“First Cold Press” – What It Means (and What It Doesn’t)

The term "first cold press" often appears on premium olive oil bottles, but it's frequently misunderstood. While it once had technical significance, today it's mostly a marketing term, especially in regions where modern extraction methods have replaced traditional presses.

So, what does it actually mean?

Traditionally, olive oil was made using hydraulic presses: olives were ground between large stone wheels and the paste was spread on mats, then pressed to extract oil. The "first press" referred to the initial pressing, which produced the highest quality oil. Any subsequent pressings (using heat or solvents to extract more oil from the olive paste) would yield lower-grade oil. "Cold" meant that the temperature stayed below 27°C, ensuring that the organic compounds that endow quality extra virgin olive oil with its flavour and health benefits weren't destroyed.

In modern milling, olives are no longer pressed in the traditional sense to extract oil—they are centrifuged. Olives are crushed, then ground into a pulp under temperature and airtight conditions. The pulp is spun to separate oil from solids and water, again, at a controlled temperature.

So, while the term "first cold press" is still allowed on labels, all high-quality EVOO is technically “first cold extracted” by default.

What about other grades of olive oil?

Virgin olive oil is mechanically extracted like extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), but it has a higher acidity level—up to 2%—and a milder flavour. Because of this, it doesn’t meet the stricter quality standards required for EVOO.

Olive oil, often labelled as pure olive oil, is typically a blend of refined olive oil and a small amount of virgin olive oil. The refining process involves chemical treatments to remove defects, which also strips away many of the oil’s natural antioxidants and flavour.

At the bottom of the quality scale is pomace oil, which is extracted chemically, rather than mechanically, from the remaining olive pulp after the first pressing. This process uses solvents and heat, making the oil unsuitable for raw consumption. Pomace oil has minimal nutritional value and is considered the lowest grade of olive oil available.

Bottom line: If you're buying EVOO from a reputable, modern producer, "first cold press" is redundant. Instead, focus on harvest date, milling technology, acidity level (<0.8%), and olive variety—these are the real indicators of quality.