Deliba Olive Oil FAQ — Answers from the Family That Makes It

The Cosmano family. Gianfranco Cosmano runs the brand and makes the oil with his family on their farm in Molochio, Calabria, Southern Italy. Deliba Food Inc. (NY) is the family's U.S. company: it imports, sells and ships U.S. orders directly, without importers or distributors. When you email, you're writing to the family.

Deliba publishes the harvest date, independent laboratory results, cultivar, and single-estate origin for every oil. Ottobratico and Sinopolese come from the Cosmano family estate in Molochio, Calabria, Southern Italy, are bottled and sealed in Italy, and are never blended with oil from other producers.

It means we publish what most olive oil labels leave out: harvest month and year, cultivar, single-estate origin, lot number, and the full independent lab report for every harvest. You can check every claim we make against the report.

Molochio is a small village in Calabria, Southern Italy, at about 450 meters elevation on the slopes of the Aspromonte, a mountain massif with mineral-crystalline soil. Our olive grove is there, with trees of over 1,000 years on the territory. It has attracted research attention for its centenarians, which is why we call it a Longevity Hotspot.

Molochio is not one of the five regions popularized under that name. It is a small village in Calabria, Southern Italy, that has attracted separate research and media attention for its centenarians: according to Valter Longo's "The Longevity Diet", Molochio has more than five times the Italian national rate of centenarians, with an estimated prevalence around four times that of Okinawa. The Valter Longo Foundation lists it among its "Places of Longevity". We call it a Longevity Hotspot, and we refer to this context without claiming that our olive oil causes longevity.

It depends on what you want from olive oil. If you want a neutral, inexpensive cooking oil, Deliba is not the best match. If you want a fresh, current-harvest extra virgin olive oil with the harvest date, lot number and lab report published, made by one family on one farm in Southern Italy, then yes: a 500 ml bottle is $44.99, and boxes of 4 or 6 bring the price per bottle down and ship free in the U.S.

Deliba's price reflects single-estate production, early harvesting, rapid milling, bottling and sealing in Italy, and independent testing of each harvest. Deliba also publishes cultivar-specific data, including 629 mg/kg total polyphenols for Ottobratico and 609 mg/kg for Sinopolese.

Deliba Olive Oil is sold exclusively online at delibaoliveoil.com and on Amazon. We do not have physical retail locations. This direct-to-consumer model allows us to ship fresh oil straight from our New Jersey warehouse to your door.

Yes, Deliba is available on Amazon for $52.99 per bottle. For the best price ($44.99) and a direct relationship with our family, shop at delibaoliveoil.com, with free shipping on all orders of 4 bottles or more.

Yes, through the Calabria Travel Experience: a multi-day trip in Calabria, Southern Italy, hosted by Deliba, with a day on our family estate in Molochio among the olive trees. We host small groups of about 12–14 people, usually formed around one of our customers who gathers friends and family, and we set the dates together with the group. If you'd like to put a group together, email Gianfranco at gianfranco@deliba.it.

Email Gianfranco directly at gianfranco@deliba.it. For orders, returns or damaged items, write to info@deliba.it. You can also use the contact form at delibaoliveoil.com/pages/contact-us, or find us on Instagram @deliba_evoo and YouTube @delibaoliveoil.

Two native Southern Italian cultivars, Ottobratica and Sinopolese, each bottled on its own. Ottobratico, the oil from Ottobratica olives, is balanced and versatile, with more presence. Sinopolese is smooth and gentle. Both are single-estate from Molochio, Calabria, Southern Italy, cold-extracted within 4 hours of harvest, and independently lab-tested: October 2025 harvest · 629 mg/kg polyphenols · Cert. #37823 (Ottobratico) and November 2025 harvest · 609 mg/kg polyphenols · Cert. #37839 (Sinopolese).

Both are single-estate, monocultivar extra virgin olive oils from our farm in Southern Italy, harvested in the same grove a few weeks apart. Ottobratico is balanced and versatile, with more presence; Sinopolese is smooth and gentle. Raw, Sinopolese won't overpower a delicate dish, while Ottobratico gives a dish more character. You can also flip them: a touch of Ottobratico on something delicate, or Sinopolese on something bold, both work.

Ottobratico is medium fruity, fresh and smooth, with balanced bitterness and a distinct finish. Sinopolese is light fruity, smooth and versatile, with balanced bitterness and a gentler finish. Both are cold-extracted within 4 hours of harvest, so they taste of fresh olives.

