08-03-2025
The Monumental Olive Oil Fraud Incident That Rocked Spain In The 1980s
When we attach certain country names with a specific product, we often make immediate associations with the quality of that product –- be it Swiss chocolate, Italian cheese, or Spanish olive oil. But when it comes to purchasing any of those things, you need to be wary of major fraud, even in the country that is the largest exporter of the oil. A notable example is the 1981 incident when adulterated rapeseed oil in Spain was sold as olive oil, exposing over 100,000 people to a rare and newly identified condition known as toxic oil syndrome (TOS). Ultimately, more than 5,000 people died as a result of the incident, which shook the nation and resulted in one of the longest trials in Spanish history.
Food fraud operations involving olive oil are, unfortunately, not uncommon. In December 2023, a similar case unfolded when officials in Spain and Italy seized over 260,000 liters of olive oil marketed as high-quality but, upon inspection, deemed it "unfit for consumption" due to its high acidity and unpleasant flavor and smell, as reported by the New York Times. However, what made the 1981 fraud different was not only the fact that the distributors were selling industrial rapeseed oil as olive oil. The oil had also been altered with a chemical that may have caused its toxicity. It went on to become Spain's worst food poisoning epidemic.
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Toxic oil syndrome first came to light after the death of an 8-year-old boy, Jaime Vaquero Garcia, whose mother had likely purchased the oil at a street market outside of Madrid, according to The Guardian. In total, more than 10,000 people were hospitalized. Because it was a new disease, identifying the cause of the symptoms proved challenging. Effects included lung failure, limb deformation, immune system attacks, and other chronic ailments, all of which continued in the years following exposure and ultimately raised the death toll to around 5,000. Many survivors were disabled for life.
The effects of the incident linger, with those affected still protesting and demanding funds for medical expenses four decades later. Fortunately, this remains the only incident where people were severely impacted by TOS, and no other country has experienced this epidemic since Spain.
While the Spain incident highlighted the dangers of olive oil fraud, it also served as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance when purchasing this essential kitchen staple. Olive oil continues to be mislabeled and fraud cases continuing to rise –- olive oil fraud and mislabeling cases hit a record high in the European Union in 2024 –- there are a few things to know before purchasing olive oil to ensure what you're buying is of the highest quality.
You can start by opting for extra virgin olive oil, which is supposed to be the purest form of the oil. Though this is no guarantee, and even EVOO is sometimes adulterated, the chances of this happening are lower. Another thing you can do is look for the name of the estate or mill it comes from, as this leads to more accountability and reduces the chances of the product being fraudulent. Another clue is if the label lists the free fatty acidity level (FFA), information usually provided only by producers of high-quality oils. While most olive oil comes from European countries, Australia is the country with the strictest standards in olive oil production. This checklist should be a great starting point to make sure the olive oil you're buying is a safe bet.
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