Expert reveals five things you should never do with olive oil, and it could change the way you shop

An olive oil producer has revealed five things you should never do to the wardrobe staple – and one of them could ruin your supermarket store.

Skyler Mapes from the US took to TikTok to offer her top tips on what to avoid when buying, using or storing the product.

The olive oil producer runs her own company EXAU, named after the ancient Roman phrase, Ex Albis Ulivis, meaning “white olive” in Latin, alongside her Italian husband, Giuseppe.

The couple sources the key ingredient from their family estate along the Ionian coast of Calabria in Italy.

Many of us rely on the golden elixir for frying, salad dressings and indulgent pasta recipes.

Skyler Mapes, (pictured), an olive oil producer from the United States, took to TikTok to offer her top tips on what to avoid when buying, using or storing the product.

But despite its versatility, olive oil spoils more easily than many might expect, according to the producer.

Introducing the video, Skyler said: “Here are five things you should never do, from an olive oil producer.”

‘Number one, don’t buy olive oil in plastic. If you walk away with something like this, don’t buy olive oil in plastic,” he encouraged.

While many of us might opt ​​for plastic-bottled olive oil, which is usually the cheapest option at the supermarket, it “degrades the quality of the oil and is also horrible for the environment.”

Skyler’s second tip also concerns the type of container the oil comes in.

The producer advised users of olive oil “do not buy it” in clear glass containers or any transparent container.

This is because olive oil can easily rust when placed near direct sunlight.

“Olive oil photo oxidizes, so when that direct light source hits the product, it will speed up the oxidation process, which means the oil will go rancid faster,” he explained .

The olive oil producer runs her own company EXAU, named after the ancient Roman phrase, Ex Albis Ulivis to describe the best olive oil, together with her Italian husband, Giuseppe.

And it’s not just the light that poses a risk to the Mediterranean salad.

Skyler’s third tip is to avoid storing olive oil in a place where it can be exposed to heat, which even includes the microwave.

“Don’t store your oil where it’s exposed to heat,” he warned.

‘Many people forget this and store the oil next to the oven or on top of the oven or right next to the stove.

“Here’s the thing: When olive oil is constantly exposed to higher temperatures for a long time, it degrades the oil, so try to keep it away from an oven, stove or heat source direct, even your microwave.”

His fourth tip is to always check the label on olive oil containers, as it can reveal the purity of the product.

The producer advised users of olive oil “do not buy it” in clear glass containers or any transparent container. Stock image used

According to Skyler, it’s best to go for products that don’t list multiple different sources, as it can dilute the purity of the product.

“Stay away from products that have like four different countries listed on the back of the label,” he warned.

“There’s nothing wrong with buying this type of oil if that’s what you want. The problem is that if many brands are misleading – they might say ‘Tuscan blood’ and then you turn the bottle over and the label says Greece, Portugal, Italy, Argentina, and there are a lot of different countries on the list.

‘Stay away from this!’

The fifth and final piece of advice from the olive grower was to avoid the big brands.

“Smaller companies have a lot more agency over the trees they’re harvesting, how things are made, when they’re milled. We have a lot more control.

“For example, my husband and I have olive trees and as our brand grows, we can harvest our neighbors’ trees or our aunt’s trees, so we understand exactly what is going on with the farming practices on our land, but also with the people around us.

“This ensures that we are using ethical farming practices, we are treating the land well and we are doing everything right.

“This goes back to understanding and wanting to know where your food comes from and I hope that’s really important to our consumers.”