A discussion of unethical and downright fraudulent practices may seem out of place in a website dedicated to what Homer called “liquid gold,” but it is unavoidable if the purpose is to educate the American consumer about the virtues of fine olive oil. For the unfortunate fact is that the olive oil industry has been the focus of dishonest practices ranging from false advertising to serious fraud to a greater extent than just about any other sector in the food industry. 

There are several reasons for this, starting with the characteristically low level of the public’s knowledge about olive oil, its high desirability as a health food, combined with insufficient production, rocketing demand and the lack, until recently, of generally accepted and enforced standards of quality. This has resulted in a wide variety of unsavory practices that make it difficult for the average consumer to make an educated choice while purchasing olive oil in the market place.

We have complied a few resources about this interesting topic for your information.

Buyer Beware
Alex's in depth discussion of the plight of olive oil fraud and how you can avoid a sub-par product.

The Olive Oil Seems Fine. Whether It's Italian Is the Issue.
Link to a very interesting New York Times article describing the Italian 'olive oil' market.

Slippery Business
The trade in adulterated olive oil.
Yet another enlightening article, this time from The New Yorker.