Argan oil is a unique gift from nature to humanity to maintain youthful beauty and health. But due to its small production, this valuable herbal product remains absolutely unprotected from counterfeiting. Therefore, the purchase of such an expensive oil should be approached very carefully and carefully.

The following are a few useful rules that will be easy to remember and will help you quickly determine whether the product in front of you is original or fake.

1) Decide for what purpose you need to purchase argan oil: food or cosmetic.
Edible argan oil is obtained only from the roasted fruits of the argan tree and therefore it always has a pleasant nutty aroma. It is practically not used for cosmetic purposes, since a significant part of the vitamins and nutrients is lost at high roasting temperatures.
For cosmetic procedures, you need to buy only unrefined argan oil, obtained by cold pressing from fresh, unroasted fruits. This must be clearly indicated on the label and packaging.

2) It is best to buy argan oil in its pure form (although its price is incredibly high) without any other oils. You can often find argan oil mixed with macadamia, olive, almond, etc. Such mixtures should only be purchased if you are firmly confident in the integrity of their manufacturer and know well that they actually contain argan oil. At best, only 1-2% of argan oil may be present out of the total mass of other oils. At worst, it's not there at all.
The same applies to purchasing cosmetic argan oil from reputable brands. Perhaps it really is in the composition of such products, but the chemical elements that are designed to give a luxury product an aroma, a beautiful appearance and preserve it for a long time, mercilessly destroy all the beneficial properties of argan oil. Undoubtedly, such products work well on the skin and hair, but not due to vegetable oils.

3) Pay attention to the packaging of argan oil. It should only be in a glass bottle or bottle and certainly made of dark glass.
Be sure to insist on the opportunity to smell the argan oil. Since it is expensive, a conscientious manufacturer always easily provides this opportunity. Unrefined, cold-pressed argan oil always has a distinct, specific (not very pleasant) odor. This smell is very similar to the smell of urine, only very intense. But it is precisely this that is considered the “liquid gold” for the health of the human body.

4) When purchasing diluted argan oil (usually less expensive), be sure to evaluate the smell as well. It is clearly felt even in diluted form. Next, check the percentage of oils. It must be strictly 50X50. If the percentage of argan oil is lower, this should certainly be indicated on the label or packaging (which means it will be even cheaper).

5) Country of origin - only Morocco!

Argan oil should be stored in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

P.S. By the way, when placing argan oil in the refrigerator, pay attention to its consistency. The original oil does not change its consistency at all at any temperature. If it has thickened greatly, you are not only looking at a fake oil product, but also one that contains a large number of preservatives and many other chemical components. Its use is fraught with many health problems.

Buy only high-quality argan oil and always be beautiful!

Read also:
Argan oil – “liquid gold” for skin and hair
Broccoli oil – “natural silicone” against split ends
Jasmine Absolute in Jojoba is a truly royal product
Rose oil in jojoba from Spivak is a luxury within everyone’s control
Broccoli oil – “natural silicone” against split ends

Is the information useful to you?

The survey is completed.

yes, I didn’t know a lot

13 (62%)

knew something

2 (10%)

The odors of essential oils are volatile compounds of complex chemical structure. All fragrances have certain properties. The smells of essential oils affect our nervous system, metabolism, emotional and physical state.

Essential oils are obtained in different ways. Basically, it is a steam distillation method. Another method is cold pressing. Essential oils are extracted from citrus fruits using the cold pressing method. The third method is called enfleurage.

Essential oils are lighter than water, so you need to know the intricacies of using aromatic oils. The basis of aromatic oils are volatile organic compounds, “ether”, as the ancients said. Not all plants can extract ether. On this basis, plants are divided into ether-bearing and non-ether-bearing.

There are about 3,000 plants growing on earth, from which essential oil can be isolated. Also, not all essential oils have therapeutic properties. Aromatherapy is a complex and interesting science that has come to us from time immemorial.

The scent of essential oils has different effects

The odors of essential oils are absorbed into the body through inhalation or direct contact with the skin and eventually enter the circulatory system. Aromatic essential oils have different effects on our well-being and mood.

Hundreds of essential oils are available to the common consumer. Only 100% natural concentrates have healing properties. There is no point in buying cheap synthetic analogues. The aromas of essential oils will be beneficial if you have insomnia, help with headaches, improve the condition of your skin and hair, and lift your spirits.

Secrets of the scents of essential oils

Let's reveal some secrets of the main essential oils. It is impossible to list all the odors and their main therapeutic properties. Let's list the most famous ones. Allow yourself to relax and breathe in the healing aroma.

Orange blossom scent calms, relaxes, improves sleep. This is the oil of joy and performance. It is beneficial to inhale the aroma of sweet orange in winter and autumn. The joyful sweet smell lifts your spirits and gives you hope. Before going to bed, place a few drops on a tissue and inhale. The smell of orange helps you fall asleep quickly.

Smell of yling ylang considered an aphrodisiac. Ylang-ylang improves mood and relieves stress. The aroma of ylang-ylang stimulates sexual desire. Increases self-confidence and reduces irritability. The scent of ylang-ylang is believed to attract love. Often included in massage, shower gels and bubble baths.

