Olive Oil issues

[ingodslove]

Hi! mom gave me a super huge thing of Extra Virgin Olive Oil...it has been in the garage adn I brought it in today and it has, em, cloudy chunks in it? Can I still use it or did I blow it?

[dogmom327]

Was it cold in the garage? Real olive oil will get cloudy and become solid when it's cold. If it was cold but not quite cold enough, it could be in the process.

[SaraG]

How long has it been out there? Leave it at room temp and see if the chunks go away...could be partially solidified

[SaraG]

Refrigeration does not harm most grades of olive oil, but it is not recommended for expensive extra virgin varieties because condensation may develop in the bottle, affecting the flavor. When chilled, or in cold weather, the oil may turn cloudy and even solidify. Such oil will clear again as it warms, so cloudiness should not be taken as an indication that the oil is past its prime. Be sure bottles are tightly sealed. Refrigeration will extend the life of olive oil without harming the oil. Doing so will cause it to congeal and turn cloudy, but should not affect flavor. If refrigerated, olive oil will return to its original, liquid state when warmed to room temperature again.

Found here http://whatscookingamerica.net/OliveOil.htm

[NatureMama4]

it'll go away when warm. we store extra that way on purpose.

[mom2phoebe]

I'd say it's fine too. Did the chunks go away?