Cloudy Olive Oil?

[Theia]

On Friday I bought a 34oz jar of Spectrum Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The cashier noticed it was very cloudy and with solid fatty looking stuff on the side and bottom of the jar. I wasn't paying attention. So I let her make the call to see if they could get me a different jar. The word came back that they were all like that and it was because they had been cold. So I bought it and have had it sitting out on my kitchen counter since. It's still cloudy and has extra cloudy stuff on the bottom. I have bought this same product before and it's not been cloudy like this. If I shake the jar strings of cloudy come off the bottom. There are tiny bubbles floating in it as well. I've never been so obsessively watching a jar of OO. Last night while I was using the oven to cook, I set the jar on the oven top to see if it would improve it's looks. It got rid of the fatty stuff, but it's still different from the jar of the same product that I am almost out of.

Is this normal? It's a $16 jar and so it's not opened yet while I try to determine if I am going to keep it or not. I read that olive oil is supposed to be cloudy, but I've never seen it this cloudy, nor with the extra cloudiness and strings off the bottom? This is the exact product, but not where I purchased it from.

Help!?

[pumpkinhead]

Olive oil will start to get cloudy and almost solidify if it gets cold. Try sticking it in some almost hot water for 15-20 minutes and then swirl it. If the cloudy doesn't go away, I'd consider taking it back.

[Theia]

I'll try that. So if I just get the hottest water from the tap, is that hot enough?

[Magelet]

it's fine. it won't hurt you. we use cloudy olive oil all the time. I think partly it's less filtered or something. if it tastes off or something I'd be worried (or if it were in a clear bottle of course, oil should never be, it will go rancid too fast.) but a little cloudiness is fine.

[Theia]

Really? Cuz that would be a relief. I know that if I return it, they probably haven't sold all of the batch that this came from, so then it'd just be a big hassle.

So is this like extra sediment of some sort that is settled to the bottom?

[pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by Theia

I'll try that. So if I just get the hottest water from the tap, is that hot enough?

It depends on how hot your tap water is , but that would probably be fine. FWIW, the bubbles would bother me more than the cloudy.

[Theia]

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

It depends on how hot your tap water is , but that would probably be fine. FWIW, the bubbles would bother me more than the cloudy.

It's still unopened, but I'm down to the last few uses on the old bottle. FWIW, I've been using this product for awhile.

Most of the solid looking stuff on the bottom is gone, now there's just a general cloudiness of the jar (obviously more cloudy than I've seen EVOO before), and if I shake it while holding it upside down, little bits of stuff that looks solidish or sedimenty floats up. There are many little bubbles that have congregated on the neck of the jar...... not sure what I'll do.... I do have the reciept so returning it won't be an issue, other than the fact that what is still on the shelf is probably from the same batch that this one came in.

[Theia]

I thought I would contact Spectrum Naturals.... but they have already closed their phone lines for the day. So I sent them an email. I'll see what comes of it.

[beebalmmama]

I had a jar that got cloudy from getting cold in our garage (a little short on pantry space in our rental). It took awhile after being in the house for the cloudiness to dissipate, perhaps a week (it was a big container, 2 qts).

[Theia]

Thanks for the input everyone. So after I got the confirmation email yesterday from the company saying that it might take them 7 days to get back with me I decided to call them.

I just got off the phone with a lady there a few minutes ago and she said that it is a normal variation for this product. The stuff I am seeing are waxes that naturally occur in this oil. So I'm keeping the bottle and will probably have to open it tonight. I'm still gonna give it the sniff test and taste it before cooking with it if it passes the sniff test. Just to be sure, right?

So thank you for all the suggestions and telling me it was fine.