That's it, fellas, empty the cellars, clean up the pantry, make room in the drawers… Cobram Estate sale hunting season is back on. The post link is for the robust one, but the classic and the light ones are also on sale (ikr, why would anyone buy light, i.e. "watered down," olive oil is beyond me too!).
light, "watered out,"
no water. usually heat treated. better for high heat cooking.
Wrong; extra virgin olive oil means it's not heat treated; it's expeller pressed. Rather, it's just a choice of variety:
Cobram Estate Light Flavour Intensity is crafted from olives grown on the banks of the Murray River, where the Mediterranean climate and fertile red soils guarantee premium quality. …
The main varietal used in our Cobram Estate Light flavoured Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Arbequina. This variety is originated from Spain, and typically produces oil that has a delicate aroma with creamy notes on the palate. (Cobram Estate)
I still feel it's a watered down variety. I want olive oil not only for its taste, aroma and bc it prevents grub from sticking to the pan, but mainly for its health benefits. It's all in the polyphenols, which we can smell kilometres away in great quality olive oil. Cobram Estate probably doesn't do that, but other brands "water down," or cut, their "olive oil" with soybean oil. Not sure about Australia, but many countries allow sellers to "soy down" their olive oil and incredible amount and still sell it as "olive oil."
I still feel it's a watered down variety
There is no water in it.
Cobram Estate probably doesn't do that, but other brands "water down," or cut, their "olive oil" with soybean oil.
How do you know that when you are
Not sure about Australia
Or are you sure,
many countries allow sellers to "soy down" their olive oil and incredible amount and still sell it as "olive oil."
That would be illegal and against labelling laws here, and in NZ and the EU and many other countries unless it is sold as a blend
There's a lot of talk for years about cutting EU oil down. Either not being virgin or not being 100% olives.
Just google it. The issue is real. Labelling laws mean squat for imports for basic products like this and are no deterrent.
Labelling laws mean squat for imports for basic products like this and are no deterrent.
Yes they do because if you import adulterated olive oil and sell it in Australia as olive oil you are breaking our labelling laws
@spaceflight: Lol! Only if someone checks & acts on the breach…
If that does happen, the process may take years!
you are breaking our labelling laws
Organised crime has been involved overseas. I'm sure they'll be frightened by your claim!!
There's a lot of money to be made in fake food products.
There's a lot of money to be made in fake food products.
That's why I only buy genuine food products.
I'm not supporting organised crime.
@spaceflight: Year, sure!
Often food crime involves genuine food products!!! That's where the premium money is💰
You can taste if Its from criminal activity?? That's amazing😜
How do you know you're not supporting organised crime??
Likely you are just fooling yourself. (Like most do.)
Recent criminal activity in the USA food market has dramatically risen, with organised crime involvement.
That genuine food may have already entered the Australian food market:
Consider the theft of massive quantities of premium nuts from producers in California. (Product of California: almond, walnut, pistachio, and pecan)
Those are sold into the international market. Usually at a lower price. Importers don't care, & supermarkets are looking to sell at lowest price.
There is almost no way to trace the stolen food.
And theft of thousands of bee hives, used to pollinate the nut crops. Those are rented to other farmers to produce their crops. So many are affected by food crime.
Mexican avos are often controlled by criminal gangs, forcing farmers to work for them. The profits are used to import weapons from the USA, to further terrorise the farmers & locals.
Food Wars! Got to love free trade!
(Luckily we don't import avos from Mexico.)
Slave, child & forced labour are used in some countries to produce genuine food. Slaves are usually supplied by criminal gangs. Here we may underpay & abuse workers, but cases of slavery have been shown.
Sheep & cattle are stolen here - likely entering the general meat market.
Labelling laws aren't ever likely to stop that!
So what was the outcome of accusations & scandal of adulteration of honey sold by Australian supermarkets a while back??
Supermarkets accused of selling 'fake' honey
Nothing? Just removed from the shelf. Don't scare the consumers…
Hope you didn't buy any honey😜
So what was the outcome of accusations & scandal of adulteration of honey sold by Australian supermarkets a while back??