The Duo is our tasting set: one bottle of Ottobratico and one bottle of Sinopolese. It's the best way to experience both monovarietal oils. Priced at $87.00 for 2 bottles, with free-shipping boxes at $174.00 for 4 and $219.00 for 6.

Two bottles of Ottobratico and two of Sinopolese, 500 ml each. Since it's four bottles, free standard U.S. shipping applies automatically at checkout.

One size: 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) dark-glass bottles, bottled and sealed in Italy. You can order 1, 2, 4 or 6 bottles of Ottobratico or Sinopolese, or the Duo with both. Free standard U.S. shipping starts at 4 bottles.

A single 500 ml bottle is $44.99 on delibaoliveoil.com. Boxes with free U.S. shipping: 4 bottles for $174.00, 6 bottles for $219.00. Also available on Amazon at $52.99 per bottle.

Yes. Deliba is 100% extra virgin olive oil, nothing added. It is gluten-free and vegan, and it is bottled in a nut-free facility.

No. Deliba does not currently hold USDA Organic or EU organic certification, so we do not market the oil as organic. Instead, we provide verifiable product information including estate of origin, cultivar, harvest date, lot identification and independent laboratory results. Contact us directly if you would like additional information about our farming practices.

Yes. Every harvest is independently tested by a third-party laboratory, and we publish the full report as a PDF before the oil ships. Current results: October 2025 harvest · 629 mg/kg polyphenols · Cert. #37823 for Ottobratico, and November 2025 harvest · 609 mg/kg polyphenols · Cert. #37839 for Sinopolese. For the 2026 harvest, the report also travels printed inside your box, with the lot number matching the bottle.

Every bottle carries the harvest month and year and a lot number. The independent lab report for that lot is published before the oil ships, and for the 2026 harvest it also travels printed inside your box. The oil comes from one farm, one family, one harvest in Southern Italy, and is never blended with oil from other producers. You can check every claim against the report.

Free acidity is one of the legal tests for extra virgin olive oil: the limit is 0.8%. The October 2025 Ottobratico harvest tested at 0.15% (Cert. #37823), with a peroxide value of 4.2 meq O₂/kg against a limit of 20. The November 2025 Sinopolese harvest tested at 0.19% (Cert. #37839), with a peroxide value of 6.2 meq O₂/kg. Low acidity means healthy olives, picked and milled quickly. The full reports are published on our site.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found in extra virgin olive oil. They contribute to bitterness, pungency and the oil's resistance to oxidation. Their concentration varies by cultivar, harvest timing, milling and storage, and generally declines as an oil ages or is exposed to heat and light. This is why harvest date, dark-glass packaging and proper storage matter. The current harvest contains 629 mg/kg of total polyphenols in Ottobratico and 609 mg/kg in Sinopolese, as reported by an independent laboratory.

Oleocanthal and oleacein are phenolic compounds naturally associated with certain extra virgin olive oils. Their concentration varies by cultivar, harvest and laboratory method. The current Ottobratico Certificate of Analysis (October 2025 harvest, Cert. #37823) reports 85 mg/kg of decarboxymethyl ligstroside aglycone (the compound known as oleocanthal) and 50 mg/kg of decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycone (oleacein). We publish the chemical names and values exactly as they appear on the laboratory report.

Polyphenol count is one factor alongside harvest date, flavor, acidity, origin and how consistently the oil can be used. Deliba combines independently tested current-harvest results with single-estate production, public traceability and a producer-direct U.S. supply chain.

Yes. Ottobratico is picked in mid-October and Sinopolese in November, early in the season for our area, when the olives are still green or just turning. Early harvest gives less oil per tree but more polyphenols and a fresher taste. The harvest month is on every label.

It means the olives are picked and milled within four hours, at low temperature, with mechanical methods only. Olives start to lose freshness and polyphenols as soon as they are picked, so the shorter the wait, the fresher the oil. Our mill is close to the grove, which is what makes four hours possible.

Single-estate means all the olives come from one farm, ours, in Molochio, Calabria, Southern Italy. Monocultivar means each oil is made from one olive variety only: Ottobratica or Sinopolese, never blended. Most olive oils are blends of varieties, farms and often countries.

We only sell the current year's harvest. The olives are picked in October–November, cold-extracted within 4 hours, and the oil is bottled and sealed in Italy with the harvest month and year on the label. Each harvest is sold by pre-order through December, then from January until it sells out. When the current harvest is gone, we don't sell older oil: we open the pre-order for the next season, and the next bottle comes from the next harvest.

