Is this Olive Oil Permitted for Use for the Chanukah Menorah?

 by OU Kosher 

see video below of cold pressed olive oil production

 With Chanukah quickly approaching our thoughts turn to olive oil used for the Menorah. Many people are confused with the various types of olive oil and those which can be used to fulfill the Hiddur Mitzvah of lighting with שמן זית. In this article we will attempt to “shed light” on this topic.

Background

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Virgin Olive Oil production begins by transforming the olive fruit into olive paste by crushing the olives. The microscopic oil droplets concentrate and separate from the olive solids without chemical treatment.

The difference between Extra Virgin and Virgin is only in the acidic level of the oil. Extra Virgin Oil has less than .8% free fatty acid and Virgin Oil can have up to 2%. Neither one is blended with non-Olive Oil or with Refined Olive Oil.

Pomace is the solid substance left after the oil separates from the olive paste. Olive Pomace Oil is oil extracted from the Pomace using solvents. This oil is then refined and often blended with some Virgin Oil. It is fit for consumption, but may not be described simply as Olive Oil.

Pure Olive Oil and Olive Oil are refined Olive Oil blended with Virgin Olive Oil of no more than 1.5% acidity. Virgin Oil is blended with the refined Oil since refined Oil commonly lacks strong flavor.

Lampante Olive Oil is not suitable as food due to high acidity, poor flavor, and unpleasant odors.

The term Lampante comes from olive oil’s long-standing use in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market but is often found in Jewish stores before Chanuka.

Refined Olive Oil is the Olive Oil obtained from Virgin Olive Oils by refining methods that do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity of not more than .3%.

Note that no solvents are used to extract the oil, but it is refined with the use of charcoal and other chemical and physical filters.

Most bulk oils come to the USA following an inspection approved by the International Oil Council (IOC). In addition, every major bottling company has a laboratory for testing the quality of the oil.

Major brands in America test their competitor’s retail product for signs of adulteration. Therefore, there is no reasonable concern that a reputable brand will adulterate their oil. To date, no scientific study has concluded that there is adulteration by reputable companies presenting other oils as Virgin Olive Oil. However, little known brands that may hit the market at cheaper prices and fade away are suspected of adulteration.

Ruling:

It is the opinion of most poskim regarding Ner Chanuka that even Refined Oil that does not have a hechsher is acceptable. This is based on the position that for Ner Chanuka the oil does not need to be kosher [i] (i.e. מן המותר בפיך). An exception to this includes oils forbidden because of Basar B’chalav.

Others opine that oils used for Ner Chanuka should be kosher. Others further say that although is technically permitted to use non-kosher oils, one should do their best to use oil that has absolutely no doubts about its kosher status.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, any Extra Virgin or Virgin Olive Oil purchased at any major food supplier, or produced by any major brand, has no fear of adulteration and may be consumed. The OU encourages consumers to purchase Extra Virgin or Virgin Olive Oil with a reputable hechsher or from a well-known brand to negate all concerns. All other olive oils listed above must have a reputable hechsher to be consumed.

All olive oils, even if refined and not certified kosher, are acceptable for Ner Chanuka, as per most poskim.[ii] However, in the spirit of Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin it is praiseworthy to only use Olive Oil that is certified kosher.[iii]

Are all grades of olive oil equally acceptable for the Chanukah menorah?

As is previously noted, olive oil is the preferred choice for the Chanukah menorah. A primary reason is because we are commemorating the miracle that occurred in the Bais HaMikdash, and only olive oil was acceptable for the Menorah used in the Temple. The Gemara (Menachos 86a) describes the process by which oil was produced for the Menorah in the Bais HaMikdash. It was cold-pressed, unrefined and uncooked. Since the miracle in the Bais HaMikdash occurred with unrefined, cold-pressed olive oil, it stands to reason that the oil used for the Chanukah candles should also be cold-pressed and unrefined. On a practical level, Rav Elyashiv noted, this means that the Chanukah lights should be lit with virgin or extra virgin olive oil exclusively, as other grades of olive oil, such as “pure”, “light”, and “pomace” are all refined with a heating process. By the same token, it is preferable to use edible olive oil for the Chanukah candles, as inedible olive oil could not be used in the Bais HaMikdash (Ashrei Halsh, Vol.3, Ch. 34:13: Peninei Chanuka, Ch.7, pp. 138-140).

If only cooked olive oil or inedible olive oil are available, Rav Elyashiv ruled that the cooked olive oil takes precedence over inedible oil. Cooked olive oil is olive oil, albeit it could not be used for the Menorah in the Bais HaMikdash. In contrast, olive oil which is not edible loses its identity and is not treated as olive oil (Peninei Chanukah ibid, notes 151-153).

from Star- K kashrus 

Naming the Olive Oil

We often see many varieties of olive oil stocked alongside extra virgin olive oil that are sold under the following “noms de market”: pure olive oil, extra light, or refined pomace olive oil. What are they? Pure olive oil is a combination of extra virgin and refined olive oil. Extra light is a similar combination of the two oils, where the percentage of extra virgin olive oil is very low and may be considered almost entirely achieved through refined olive oil. Pomace olive oil is the oil obtained by a solvent (chemical) extraction from the solid part (residue of pulp, skin, pits, etc.) of the olives after first extraction of the oil. After cold pressing, the pressed olive pulp undergoes secondary high heat chemical extractions in order to remove any residual olive oil from the olive stock. This crude oil, also known as pomace oil, would be subjected to the same refining processes as other crude vegetable oils. Refined pomace oil is combined with a small amount of extra virgin or virgin olive oil to produce what it is called pomace olive oil. Usually, pomace olive oil is used in manufacturing applications such as the olive oil found in canned sardines. It can also be sold as a consumer item.

The Cold Pressing Miracle

Olive oil is truly one of Hashem’s unique creations since it is the only fruit oil that can be extracted through cold pressing. This means that the oil need only be squeezed out; no further refining is required, as it is ready for consumption. Although the heavy grindstones and millstones that crushed and expressed the olive oil in ancient times have given way to mechanical crushers and centrifuges, cold pressing extraction has remained virtually unchanged. The olive oil’s quality is rated by its acidity content. If there is little free acidity content, this supreme quality olive oil is labeled extra extra virgin; up to 0.8% acidity, the oil is considered extra virgin; from 0.8 to 2% acidity is virgin olive oil. These naturally squeezed oils are robust, flavorful and full- bodied. The oil is filtered through a cold filter press and is ready to go.

In the event that the acidity level of the cold pressed olive oil is too high or other quality parameters do not fall within the specification for the category (including the presence of organoleptic defects), the oil would not be considered acceptable for consumption. Consequently, it would be necessary to refine this oil in a similar manner as other crude vegetable and seed oils.

video traditional way of making olive oil

Modern way production of olive oil