Do you store your olive oil properly?

Olive oil can be used anywhere: either in cooking and baking, or as a drizzle or garnish to finish foods.

When stored properly, it can last up to two years without losing much of its nutrition value. To store your olive oil properly, it’s important to always remember that the most common enemies for olive oil is light, heat, and oxygen.

Protect the oil from light. Sunlight and fluorescent lights will deteriorate the quality of the oil. Store your oil in a pantry, closet, cupboard, or other dark area and never leave it on your counter, in a window sill, or anywhere that it will be exposed to light.

Choose the right container. The ideal container for olive oil is a stainless-steel tin or dark glass bottle that will further protect the oil from light. Olive oil often comes in clear glass bottles, but you can always buy one from kitchen stores (you might as well use an empty dark wine bottle after you’ve washed it pretty well)

Seal the oil with an airtight lid. Oxygen is another element that will spoil olive oil. Whatever container you store your oil in, make sure it has an airtight lid that will keep out extra oxygen. After each time you use the oil, seal the lid tightly to protect the oil.

Keep the oil cool. The ideal temperature for storing olive oil is anywhere up to 21-22 C. The ideal spot for olive oil is a root cellar or cold cellar that’s both cool and dark, but a cooler pantry in your kitchen will also be fine.

Store large quantities of oil separately. When you buy oil in bulk or in large tin cans, transfer up to a quart (1 L) to a smaller bottle for everyday use. Seal the lid tightly on the bulk container, store it somewhere cool and dark, and only open it to refill the smaller container.