What Is Pomace Olive Oil? The Lowest Grade Explained

Pomace olive oil is extracted from the leftover olive pulp and pits — called pomace or sansa — that remain after extra virgin olive oil has already been pressed. Because almost no oil remains in the pomace after mechanical pressing, manufacturers use hexane — a petroleum-derived chemical solvent — to extract the residual oil. The result is a heavily refined product that is technically made from olives but has very little in common with genuine extra virgin olive oil in terms of quality, flavor, or nutritional value.

Understanding Olive Oil Grades

To understand pomace oil, it helps to understand where it sits in the full olive oil grade hierarchy. According to the International Olive Council, the main grades are:

• Extra virgin olive oil — highest grade. Cold extracted mechanically, no refining, passes chemical and sensory standards. All natural antioxidants and polyphenols intact.
• Virgin olive oil — mechanically extracted like EVOO but slightly lower chemical and sensory standards.
• Refined olive oil — made from lower-grade oil that does not meet virgin standards, then refined with heat to remove defects. Does not use chemical solvents. Sold as "pure olive oil," "light olive oil," or "classic olive oil."
• Pomace olive oil — the lowest grade. Extracted from the residual pulp after pressing using hexane solvent, then refined. Technically edible but nutritionally depleted.

Pomace oil is classified separately from all other olive oil grades under EU Regulation No. 1348/2013, which governs olive oil standards across Europe. It must be labeled "olive pomace oil" — it cannot be labeled simply as "olive oil." Read more about the difference between olive oil grades here.

How Pomace Olive Oil Is Made

The process begins where EVOO production ends. After olives are harvested, washed, crushed, malaxed, and centrifuged to produce extra virgin olive oil, the remaining solid byproduct — the pomace — still contains a small percentage of residual oil. This material, called sansa in Italian, consists of olive pits, skin, and fruit flesh.

To extract oil from this residual material, manufacturers use hexane — a petroleum-derived solvent. Here is how it works:

1. The pomace is dried to reduce moisture content.
2. Hexane is applied to the dried pomace. The solvent dissolves and extracts the remaining oil from the solid material.
3. The hexane is evaporated off, leaving behind crude pomace oil.
4. The crude oil is then refined using high heat, bleaching, and deodorization to make it neutral in flavor and shelf-stable.
5. The refined pomace oil is bottled and sold.

The hexane extraction step is the critical distinction. The US Environmental Protection Agency documents that hexane is a hazardous air pollutant and that chronic occupational exposure is associated with polyneuropathy — nerve damage causing numbness, muscular weakness, and in severe cases paralysis. While hexane residues in the final oil are regulated (the EU sets a maximum of 1 mg/kg), the production process itself raises legitimate questions that do not apply to genuinely cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil.

What Pomace Oil Lacks

The refining process that produces pomace oil eliminates virtually everything that makes olive oil nutritionally valuable. The heat, bleaching, and deodorization steps destroy the polyphenols, antioxidants, and tocopherols that are preserved in cold-pressed EVOO. What remains is primarily fat — specifically oleic acid — in a neutral, flavorless, shelf-stable form.

This matters because most of the documented health benefits of olive oil consumption — reduced inflammation, cardiovascular protection, cognitive support — are linked specifically to the polyphenol content of extra virgin olive oil. Refined oils, including pomace oil, do not carry these benefits. Read our guide to polyphenols in olive oil here.

Pomace Oil vs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

These are not comparable products despite both being derived from olives:

• Extraction method: EVOO — cold mechanical pressing. Pomace oil — hexane solvent extraction followed by refining.
• Polyphenol content: EVOO — high, preserved by cold extraction. Pomace oil — near zero after refining.
• Flavor: EVOO — fruity, bitter, peppery depending on cultivar and harvest timing. Pomace oil — neutral and flat.
• Color: EVOO — green to gold. Pomace oil — pale yellow after bleaching.
• Health benefits: EVOO — well-documented. Pomace oil — minimal beyond basic fat content.
• Price: Pomace oil is significantly cheaper, which is its primary commercial appeal.

Should You Cook With Pomace Olive Oil?

Pomace oil has a high smoke point due to heavy refining — typically around 460°F (238°C). This is why commercial kitchens sometimes use it for deep frying. But smoke point is not the same as oxidative stability. Read our full guide to olive oil smoke point here.

The practical answer: there is no culinary reason to choose pomace oil over extra virgin olive oil for home cooking. EVOO handles everyday cooking temperatures without degrading, adds genuine flavor, and provides nutritional value that pomace oil cannot offer. The cost difference rarely justifies the trade-off, especially when you consider that a small amount of quality EVOO goes much further in terms of flavor impact than a large amount of neutral pomace oil. Read more about how genuine EVOO is made here.

How to Identify Pomace Oil on a Label

EU regulations require pomace oil to be labeled "olive pomace oil" — not simply "olive oil." But labels are not always clear, especially on products sold in non-EU markets. Watch for these signals:

• The words "pomace," "pomace-olive oil," or "refined olive residue oil" anywhere on the label.
• A very low price relative to volume — genuine EVOO costs more to produce.
• No harvest date, no region of origin, no producer name — all signs of a commodity product.
• The label says "pure olive oil," "light olive oil," or "classic olive oil" — these are refined grades, not EVOO, though not necessarily pomace.

Read our full guide to reading an olive oil label here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pomace olive oil safe to eat?

It is regulated as food-safe in most markets, and hexane residues in the final product are controlled within regulatory limits. However, it offers essentially none of the health benefits associated with extra virgin olive oil, and the production process raises questions that cold-pressed EVOO simply does not.

Is pomace oil the same as refined olive oil?

No — they are different grades. Refined olive oil is made from lower-grade virgin oil that is refined with heat but without chemical solvents. Pomace oil is made from leftover pulp using hexane solvent extraction. Both are heavily refined, but pomace oil undergoes an additional solvent extraction step that refined olive oil does not. Read more about what refined olive oil is here.

Why do restaurants use pomace oil?

Commercial kitchens prioritize cost and neutral flavor. Pomace oil is inexpensive, has a high smoke point, and does not impart flavor to food — making it appealing for high-volume frying. In a home kitchen where you control quality and cost matters less, there is no advantage to choosing it over genuine EVOO.

Can you taste the difference between pomace oil and EVOO?

Yes — easily. Pomace oil is almost entirely flavorless and odorless after refining. Extra virgin olive oil has a distinct aroma and flavor that varies by cultivar and harvest timing. Tasting them side by side makes the difference immediately obvious.

Does pomace oil have polyphenols?

No, not meaningfully. The refining process destroys virtually all polyphenols present in the raw pomace oil. The health benefits documented for olive oil consumption are specifically linked to the polyphenol content of extra virgin olive oil — not refined oils of any grade.

Shop our 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil, made in Calabria, single origin, and family farmed since 1927.

We wrote a book called The Olive Oil Enthusiast. Order your copy today.

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