فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez News – Consumer Health and Markets
With the arrival of the olive harvesting season and the extraction of extra virgin olive oil in November 2025, professionals and experts in the sector are sounding the alarm about the widespread proliferation of “counterfeit oils” being sold at very tempting prices, but which pose a real danger to consumer health.
How is Olive Oil Adulterated?
- Mixing extra virgin olive oil with cheap vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower, palm oil, etc.)
- Re-refining used or spoiled oils and then chemically coloring and scenting them
- Selling low-quality imported oil as “100% Moroccan Virgin Oil“
- Bottling the oil without labels, expiration dates, or a clear source
Signs of Counterfeit Oil to Watch Out for Immediately:
- A price lower than 60-70 Moroccan Dirhams per liter (the normal price for virgin oil ranges between 80 and 120 MAD, depending on quality and region)
- Pale yellow or very transparent color (Original virgin oil is yellowish-golden green)
- Neutral or strange smell (The original has a strong, fresh, grassy aroma)
- Sour, metallic, or used-oil taste
- Absence of light sediment at the bottom (an indicator of natural filtration)
Expert Tips for Buying Safe and Authentic Olive Oil:
- Buy only from reputable pressing mills or accredited cooperatives.
- Ask for an invoice or a certificate of analysis, if possible.
- Prefer dark bottles or metal containers to protect the oil from light.
- Avoid street vendors in weekly markets who sell at extremely low prices.
- Taste the oil before buying: it should leave a slight sensation of heat in the throat (an indicator of a high polyphenol content).
Calls for Increased Oversight
Professionals are calling on regulatory bodies (the National Office for Food Safety – ONSSA, Trade Services, Customs) to intensify campaigns during November and December 2025, especially in weekly markets and on main roads, to seize trucks and warehouses distributing counterfeit oils.
Moroccan extra virgin olive oil is among the best in the world… Don’t let fraudsters harm its reputation and your health!