It was concluded due to testing uncertainty.
There was a media release about it too.
But because there was no scandal it wasn't reported so you probably didn't know about it if you only get your news from Facebook.
The ACCC is advised NMR testing is not yet reliable enough to determine whether honey is adulterated and therefore should not be used as a basis to support legal action. This is consistent with the approach of regulators in the UK, US and the EU.
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/honey-investigation-co…
Especially in European olive oil!
Analysis showed olive oil adulterated with sunflower and corn oil in the range of 4–96% (v/v)(ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) Leaving as little as 4% genuine olive oil in some samples!!
That is not saying European olive oil contains as little as 4% genuine olive oil.
If you are familiar with academic language it's clear from the article you linked to that your quote is referring to tests of known quantities of deliberately adulterated olive oil.
If you don't believe me you can read the source of that data
NIR transmittance measurements were made on pure olive oil and olive oil adulterated with varying concentrations (4-96%, v/v) of sunflower and corn oil in two sets of 26 binary and ternary mixtures.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?journal=J.+Food+Dr…
@spaceflight: Yes. The paper was looking at testing methods to detect adulteration.
Was just editing that later addition when you replied.
Was just editing that later addition when you replied.
Don't you hate when that happens!
So was I when you replied to me as I was editing to try and explain the NIR transmittance measurements and binary and ternary mixtures and what the paragraph was saying.
@spaceflight: Oh stop interrupting😉
…After I read more of the paper.
Added the olive oil figures late in my reply primarily about allegedly adulterated honey🍯
Wish I hadn't!
Removed & reposted below👇
If you are familiar with academic language
Yes but it's late & am making mistakes😴
Lectured in academic writing at Uni, reviewed research papers before being sent for publication, rewrote a Science Research Masters course … Long ago.
Had been led to those figures when asked Google "How much olive oil is adulterated".
Legitimate source (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Was shocked by highlighted excerpt! Should have read paper before posting… Mea culpa!
Then went back to review the paper. Was taken from a very different context…
develop analytical techniques to detect adulteration - using deliberately adulterated test samples😜
The paper does point to the need to limit food fraud in olive oil.
Estimates of 50% of Italian olive oil is adulterated are often quoted elsewhere.
@spaceflight: [UPDATED]
Thanks for that unfortunate update. It's as expected!
Likely there would have been vested interests that would have lobbied not to prosecute under the previous Government… There were major businesses caught up!
(I was busy elsewhere at the time, not using FB. The ABC NEWS link should have been the give away😉)
So not a high enough level of proof of adulteration… to proceed with prosecution. As in many crimes!!
Am not surprised!!
That's why I questioned your claim:
That's why I only buy genuine food products.
It's impossible be so sure!!
As shown.in this case, even labs, experts & lawyers can't tell for sure.
As a person who once taught basic bee keeping, I was well aware of the ease of adulterating honey.
While it's easy to read the water concentration - the most basic adulteration (bee keepers usually carry the simple device to make a reading), other adulteration is much harder to spot.
The consumer doesn't have a clue!
Easy & highly profitable to do, with almost no chance of being caught!
Pity that still goes on! And won't be stopped!!
So you (& I) have likely been unwitting victims of food fraud, supporting criminal activity.
Food Labelling & the law won't stop food fraud.
That's why it's a lucrative area for the "Agromafia".
Especially in European olive oil!
[Incorrect conclusion from scientific paper removed]
The more genuine you may think the food is - is no indication that it's not fake or been through criminal hands!
There is no water in it.
Quote marks, mate; quote marks. It implies figure of speech, obviously.
How do you know that when you are
Bc I know for sure to be the case in North America, which implies it's also the case pretty much everywhere in the world other than perhaps some better regulated European countries.
