does not mean that we test every bottle or even every lot. However, the penalty for getting caught is severe. If we can confirm that a product we have tested is not authentic, the company is required to conduct a recall of the licensed products from all stores across North America.

No. We only test bottles of companies that agree to take part in the program. The program is currently only open to members of the North American Olive Oil Association.

The answer is emphatically no. According to a study conducted by scientists from the FDA in a study published in 2015 that the risk of purchasing a bottle of adulterated EVOO is low (less than 5%). The scientists randomly sampled 88 bottles of EVOO that they purchased from supermarkets and online stores, and did not find a single instance of adulteration. We invite you to read more stories related to olive oil quality on our blog. So even if a product does not have a certification seal, you should feel confident you are getting authentic products, especially if you buy from a retailer that you trust, select a brand that you know, and/or do not pay a price that is “too-good-to-be-true.”

We only test brands that agree to be part of our program. Please inquire with the brand and suggest that they might join. 

No. There are a couple of reasons why this may be the case.  First, the AboutOliveOil.org Quality Seal program is product specific—not company specific. Companies have to pay the fee for each separate named product. A company might agree to pay the fee for their best-selling item, e.g., “Premium EVOO,” but not for a product that does not have wide distribution or high sales, e.g. “Organic Limited Edition EVOO.” 

Second, companies in the program are not required to put the AboutOliveOil.org seal on their labels. Many are content just to have the seal listed on the website or share the information with retailers because labels get crowded and they may wish to use the space for other information.

If your company is interested in licensing the NAOOA seal for your olive oil brand, please complete the form at https://www.aboutoliveoil.org/naooa-seal-program-inquiry-form