Stiftung Warentest examined 25 olive oils, including numerous organic varieties. Many stand out because of their bad taste or harmful substances, but only four deserve a clear recommendation.
olive oil was long considered liquid gold. This now applies more to the price than to the quality. After poor harvests and sharp increases in costs, prices have recently fallen somewhat, but the oil is rarely top class in the glass.
Stiftung Warentest has in issue 02/2026 25 olive oils tested, almost all with the promise of “extra virgin”. The result is sobering: good olive oil remains the exception.
Test result: Only four olive oils are really “good”
The current test included 25 olive oils, 24 of which were of the highest quality class “extra virgin” and one oil of the “virgin” class. Eleven products carry an organic seal. The price range is enormous: from discount oil for just under eight euros per liter to a gourmet bottle from the delicatessen for 54 euros.
Nevertheless, only a small tip is convincing. Just four oils received a “good” rating from Stiftung Warentest. These are below Organic extra virgin olive oil from Alnatura for about 7 euros. It impressed the testers with its clean sensory properties and a typical, fruity-bitter profile.
Eight products received a grade of 5
The majority of products are mediocre: 13 oils only perform “satisfactorily”. One in three oils even fails: a total of eight products receive a “defective” rating. Losers include, but are not limited to:
- Bellasan extra virgin olive oil from Aldi for around 6 euros
- Mani The Kitchen Hero 100% virgin olive oil (organic) for around 31 euros
You can read all product details in the issue of test 02/2026
If it says “nativ extra” but it’s not there
The gap is particularly clear when it comes to taste. According to EU regulations, olive oil in the “extra virgin” class must be free of defects, i.e. smell and taste fruity, with a certain bitterness and spiciness. However, other impressions count in the test: Some oils are described as pungent, muddy, rancid or musty. Such sensory errors are actually taboo in the top class. According to the testing rules, they can strictly speaking only be sold as “native” – i.e. a quality level below.
The fact that this classification is not arbitrary depends on the type of testing: Stiftung Warentest has each oil tasted by a state-recognized olive oil panel. At least eight specially trained testers systematically assess whether an oil is positively fruity, bitter and spicy – and whether errors such as “rancid” or “worm-eaten” occur. Only when the panel gives the green light can an oil really be entitled to the name “extra virgin”.
Harmful substances: Focus on mineral oils and plasticizers
In addition to the taste, another point was noticeable: the pollution. In the laboratory, the testers found increased levels of mineral oil components in some oils. Three products are significantly contaminated with mineral oils, three others are heavily contaminated. An organic olive oil is also notable for its very high levels of plasticizer.
MOAH, aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons, are particularly explosive and are considered potentially carcinogenic if consumed regularly and in large quantities. MOSH, saturated mineral oils, can accumulate in the body. New to the test program are chlorine paraffins – fat-soluble substances that serve as plasticizers, are hardly degradable and can also accumulate in the environment and organisms.
Stiftung Warentest emphasizes that none of the oils tested are acutely harmful to health. However, the striking values show that without extensive laboratory tests, it is difficult for consumers to tell which bottle is really safe.
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