That would be illegal and against labelling laws here, and in NZ and the EU and many other countries unless it is sold as a blend
Not so in the US and many other countries in the US' sphere of influence, where olive oil blends are permitted to be sold as olive oil as long as they're only 50% olive oil. Brazil, for instance, last time I checked, is down to 20%! 20% olive oil that is!! It can be as much as 80% "vegetable oil" — most often GMO soybean, that is!!! In fact, it is very rare — and quite often utterly impossible — for labelling laws to require 100% purity. That's usually only true for hospital or pharmaceutical grade products. Food grade always leaves a wider margin (though not as wide as for other uses, of course).
Wrong; extra virgin olive oil means it's not heat treated
Extra virgin isn't, but light olive oil usually is.
Yep:
light, i.e. "watered down,"
What do you buy?
Not sure who that question was for, but, regardless… Cobram for dressing, others — Also, Española, etc — for cooking.
This is a big issue, but it is mislabelling and counterfeiting, not something to be expected.
The European brands that commit to selling real olive oil also cost a similar price. Australian olive oil is going to be high quality because the consequences of mislabelling are much more severe
Again, it's no deterrent for import labels. Unless you send samples to the IOC to get a quality/grading certificate then you aren't going to be caught. No one is going to police 80% EVOO mixed with 20% POO/ROO. This does form part of the cost with premium EVOO, you're paying for a "guarantee".
On the contrary. I don't think anyone is chugging the stuff straight. Sure EVOO is best for health, but the daily user is only using small amounts in their cooking. Get a 3L tin of the good stuff and it will last ages. Otherwise just get whatever virgin or pure olive oil you can afford and avoid the other refined poly/vege/plant oils.
750mL $10.80 (375mL is $9.50)
Still seems expensive! Full price its ~$25 per litre! I wonder if the aldi version has gone up this much.
I usually get some of the best extra virgin olive olive for $35-$40 for 4 litres at my local continental deli.
Nice. What brand JV?
@Robot16: It's not a brand, it's a region in Greece.
Our local deli usually has about a dozen different brands to choose from.
This is one of my favourites.
https://oasisonline.com.au/products/sitia-extra-virgin-olive…
$12 for 4 litres must be a typo though…
it's a region in Greece.
Actually jv, as I’m sure you’re aware, Crete is not a region but a large Greek Island.
Very pleasant, friendly place and well worth a visit, not just for the olive oil
Crete is not a region but a large Greek Island.
It is also a "Region"
https://www.touropia.com/regions-of-greece-map/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Greece#List_of_regi…
Very pleasant, friendly place and well worth a visit, not just for the olive oil
Did you find the Minotaur ?
@jv: @jv
What makes you think that such a small island like Crete makes so much "genuine" extra virgin olive oil to export it all the way to Australia for only $10/L?
@Mad Max: In Australia there are about 10 million olive trees total, while there are 40 million olive trees on Crete, which produces more olive oil than all of the Greek islands and mainland combined. For Spain this number is 300 million and for Turkey it's around 200 million.
Still seems expensive!
This Australian Extra Virgin olive oil is $14.40/L.
Recommended in reviews by Choice
Buying in bulk is cheaper.
But "olive oil does start to degrade as soon as you open, so for optimal benefits and taste, it is best to use it within six months of opening."
Smaller amounts suit a small consumer of Olive Oil better!
Keep several types of Olive Oil for different uses. Replenish supplies when price is right.
Keep several types of Olive Oil for different uses.
Can you expand more on these different uses?
I sometimes have debates with the folks,
so I need more information about this :-)
@whyisave: Try a search. I just try what I find. Mainly eating Korean at the moment.
Use infused olive oil to add flavour to things like salads & bruschetta.
If you've ever tasted fresh pressed olive oil, its hard to use the packaged oils.
Visited the FREE Shōdo-shima Olive Park, for the 100th anniversary of olives planted on that Japanese island. Absolutely delicious free samples with crusty bread.
Luckily i was staying next door (swapping conversation English for free accommodation).
The Sun Olive Onsen (spa - amazing value at 700¥ $8) across the road. Soak in hot spring water overlooking the beautiful Inland Sea. Has local olive oil for a rub down after a relaxing soak! Devine 🛀
@INFIDEL: I was getting told that extra virgin olive oil has a "high smoke point",
so it's not suitable to use that for frying, etc.
