Storing olive oil in dark glass or a metal can helps keep its healthy compounds intact better than clear plastic bottles—metal cans produce the fewest bad breakdown products.

Scientific Claim

Dark glass bottles provide the best combined protection against both oxidative and hydrolytic degradation of secoiridoids in extra virgin olive oil during 6 months of storage, while stainless-steel cans yield the lowest levels of oxidized byproducts.

Original Statement

“Dark glass was found to provide the best combined protection of major secoiridoids from oxidative and hydrolytic degradation, yet the lowest levels of oxidized byproducts were observed when the stainless-steel can was used”

From study:Insight into the Storage-Related Oxidative/Hydrolytic Degradation of Olive Oil Secoiridoids by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design cannot support claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

Based on abstract only - full methodology not available to verify. The claim reports comparative outcomes without implying causation or health benefits, matching the study’s observational design.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (0)

No supporting evidence found

Contradicting (1)

Insight into the Storage-Related Oxidative/Hydrolytic Degradation of Olive Oil Secoiridoids by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Cross-Sectional Study

In Vitro

2020 Nov 4

Dark glass bottles do a great job protecting the good compounds in olive oil, but the study found that stainless steel cans actually prevent more bad byproducts from forming — so the claim got it backwards on the metal cans.

Source Study

Insight into the Storage-Related Oxidative/Hydrolytic Degradation of Olive Oil Secoiridoids by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Score: 4

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c04925

Similar Assertions

Clear plastic bottles let in light and air, which makes the healthy parts of olive oil break down faster—so they’re not good for keeping olive oil fresh long-term.

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When olive oil sits too long, its natural compounds break down into simpler molecules like tyrosol and 3-hydroxytyrosol, which are also found in other foods.

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Even if you remove most air from olive oil, some healthy compounds still break down—but if air gets in occasionally, they break down even more.

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When olive oil is stored for a long time with air or light, its natural healthy compounds break down into different chemicals, some of which are less beneficial.

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