by Tom Mueller
First published 2011
Extra-virgin olive oil has served humanity for thousands of years as food, medicine, beauty treatment, and sacred ritual element. Modern science validates the health benefits of authentic extra-virgin oil, with Italian varieties setting the gold standard for quality. Tom Mueller reveals how this symbol of purity masks widespread corruption. His investigation, sparked by a New Yorker piece, uncovers a global network of deception spanning centuries. The olive oil industry operates through systematic fraud, selling fake and sometimes dangerous products to unsuspecting American consumers. Weak regulatory oversight enables this criminal enterprise to flourish. Mueller documents the efforts of honest artisans, laboratory scientists, professional chefs, and dedicated activists who fight to preserve legitimate extra-virgin oils. Their work protects both ancient traditions and consumer health against an industry built on lies.
Genres: history, business, non-fiction, food-and-drink, activism
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: corruption-expose, investigative-journalism
Setting: America, Italy
Period: 21st-century
238 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton & Company