Extra virgin

One-third of Italians have reduced their consumption of extra virgin olive oil, a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet, due to skyrocketing prices, according to a survey released Friday.

The police in Thessaloniki detained two people who imported sunflower oil from Bulgaria, added impurities to it and sold it as extra virgin olive oil, the Greek national television ERT reported.

The fake olive oil was offered both on the Greek and Bulgarian markets.

The Greeks are still hostages of the 20 liter can, as only 27.4% of the households buy branded standard olive oil. In contrast, more than 60% either produce their own olive oil or it is sourced from relatives or friends, according to research recently published in the journal Nutrients.

Price is the main criterion