Olive Oil Freshness: DAG, PPP and Shelf Life

Q: What do DAG and PPP measure?

DAG (diacylglycerols) and PPP (pyropheophytins) are freshness indicators that reflect the oil's chemical ageing. Unlike acidity, they evolve slowly but surely with time , heat and poor storage , making them good witnesses of a lot's age. Index What it reveals Fresh-oil benchmark -------- ----------------- ---------------------- DAG (diacy

Q: Why DAG and PPP, and not just acidity?

Acidity measures the degradation of the olives before extraction. It can stay low even though the oil has aged in the tank . DAG and PPP fill this blind spot: - A high DAG (≥ 35%) indicates a fresh oil, correctly extracted from healthy olives. - A low DAG betrays either degraded fruit or ageing . - A low PPP (≤ 17%) confirms a young, well

Q: What is DAG in olive oil?

DAG (diacylglycerols) is a freshness marker : a fresh, well-extracted oil shows a DAG ≥ 35% . It falls with age, fruit degradation and poor storage. It's not part of the IOC/EU criteria but of the Australian and Californian voluntary standards.

Q: What is PPP (pyropheophytins)?

PPP measures the oil's ageing linked to time and heat. A fresh oil shows a PPP ≤ 17% ; a high value betrays an aged or heated oil, or even one cut with refined oil.

Q: Are DAG and PPP required by the IOC or the EU?

No. They are voluntary criteria from the Australian (AS 5264) and Californian standards. They complement — without replacing — the acidity, peroxide and UV indices of the IOC/EU standard.

Q: Can an oil have good acidity but poor DAG/PPP?

Yes. Acidity reflects the state of the fruit before extraction; DAG and PPP reflect the age and preservation of the oil. An oil can be compliant on acidity while being old: the PPP will reveal it.

Q: How do you know if an olive oil is fresh?

By cross-checking DAG ≥ 35% and PPP ≤ 17% on the analysis, in addition to low acidity and low peroxide. Favour an oil from the latest season , with a dated per-lot COA.

Olive Oil Freshness: DAG, PPP and Shelf Life

Article

In brief. DAG (diacylglycerols) and PPP (pyropheophytins) are two freshness markers for olive oil, drawn from the Australian and Californian voluntary standards (beyond the IOC/EU criteria). Benchmarks for a fresh oil: DAG ≥ 35% and PPP ≤ 17%. A falling DAG and a rising PPP signal an aged oil, poorly stored or heated — even if the acidity stays low.

Acidity and peroxide say little about an oil's real age. An oil can be "within the limits" of the IOC/EU while being several years old. This is where DAG and PPP come in, two indices that the best buyers request as a complement. Here's how to read them.

What do DAG and PPP measure?

DAG (diacylglycerols) and PPP (pyropheophytins) are freshness indicators that reflect the oil's chemical ageing. Unlike acidity, they evolve slowly but surely with time, heat and poor storage, making them good witnesses of a lot's age.

Index	What it reveals	Fresh-oil benchmark
DAG (diacylglycerols)	Freshness / hydrolysis; falls with age	≥ 35%
PPP (pyropheophytins)	Ageing / heat; rises with age	≤ 17%

Why DAG and PPP, and not just acidity?

Acidity measures the degradation of the olives before extraction. It can stay low even though the oil has aged in the tank. DAG and PPP fill this blind spot:

A high DAG (≥ 35%) indicates a fresh oil, correctly extracted from healthy olives.
A low DAG betrays either degraded fruit or ageing.
A low PPP (≤ 17%) confirms a young, well-preserved oil.
A high PPP signals an aged oil or one subjected to heat (storage, mild deodorisation, cutting with refined oil).

Together, these two values offer a cross-reading: a true fresh extra virgin shows high DAG and low PPP.

The context: Australian and Californian voluntary standards

These criteria come not from the IOC or the EU. They were introduced by demanding "new world" industries:

Australia: the AS 5264 standard incorporates DAG and PPP to go beyond international thresholds.
California: the state regulation adopted comparable criteria for its olive oil.

The result: many premium buyers (high-end retail, demanding private labels, US/Oceania markets) now request DAG and PPP in addition to the standard COA. Providing them is a differentiation argument for export (see our quality process).

Freshness and shelf life: preserving the oil well

DAG and PPP degrade all the faster the more poorly the oil is stored. To preserve a lot's freshness:

Limit oxygen: full tanks, nitrogen blanketing, rapid filling.
Limit light: storage in darkness, opaque containers.
Limit heat: cool, stable temperature (avoid fluctuations and overheated containers in transit).
Analyse each lot and favour a season (recent) oil, especially for long journeys.

A fresh, cold-extracted season oil leaves with the best possible freshness margin before the hazards of transport.

FAQ — DAG, PPP and freshness

What is DAG in olive oil?

DAG (diacylglycerols) is a freshness marker: a fresh, well-extracted oil shows a DAG ≥ 35%. It falls with age, fruit degradation and poor storage. It's not part of the IOC/EU criteria but of the Australian and Californian voluntary standards.

What is PPP (pyropheophytins)?

PPP measures the oil's ageing linked to time and heat. A fresh oil shows a PPP ≤ 17%; a high value betrays an aged or heated oil, or even one cut with refined oil.

Are DAG and PPP required by the IOC or the EU?

No. They are voluntary criteria from the Australian (AS 5264) and Californian standards. They complement — without replacing — the acidity, peroxide and UV indices of the IOC/EU standard.

Can an oil have good acidity but poor DAG/PPP?

Yes. Acidity reflects the state of the fruit before extraction; DAG and PPP reflect the age and preservation of the oil. An oil can be compliant on acidity while being old: the PPP will reveal it.

How do you know if an olive oil is fresh?

By cross-checking DAG ≥ 35% and PPP ≤ 17% on the analysis, in addition to low acidity and low peroxide. Favour an oil from the latest season, with a dated per-lot COA.

Should you request DAG and PPP when buying?

For premium use or demanding markets (high-end retail, US, Oceania), yes: they guarantee real freshness. For standard bulk, acidity, peroxide and UV indices remain the basis; DAG/PPP are a differentiating plus.

Want a genuinely fresh oil? Request a quote: our lots come from the latest season, with a full COA and, on request, DAG/PPP analyses for demanding markets. Test an analysis in the quality classifier and find every term in the glossary.