But I was still debating and saying that good oil is still good oil,
because I want to try and consume less Canola oils, etc.
@whyisave: Oils ain't oils. Yes - I've read that.
Some are better for high temp, some for salads. Beyond that I just do a search. I rarely cook fried food.
I use Olive Oil mainly for unheated use. So want a good flavour.
But just added some garlic infused olive oil to quickly cook some pork strips to add to spicy cold Korean noodles. OK for that quick mid temp cooking.
I never see the 'Cockatoo Grove Organic Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil' ever come on special at 50% off
@[Deactivated]: It was on half-price sometime special last year at Woolies, I regret not stocking up. It was recently $14 (from $18) at Coles IIRC.
@donotuse: I think I saw a special at $14, but was expecting more of a discount as I like to buy in bulk when products are on sale
Is this online order only - or can we get them physically from the shops?
At the shops. Missus actually saw it first (I do online; she does offline). She beat us all to it.
I could not see much difference between this and the Olive Tree Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1L at only $11 at Aldi.
But can you smell it? This was a few years ago, but…
Cobram Estate Named Healthiest Olive Oil In The World
This award is based on the following components, which determine the healthful elements of a high quality extra virgin olive oil: total polyphenols, oleocanthal levels and most balanced fatty acid profile. (PR Newswire)
Company Named the "World's Healthiest Extra Virgin Olive Oil" at The Health & Food Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards Competition at Málaga Costa Del Sol, Spain
Sounds like a made up award when half of the 6 google results for it refer to Cobram.
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22The+Health+%26+Food+Extra…
Of the half that refer to Cobram one website is Cobram's and another is the PR Newswire article you linked to (which Cobram would have paid for)
The third website is also an ad for Cobram posing as an article about olive oil.
The difference is in the Flavonoids. Robust is the one with the highest amount of these and do not go on sale that much.
There is a more specialised one from Cobram but they do not bother selling it directly to the public because of comments like this. It is very dark and aromatic. This is from a naturopath I've talked to.
Who else still has their Olive oil from their genies world record thingie ??
Meee
a little bit yeah
Is that the one where we were suppose to attend a zoom meeting for?
Na you just needed to signup to their event
But yeah, It was meant to be a show where you attend online, and taste their olive oil tried to make into genies world record like world's biggest olive oil tasting event.
I still have two of mine fully sealed shut, never opened oil.
Guinness
Argh, just recently bought Cockatoo Grove 750ml from Coles for $14. If I only knew this was happening!
According to Choice, link above, it's better than Cobram.
Yep, I only buy the "Robust" variety. I love the grass aroma and bold flavour that enhances the steamed veggies I dress it with.
Normally oil is sold by the litre, not kg.
So when you compare to other oils sold by the litre it would be cheaper
The only similarity between Aldi one and Cobram is the similar design of packaging. I didn’t like the Aldi one at all.
The Aldi and wollies organic ones are not bad though.
Aldi mimicking name brands is just wrong. If their products are so good they should be able to stand on their own.
@whyisave: I don’t have an affiliation with no brand I just don’t like people who piggy back on the work of others by pretending they are the same. I’ve actually bought stuff from Aldi, at various times, but I’m not an Aldi cult follower. I don’t buy there “we are the same as the brands” rubbish. They should develop their own products and brand them.
$14/L after discount is still a ridiculous price for olive oil.
True, I bought the 500ml on 1/2 price from Woolies, and $27.99 for 3 litres from Aldi last week, and quite happy with those.
It is not. You are comparing apples with oranges. Not all olive oils are created equal just because they look similar. They are the same in the same logic caged eggs are the same as free range eggs. This is a good deal for free range olive oils lol
Maybe I'm not an olive oil connoisseur but i couldn't find any difference between the taste of this vs something like Moro or Red Island or the Aldi brand.
I would pay a premium for speciality coffee but this is barely any better than a lot of other local olive oils which are much cheaper.
i couldn't find any difference between the taste
The difference is mostly on the fragrance. If you smoke, yeah, you won't sense the difference.
