Quick answer: Olive pomace oil is oil taken from the paste left over after olives are pressed. The leftover paste is treated with a solvent such as hexane, and the crude oil is refined and usually blended with a little virgin olive oil. It is safe to cook with and good for high-volume frying, but it has very few of the natural antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil.
Pomace oil is sold in large tins across Pakistan, often at a much lower price than other olive oils. Many shoppers do not realise it is a different product. Here is what it is, and when it makes sense to use it.
In this guide
What is olive pomace?
When olives are crushed and pressed, the oil comes out and a wet paste of skins, pulp and stone fragments is left behind. This paste is called pomace. Even after a good extraction it still holds a few percent of oil.
How pomace oil is made
- The leftover pomace is dried.
- The remaining oil is dissolved out with a food-grade solvent, usually hexane. This is the same method used for most seed oils.
- The crude pomace oil is refined: neutralised, bleached and deodorised to remove the solvent, bad taste and smell.
- A small amount of virgin olive oil is usually blended in to give it some colour and taste.
The final product is sold as olive pomace oil. Under international rules it cannot be sold simply as “olive oil”, and the word “pomace” must appear on the label. Its free acidity must be 1.0% or less.
Pomace olive oil vs extra virgin olive oil
| Olive pomace oil | Extra virgin olive oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Made from | Leftover paste after pressing | Fresh whole olives |
| Method | Solvent extraction and refining | Crushing and pressing only |
| Taste | Neutral | Fruity, green, peppery |
| Natural polyphenols | Very low | High |
| Smoke point | High | Medium to high |
| Price | Lowest of all olive oils | Highest |
| Best use | Large-batch deep frying, soap | Raw use, cooking, frying, hair, skin |
Both have almost the same calories and fat content. The big difference is what refining takes away: the polyphenols, vitamin E and aroma that make extra virgin olive oil special. If you are buying olive oil because of its health reputation, pomace oil is not the oil the research is about.
Olive pomace oil uses
- Deep frying. Restaurants use pomace oil for samosas, pakoras, fries and fried fish because it is cheap and handles long frying well.
- Bulk cooking. Caterers and hotels use it for large pots of salan and rice.
- Soap making. Traditional olive oil soaps, including Castile-style soap, often use pomace oil.
- Massage. It is used as a low-cost massage base oil, often mixed with other oils. See olive oil for massage.
- Hair oil blends. Many low-cost “olive hair oils” use pomace oil. For hair, extra virgin olive oil is a better choice. See olive oil for hair.
Is pomace olive oil safe?
Yes. When it is refined properly it meets the same food safety rules as other refined vegetable oils, including limits on solvent residues and on contaminants. In 2001 some pomace oils in Spain were withdrawn over contaminants formed during poor drying, and since then producers and regulators have tightened controls. Buy from a known brand with a clear label and an origin.
When extra virgin is worth the extra cost
- When you eat the oil raw: salads, raita, hummus, dips, over daal.
- When you cook at normal home temperatures: sautéing, shallow frying, roasting. Extra virgin is stable at these temperatures.
- When you use it on hair and skin, where you want the oil with nothing added or removed.
If you deep fry large amounts every day, pomace oil is the practical choice for that one job, and extra virgin is the better choice for everything else. Compare costs in olive oil price in Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
Is pomace oil real olive oil?
It is made from olives, but it is a separate grade. It cannot legally be sold as “olive oil” or “extra virgin”. It must say “olive pomace oil” on the label.
Is pomace olive oil good for cooking?
It is fine for frying, especially deep frying in large amounts. For flavour and natural antioxidants, extra virgin olive oil is better.
Is pomace olive oil good for hair?
It will soften hair like most oils, but extra virgin olive oil is the purer choice because it is not extracted with solvents or refined.
Why is pomace oil so cheap?
It is made from a by-product, the paste left after pressing, so the raw material costs very little.