Colour.
Colour does not always prove the quality of oil. Good oil can be from green
to golden yellow. As colour is not a sure sign of quality, experts test olive
oil in dark and not transparent glasses. The colour of the product depends
on the main substances of the olive fruit that the oil has been made from.
If chlorophyll is  the main factor, then the oil will lean more towards the
colour green. If carotene is the main substance, then the oil will be more
golden yellow. Olives which are gathered at the beginning of the harvesting
period usually produce oil of a greener colour while oil produced from ripe
olives tends to be more golden yellow due to the carotene they contain.
Taste and Smell
Olive oil reminiscent of the scent
either of fruit or of oil fresh from pressing is believed to be excellent.
Testers try to pinpoint pleasant smells which remind them of another product,
such as fruit, like apples or nuts etc. A bitter or slightly bitter taste shows that the olives used where not ripe when picked. A pleasant smell and taste can also be put down to the area in which the olives grew and they way they were cultivated.
Acidity
The degree of acidity in olive oil indicates the oleic acid content. Methods
of harvesting, storage and pressing can affect the level of acidity. The degree of acidity in oleic acid indicates the oleic acid content. The degree of acidity greatly affects the taste. Olive Oil with a higher level of acidity makes its presence known on first tasting it as it has a pungent spicy unpleasant taste. Methods of harvesting, storage and pressing can affect de level of acidity.
Oxidization
Oxidization (rancidity) is one of the most important causes of spoiling olive
oil Conditions of storage like light, oxygen etc help oxidization. This is
easily spotted by a tester without scientific tests, as the taste is badly
affected by oxidization.
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