I could not taste the nuances in wine and alcohol in general when I was much younger: did not start drinking until around 28. I think my tastebuds have matured a fair bit since.
Can't tell the difference between coffees though 😳 unless it is obviously burnt and whatnot.
@Alley Cat: I'm the same with coffee, and my taste for wine doesn't really align with prices and rankings, but olive oil is pretty obvious to me (perhaps, again, bc it's a metter of smell, which I'm pretty sensitive to, not taste per se).
@wisdomtooth: My theory is the body needs to get used to a class of taste or maybe smell, in this scenario, and that allows it to filter out the base information (so that we aren’t overwhelmed), we can then zoom in on the subtleties. As the French says, follow your nose :) Maybe you need to be smelling wine instead.
Please add size 750ml to the title.
$10.80 save $7.20? Must be 4 litres….
Wait….no! prices are down! it's 3/4 of a litre!!
Something like the bars of chocolate on special for $3.90…. being smaller than the bars that were $2.50 not that long ago.
I know there's inflation, but I reckon there are some supermarkets that will be reporting record profits.
When even the specials prices are crap, something is going strange. Compare prices outside the "big 2"… and it can be a different world.
You forgot to add, toothpaste/s where $4 used to be full price within a few months now that's the 50% discounted price. The same goes with the run of the mills' bag of chips (175 grams), apparently, now $2.80 is when it is 50% off.
$3 for Coles homebrand deli chips 200g now. Another recent price jack from $2.5
I got Grants at $2.50 @ Chemist Warehouse last week (yes, at "half" price). Still decent, no?
Yep. I see Woolies have increased their cheap tinned tomatoes from 80c to 97c a big % jump. Kirks 10 pack soft drink was always well under $10, now $13. Coles and Amazon normal price is cheaper than Woolies.
Was there once a half price sale?
Not for robust.
I bought 2 X 500ml Red Island bottles for about this price (they were 50% off) … Not sure if the sale is still on at Woolies.
Any quality difference between cobram estate vs la espanola vs homebrand?
Huge!
"Why you should start your day with a spoonful of this Greek olive oil"
https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.afr.com%2Flife-an…
Anyone wanna share in a 3 year tree adoption? Divvy the oil between us.
ok - im definitely going to get negative votes for this as usual - but this aint a special…
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/747629
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/752700
Thats this year, im not going to go back any further as i will probably get flamed for it which is a joke..
And also the usual comments are on every oil special - organic/which/choice/ google said this and that and which is better…blah blah blah..
But what if you need oil now and you don't want to wait for a better deal? Just miss out?
Also, not everyone uses or wants to commit to larger quantities of olive oil.
have no idea what your talking about - all i said was its not a good deal. Im sure you can put your big boy pants on and make a decision for the rest of your questions.
Not sure why you'd get negs. But Cob's deal isn't that bad.
Red Island for $9.50 a litre is a better deal. And the oil quality is very comparable to Cob's. And it's in a 500ml bottle which for some is perfect. I'd choose Red Island for $9.50L over Cob's for $14.40L.
Red Island?? Apples and bananas. Or, rather, Clicquot vs fizzy wine.
but this aint a special…
Why neg this 40% cheaper than new normal price Deal??
Based on PAST PRICES for DIFFERENT PRODUCTS!!
You're living (months) in the past!
To justify your Neg: Cobram Estate Olive Oil 3 Litre $36 (Save $9) Coles - exp 3/1.
Current normal price is $52!! Not $45!
This Deal has received 11X the +votes!!
(Some only want the 750ml in this Deal, so not a relevant comparison.)
Thats (the prices) this year
You haven't noticed price rises this year??
eg Woolies own brand baked beans were 65c early 2023. Now $1.10!
A 70% jump in price - this year.
Stating the obvious…
Past supermarket Deals aren't relevant comparisons in a time of fast rising prices!
All you're doing is pointing out prices are rising. Most already know that🤔
But you are opposed to Deals like this saving 40% off current prices!!
Not 50% off, no deal…