Ever since it was set up the IOC has been involved in developing physico-chemical tests for olive oils and olive-pomace oils aimed at differentiating between each grade and at checking product authenticity.

The technological advances in fats and oils analysis have been accompanied by a growing awareness of the need for ever more effective control of the purity and quality of the olive oils that are sold, especially on markets where olive oil consumption is being promoted. This moved the IOC to invite olive oil chemistry experts from its member countries to collaborate in searching for methods, particularly to detect fraud.

Since 1988, the chemists have been meeting twice a year. Their work has led to the adoption by the IOC of olive oil-specific methods to detect seed oils, desterolised seed oils, olive-pomace oil or traces of halogenated solvents, among others.

The resultant IOC-approved methods bear the reference COI/T.20 and are listed in section 11 of the trade standard.

Source, with collection of testing methods adopted by the International Olive Council for physico-chemical analysis of olive oils and olive-pomace oils: http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/estaticos/view/224-testing-methods