About our oil

# Understanding the analysis

Every bottle of Taroncino carries its full laboratory results on the label — openly, not as a boast, but because we think you deserve to know exactly what you are buying. This page explains what each figure measures, why it matters, and what our results tell you about the oil inside.

Scanned the QR code on your bottle? Welcome. Everything below was written for you.

The Taronco

288 olive trees. A traditional Istrian field named after the area — the Taronco — between Vodnjan, Galizana and Bale. Our name, Taroncino, adds the Italian suffix -ino (meaning little). A little field. 288 trees.

Location

Istria, Croatia. In the area the ancient Romans called the golden triangle — historically considered the finest olive-growing ground on the peninsula.

The family

The family behind Taroncino are part of Istria's Italian-speaking minority. Until the end of the Second World War, this land was part of Italy. The language, the culture, the way of growing things — all of it remained. The oil is produced by OPG Tatjana Moscarda, whose name appears on every label.

The label
Sample label · 500ml · 2025 harvest — every figure on this page is printed on the bottle.
Chemical composition

## The 2025 harvest, measured.

### Free Acidity

0.32%max 0.8%

Acidity in olive oil has nothing to do with a sharp taste — it measures how many fatty acids have broken free from the oil's natural molecular structure. This breakdown happens when fruit is damaged, left too long after picking, or milled at high temperatures. A lower number means a more intact, fresher oil. The extra virgin threshold is 0.8%; the best oils in the world typically sit between 0.2% and 0.4%. At 0.32%, our oil is firmly in that company.

Extra virgin: confirmed

### Peroxide Value

8.5 meq O₂/kgmax 20

Peroxide value measures the early stages of oxidation — what happens when oil begins to react with oxygen in the air. It rises the moment fruit leaves the tree, climbing further with every hour before pressing, and with every degree above ideal milling temperature. At 8.5, our oil sits below half the permitted maximum. That result comes directly from pressing within 12 hours of picking, and milling at a controlled 19–21°C.

Low oxidation — excellent freshness

### Wax Content

60.2 mg/kgmax 250

Wax content is one of the tests used to detect adulteration — whether cheaper oils have been blended in. Genuine cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil produces very little wax. A high reading is a red flag. At 60.2 mg/kg, our result is consistent with a pure, single-variety cold press from properly harvested fruit.

Purity confirmed

### UV Absorbance K232

1.967max 2.50

K232 measures primary oxidation compounds — the first chemical signals of an oil beginning to degrade. It is particularly sensitive to what happened in the short window between harvest and press. Delays, heat exposure and rough handling all push this number upward. At 1.967, our result reflects careful handling and a rapid journey from tree to mill.

Within extra virgin threshold

### UV Absorbance K268

0.146max 0.22

K268 (sometimes written as K270) measures secondary oxidation — the longer-term deterioration that builds up over months in poor storage conditions. Taken alongside K232, the two readings give a complete picture of an oil's condition at every stage of its life. Both low results together confirm an oil that was produced well and has been stored carefully.

Secondary oxidation minimal
Polyphenols
626mg/kg
EU health claim threshold: 250 mg/kg

Polyphenols are the naturally occurring antioxidant compounds found in olive oil. They produce the characteristic peppery finish of a fresh, well-made extra virgin — the slight catch at the back of the throat that confirms the oil is alive rather than inert. At 626 mg/kg, our 2025 harvest exceeds the EU threshold for a recognised health claim more than twice over. That threshold — 250 mg/kg per 20g daily serving — is the level at which the European Food Safety Authority confirms that olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. The level we are seeing is the direct result of our variety blend, harvest timing, and cold-pressing method — not something that can be engineered after the fact. Polyphenol content falls over time, which is why freshness matters, and why the harvest date on every bottle is not a formality.

Exceeds EU health claim threshold ×2.5

## Why the numbers are this good.

Pressed within
12 hours of picking

Oxidation begins the moment fruit leaves the tree. The shorter the window between harvest and press, the better every figure in the analysis.

Milled at
19–21°C

Cold pressing at controlled temperatures preserves volatile aromatics and slows the breakdown of polyphenols. Heat is the enemy of quality.

Harvested by
Hand and electric pole — tree by tree

Industrial mechanical harvesting bruises fruit and triggers oxidation before it reaches the mill. Our electric harvesting poles gently oscillate the olives free without contact damage — achieving the same care as hand-picking, at the reach of a three-metre telescopic arm.

Verified by
Independent laboratory

Results are tested by a modern cold-press facility and verified to International Olive Council (IOC) standards. The figures on the label are not estimates.

Producer: OPG Tatjana Moscarda Harvest: October 2025 Location: Vodnjan area, Istria Varieties: Leccino · Bianchera · Busa · Carbonazza · Frantoio