When it comes to food, we normally take for granted that what is contained in the package we buy is the same, or close to, the food as it has been described. Most can accept a few slight altercations, but one item that is often not what it should be is olive oil. The problems with this food form the main subject in this book, Extra Virginity.Olive oil isn’t the type of food most of us give much thought to and that is mainly because, at least here in the United States, it isn’t a popular food. American consumption of olive oil is quite low when compared to other countries. Most of us use it sparingly, and thus we give little thought to the liquid contained inside that tall, skinny bottle we usually find in the baking section of most supermarkets.Now that I have read this book, however, I am much more in tune with olive oil and its claims. I, too, do not consume much olive oil but I want the olive oil I purchase to be as close to authentic as possible. I did not realize that regulations in the United States for olive oil were so minimal. In part, it is because it isn’t widely consumed but it is also because the common altercations are not dangerous. As long as there is no health threat, the regulators in the United States don’t seem to care that the contents of each bottle of olive oil are not what they seem.Reading this book was an eye- opener to the world of olive oil; the folks who produce it, the people who package and sell it, and the fraudsters who try to find cheaper additives to stretch their profits. Until I read this book, I hadn’t given olive agriculture and olive oil production any thought. But there is much more going on than people realize. Who would have thought that there are so many different organizations, governing bodies, chemists, and taste experts dedicated to olive oil? There are even olive oil tasting bars that seek to educate consumers on what is good and what is not. And despite the relaxed regulations, there are activists who are fighting for better, more accurate labeling and who are pushing to expose those who try to cheat the system by blending different oils with olive oil while deceiving the consumer about the actual content.Pure olive oil can have many positive health benefits and it is often spotlighted as one of the reasons the folks in the Mediterranean region, where olive oil consumption is high, have longer life expectancies. The more extra virgin an olive oil is, then the healthier it is, generally speaking. The problem with olive oil is that it can be highly profitable to cheat, and consumers thus need to be aware of what they are buying. This book exposes the world of olive oil production and regulation in a way that is easily digestible, but that also makes you anxious to take swift action and demand reform. I didn’t pay much attention to olive oil in the past, but this book has piqued my interest. Any book that can accomplish this, while talking about a topic as seemingly mundane as olive oil, is certainly a book worth reading.