Deliba does not carry PDO/PGI, organic or U.S. trade-association seals. We chose a different route: an independent laboratory analysis of every harvest, published as a PDF before the oil ships, with the lot number on the report matching the bottle. Starting with the 2026 harvest, our oils will also go through an official sensory panel test. We'd rather show you the numbers than a logo.

Yes, both of our oils are made for cooking and for raw use. Extra virgin olive oil has a high smoke point, very high polyphenols and a stability at heat that most other oils and butter don't have, so you can use Deliba for sautéing, roasting, sauces and everyday cooking, and raw on the table.

No. That's a common idea, but both Ottobratico and Sinopolese work equally well in the pan and raw. The only difference is character: Sinopolese is smooth and gentle, Ottobratico is balanced and versatile with more presence. Choose by the dish you're making, not by "cooking vs. finishing."

Only in part. Research by Prof. Raffaele Sacchi (University of Naples Federico II) shows that during cooking the polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil act as a shield: they protect the oil and the other ingredients from oxidation and are used up gradually, not destroyed all at once. Some migrate into the watery part of the dish, so they end up in the food, not lost. Extra virgin olive oil is also the most oxidation-stable vegetable oil, thanks to its oleic acid and its antioxidants. Deliba starts from a very high level (October 2025 harvest · 629 mg/kg polyphenols · Cert. #37823 for Ottobratico; November 2025 harvest · 609 mg/kg · Cert. #37839 for Sinopolese), so there is plenty to work with, both raw and in the pan.

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is more stable to oxidation than seed oils because it is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid and natural antioxidants. In frying (150–190 °C / 300–375 °F), potentially harmful compounds that form in polyunsaturated seed oils form in much smaller amounts in extra virgin olive oil, even after hours of use. And the oil the food absorbs is extra virgin olive oil, with its remaining beneficial compounds. In Southern Italy, frying has always been done this way.

The bitter and pungent notes come from the oil's polyphenols. During cooking they interact with the other ingredients: they migrate into water-based sauces, break down in acidic ones like tomato, and bind to the proteins in cheese and milk. The result is a softer, rounder taste. That is why many Italian cooks use the oil twice: some at the start, and a drizzle raw at the end to bring the fresh aroma back.

No, the opposite. Bitterness and that tingle in the throat come from the polyphenols, the antioxidant compounds that are only found in olives and are destroyed when oils are refined. A fresh, well-stored extra virgin olive oil keeps more of them. As an oil ages, it loses that character. Ottobratico shows it with more presence; Sinopolese is smoother and gentler. Both are a sign of freshness, not a defect.

Very. Prof. Sacchi's research found that in an extra virgin olive oil and tomato sauce, the antioxidant activity doesn't drop with cooking: it actually increases, and the oil helps the body absorb the tomato's carotenoids like lycopene. The same effect was not seen with sunflower oil. A slow-cooked sauce or a quick pan of cherry tomatoes in Deliba is a good example.

Yes, and it's an old Mediterranean habit for a reason. A study by the University of Naples with Lund University (Sweden) found that heterocyclic amines, potentially harmful compounds that form when meat is roasted or grilled, form in much smaller amounts when the meat is marinated or brushed with extra virgin olive oil. A few minutes in a little oil with herbs, lemon or wine is enough.

Extra virgin olive oil is the only edible oil obtained by purely mechanical means: olives are crushed and the oil is separated, nothing else. Seed oils are usually extracted with solvents, then refined, bleached and deodorized at around 200 °C. That process removes the polyphenols and aromas. Extra virgin olive oil keeps them, which is why it has taste and smell, and why it is more stable to heat and oxidation.

In Molochio, a small village in Southern Italy, extra virgin olive oil is used every day as the main cooking fat, both raw and in cooking. As a guide, 1–2 tablespoons a day raw, and 4–6 tablespoons for cooking and dressing. Deliba is a food, not a supplement, and no single food guarantees a health outcome.

No single food can guarantee a longer life or produce a specific longevity outcome. Extra virgin olive oil is traditionally used as a primary culinary fat in Mediterranean dietary patterns. Deliba comes from Molochio, a village in Calabria, Southern Italy, that has attracted attention for its centenarians and food traditions. The current Ottobratico harvest contains 629 mg/kg of total polyphenols, independently measured by a third-party laboratory. This number describes the tested composition of the oil; it is not proof that the product prevents disease or extends lifespan.

Keep it in a cool, dark place, away from the stove and direct light, with the cap sealed tightly after each use. Our dark-glass bottles protect the oil from light. Shelf life is 18 months from bottling, but like every extra virgin olive oil, it is at its best the sooner you use it after opening.

