Olive Pomace Oil: Bulk and Tin Supply for Food Service and Industry

In short. Olive pomace oil is made from the pomace left after pressing olives: the oil is extracted, refined, then blended with virgin olive oil. Its free acidity is capped at 1.0% by the IOC standard. It is not "olive oil" and must be sold under its own name. Kitchens and food manufacturers use it for frying and cooking at a controlled cost. We supply it from Tunisia in bulk or in tins, with a COA per lot.

Searches for "olive pomace oil" are steady to rising in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Gulf. Behind them, there are two kinds of buyers: those who want to know what the product is, and those who need a regular supply for a kitchen, a factory or a distribution network. This page serves both.

What olive pomace oil is

When olives are pressed, the mill separates the virgin oil from a moist residue called pomace (skins, pulp, stones and water). Pomace still holds some oil, which cannot be pressed out mechanically.

A specialised plant extracts this oil with a solvent: the result is crude olive pomace oil, which is not fit for consumption.
The crude oil is refined (neutralisation, bleaching, deodorisation): refined olive pomace oil, neutral in taste.
It is blended with virgin olive oil to bring back colour and flavour: this blend is olive pomace oil, the product sold to kitchens and shops.

The grades: IOC limits

Category	Fit for consumption	Free acidity (max.)	Where it goes
Crude olive pomace oil	No	No limit	Refining
Refined olive pomace oil	Yes	0.3%	Blending, industry
Olive pomace oil (refined pomace + virgin)	Yes	1.0%	Frying, food service, food industry

Limits of the IOC trade standard (COI/T.15/NC No 3) and EU Regulation 2022/2104. Purity criteria (waxes, sterols, fatty acids) are checked on the COA.

Safety: PAH. Pomace oil is the olive oil category most exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which can form when pomace is dried. The EU limits for oils and fats (Reg. 2023/915) are 2.0 µg/kg of benzo[a]pyrene and 10.0 µg/kg for the sum of four PAH. Ask for both results on the COA of each lot.

The full set of olive oil categories, including lampante oil sent to refiners, is on our page lampante and pomace olive oil.

Pomace oil is not olive oil: the labelling rule

The IOC standard and EU rules forbid calling olive pomace oil "olive oil". The label must show the category name, "olive pomace oil". In the European Union (Reg. 2022/2104):

the category name comes with a set sentence describing the composition: oil comprising exclusively oils obtained by processing the product obtained after the extraction of olive oil and oils obtained directly from olives (art. 6);
the origin may not be stated on olive pomace oil (art. 8): the origin mention is reserved for extra virgin and virgin olive oil;
the label carries storage advice: keep away from light and heat (art. 7);
the health claim on olive oil polyphenols (Reg. 432/2012) is reserved for olive oil and cannot be used on pomace oil; the same applies in Great Britain (GB register, ID 822).

In the United States, the USDA grade standards for olive oil and olive pomace oil use the same distinction. Check your market before printing: see our labelling guide by market.

Buyer side. Write the category name and the acidity limit into the contract, and ask for the purity results on the COA. Seller side. Never ship pomace oil under an "olive oil" description: the category on the documents must match the label.

Who buys olive pomace oil

Restaurant groups, caterers and hotel groups, supplied through their distributors: frying and cooking in volume, where extra virgin would be too costly for the use. See olive oil for food service.
Food manufacturers: fried snacks, preserves, ready meals, sauces. See olive oil for the food industry.
Importers and distributors, in the Gulf and elsewhere, who sell pomace oil in tins to kitchens and shops. See Gulf importers and the Gulf market guide.
Non-food uses: soap making and cosmetics, depending on the specification.

What we supply

Zitouna Export is an exporter based in Sfax. We source the oil from producers across Tunisia, have each lot analysed, and ship it in bulk or packed at our bottling site.

Format	Capacity	Best for
Flexitank	~22,000 L per 20′ container	Packers and factories with a pump-out station
IBC	1,000 L, 20 per 20′	Mid-size volumes, kitchens of large groups
Drums	200 to 216 L	Small lots and trials
Tins	3, 4, 5 and 10 L (metal or PET)	Food service and retail, under your label

Blends to your specification: pomace oil with a larger share of virgin or extra virgin oil, for a fuller taste.
COA per lot from an approved laboratory: acidity, peroxide value, UV absorbance, purity results and PAH (benzo[a]pyrene and the sum of four PAH). Our guide how to read a COA explains each line.
Certification file (ISO, IFS, BRCGS, FDA registration, Halal, Kosher, among others), sent on request before any order; the scope of each certificate, product by product, is set out with the file. See Kosher and Halal.
Tins under your label: see olive oil tins wholesale. Container loads per format are on formats and container capacity.

Pomace oil is extracted with a solvent, which organic rules do not allow, so there is no certified organic pomace oil.

How to order

Tell us the use (frying, industry, retail), the format, the volume and the destination port.
We send a dated quote and, on request, a sample with its analysis.
You approve the sample, which becomes the reference for the delivery.
We pack, analyse the lot and ship from Sfax with the export documents.

There is no minimum order, but each shipment carries fixed costs: a full container gives the best cost per litre. Request a quote for olive pomace oil: we reply within 24 business hours.

FAQ: olive pomace oil

What is olive pomace oil?

It is oil extracted from olive pomace, the residue left after pressing, then refined and blended with virgin olive oil. It is fit for consumption and is mainly used for frying and cooking.

Is olive pomace oil the same as olive oil?

No. It is a separate category under the IOC standard and EU rules, and it may not be sold as "olive oil". The label must say "olive pomace oil".

Is olive pomace oil safe to eat?

Yes, once refined and blended, as long as it meets the limits of the IOC standard and the food rules of the destination country. Crude pomace oil, before refining, is not fit for consumption.

What is the maximum acidity of olive pomace oil?

1.0% free acidity for olive pomace oil, and 0.3% for refined olive pomace oil, under the IOC trade standard and EU Regulation 2022/2104.

What is olive pomace oil used for?

Mainly frying and cooking in restaurant groups, catering and the food industry. It is also used in soap making and some cosmetics.

Why is olive pomace oil cheaper than extra virgin?

It comes from a by-product of pressing and goes through industrial refining, while extra virgin is obtained by mechanical means only. Its price follows its own market, below virgin oils.

Do you sell olive pomace oil in tins?

Yes: tins of 3, 4, 5 and 10 L in metal or PET, under your label. Bulk (flexitank, IBC, drums) is also available.

Is your olive pomace oil Halal?

Halal is part of our certification file, sent on request before any order. The scope of each certificate, product by product, is set out with the file.

Can I get organic olive pomace oil?

No. Pomace oil is extracted with a solvent, which organic rules do not allow, so there is no certified organic pomace oil. For organic, choose extra virgin or virgin oil.

What documents come with each shipment?

A COA per lot, the commercial invoice, the packing list, the bill of lading and the certificate of origin, plus any document your market requires (for example EUR.1 for the EU).

Need a regular supply of olive pomace oil? Request a dated quote with your format, volume and port.

Limits and labelling rules checked on 09/11/2026 (IOC standard, EU Reg. 2022/2104 and 2023/915). Rules outside the EU must be checked for your market. No invented figures.