Shelf life is 18 months from bottling, with the date on the label. Once opened, keep the cap sealed tightly and the bottle away from heat and light; like every extra virgin olive oil, it's at its best the sooner you use it.

We only sell the current year's harvest, so each year the new oil opens with a pre-order. You pay once at checkout, nothing later. The olives are harvested in October–November 2026 (Ottobratico in mid-October, Sinopolese in November), cold-extracted within 4 hours, bottled and sealed in Calabria, Southern Italy, and shipped to our U.S. warehouse. Pre-orders ship as soon as the oil arrives. You can cancel a pre-order at any time before it ships for a full refund.

We're working toward mid-January 2027 at our New Jersey warehouse. It could be earlier. It depends on how the olives ripen, and we won't know for certain until we're picking. We keep pre-order customers updated along the way, and if the expected timing changes materially, we'll contact you and you can keep the order or cancel it for a full refund.

On our farm in Molochio, Calabria, Southern Italy, Ottobratica olives are picked in mid-October and Sinopolese in November. They grow in the same grove and ripen a few weeks apart. We publish harvest updates on YouTube (@delibaoliveoil) and Instagram (@deliba_evoo).

The pre-order closes when orders reach the amount of oil we plan to produce this year. Production is limited to our own grove, so once that point is reached, the next chance is the following harvest.

Yes, at any time before it ships, for any reason, with a full refund of everything you paid, including shipping. Email your order number to info@deliba.it. Once a pre-order has shipped, our normal 30-day return policy applies from the day you receive it.

Yes. Deliba ships to the 48 contiguous U.S. states and Hawaii. U.S. orders are fulfilled domestically from our New Jersey warehouse, so customers do not pay import duties at delivery. Alaska is not currently included in our service area.

U.S. orders ship from our New Jersey warehouse with standard shipping. We take about 1 business day to process your order, and delivery usually takes 2–5 business days. Free standard shipping applies automatically on orders of 4 or more bottles to the 48 contiguous states and Hawaii. Orders with fewer than 4 bottles pay the rate shown at checkout. Alaska is not currently in our service area.

Yes. Free standard shipping is available on orders containing 4 or more bottles within our U.S. service area: the 48 contiguous states and Hawaii. There is no dollar-value threshold for free shipping.

No, we offer standard shipping only. U.S. orders take about 1 business day to process and usually 2–5 business days to arrive.

Yes. Orders to the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada ship directly from Italy. Shipping charges, delivery times and any duties or taxes depend on the destination and are shown at checkout for your market. Canadian orders usually take 8–10 days, and Canadian duties are paid by the customer on delivery.

Yes. Canadian orders ship directly from Italy and usually take 8–10 days. Shipping is charged at checkout, and Canadian duties are paid by the customer on delivery. Our bottle label shows both our Italian and U.S. addresses because we sell in both countries, but Canadian orders never pass through the U.S.

Not at the moment. Our U.S. service area is the 48 contiguous states and Hawaii.

I'm sorry — that's not how it should have arrived. Email your order number and photos of the bottle, the packaging and the shipping box to info@deliba.it, ideally within 48 hours of delivery so we can check with the carrier, and we'll arrange a replacement or a refund at no cost to you. If you write later, we'll still review it.

You can request a return within 30 days of receiving your order. Bottles must be unopened, with the original seal intact, in their original packaging. Contact info@deliba.it with your order number before sending anything back. Damaged, defective or incorrect items are replaced or refunded at no cost to you. Full details are in our Return and Refund Policy.

Yes. Subscribe & Save offers 10% off recurring orders, with delivery available every 1, 2, 3 or 6 months. You can change your delivery date or frequency, skip a delivery, pause or cancel directly through your subscription account. There is no minimum number of orders. Product availability may vary by harvest and inventory.

We don't run discount codes. The website price is the price. Two ways to pay less per bottle: boxes of 4 ($174) or 6 ($219) instead of single bottles ($44.99), and Subscribe & Save, which gives 10% off recurring orders.

Yes. Digital gift cards are available at delibaoliveoil.com in $50, $100 and $200 amounts, delivered by email. If you'd like to send a box as a gift, simply enter the recipient's address at checkout.

Yes. We offer bulk bundles and custom volume orders for culinary professionals, restaurants, and wellness brands at delibaoliveoil.com/collections/bulk-olive-oil-bundles. Both Ottobratico and Sinopolese are available, with the full Certificate of Analysis included with every batch. For custom volumes, email Gianfranco directly at gianfranco@deliba.it.

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay through our secure Shopify checkout. We never store credit card information.