Jasmine essential oil relaxes, balances, eliminates unpleasant odors. For cosmetic purposes, it improves the condition of dry skin. Used for meditation as it promotes deep relaxation. Considered an erotic stimulant, it reduces female frigidity. Increases sexual desire.

The smell of lavender helps with headaches. Lavender essential oil stimulates a good mood, helps you fall asleep quickly and forget about sorrows. An effective insect repellent with a bactericidal effect. Ideal for sensitive skin care. Improves digestion.

The smell of rosemary is a natural energy booster, stimulates the body's defenses, relaxes muscles, and helps digestion. The smell is bitter-spicy. Used in skin care. Has antibacterial properties. Included in gels and creams for scar resorption. Softens rough skin.

Eucalyptus essential oil has medicinal properties. The smell of eucalyptus is resinous and tart, making breathing easier and purifying the air. Increases performance, relieves drowsiness. Has antiseptic and bactericidal properties. Included in massage oils, it warms up the muscles. The smell of eucalyptus repels insects and deodorizes the air.

Pine has a bitter and resinous odor. The aroma of pine disinfects and helps with fatigue and insomnia. The healing scent of pine makes breathing easier and helps with coughs. Inhaling the pine aroma is useful for colds and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system.

Lemon essential oil refreshes and tones. The smell of lemon is fresh, with notes of slight bitterness. Helps with headaches, promotes a surge of strength and positive emotions. Included in skin whitening creams. Softens rough areas of skin. When added to shampoo, it helps eliminate dandruff. Strengthens nails. Has an immunostimulating effect.

Mint tones, neutralizes the smell of tobacco, strengthens the nervous system. The smell of mint is fresh, menthol. Mint restores strength and reduces nervous excitement. Has antipyretic properties. Relieves fatigue and headaches. Effective for nausea, dizziness, seasickness.

Neroli is considered a feminine oil and an aphrodisiac. Stimulates sexual desire in men and women. Added to massage oil, it emphasizes femininity and liberates the imagination. It has a complex magical aroma. Helps with insomnia and nervous excitability. Included in cosmetic products.

How to choose your essential oil scent

The main way to choose an essential oil is your own positive feeling. I like the method or don't like it. If the smell of an essential oil leaves you indifferent, then this is not the oil for you. The smell of the oil is a concentrate of essential volatile compounds.

When meeting someone for the first time, you should not bring an open jar of essential oil too close to your nose, it can cause shock. Concentrated essential oils, if accidentally ingested, can cause a toxic reaction, skin burn or rash. You should start getting acquainted with the smell with one drop of oil.

First, you should read the instructions for use and properties. If you have an allergic predisposition, you should check the aroma for tolerance. To do this, put a drop on a handkerchief or napkin and inhale throughout the day.

Then check the skin reaction. Pure essential oil should not be applied directly to the skin. Mix one drop of ether per 5 drops of base oil with any vegetable oil and apply to the wrist area. See the reaction.

Cost of essential oils

The cost of natural 100% concentrate depends on several reasons. The most expensive oils are rose and jasmine. The production uses manual labor and tons of live flower petals to produce one kilogram of absolute oil.

The cost is determined by the % content of organic aromatic substances, the rarity of the plant and labor costs. The mechanism of action of essential oil on the body is very complex. Most oils have immunostimulating, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects on humans.

Many of the organic components of the ester are similar to hormones. Consciously or unconsciously, these smells are used by humanity in erotica. The main “erotic” scents of essential oils are neroli, orange, patchouli, ylang-ylang, myrrh, sandalwood, jasmine, bergamot, nutmeg, rose.

A gift to all blog readers, a recipe for Aphrodite's perfume. Create your own erotic perfume that attracts love and men.

Oil perfume - Aphrodite's belt of love

According to myth, Aphrodite always wore a magic belt that exuded an enchanting aroma. No man could resist the scent of love. According to legend, the magical scent consisted of neroli, ylang-ylang, orange, jasmine... the rest of the ingredients are unknown to us... Try combining the scents together and you can create a love potion!

Base oil 5 ml: jojoba or argan oil.

Essential oils, 4 drops each: ylang-ylang, patchouli, neroli (can be replaced with sweet orange).

Pour 5 ml (teaspoon) of essential oil into a small dark glass bottle. Add four drops of essential oils. Let it brew for several days. The flavors will mix and come into balance. Try Aphrodite's recipe on your beloved man.

The smell of the oil is woody, fresh, bitter, balsamic, reminiscent of wood, but drier.

The first impression of cedar is always deceptive because of the unexpressed, “suppressed” top tone, in which you can even detect sour notes uncharacteristic for this aroma. The complimentary cedar pulsation perfectly “awakens”.

Clean, deep, refreshing, woody, resinous, slightly spicy, sweetish, balsamy and smoky.

The aroma is solemn and complex; to facilitate the perception of its aesthetics, you can add a compliment oil the first two or three times.

The smell is strong, pleasant, balsamic, spicy, sweet, warm, cozy, soft.

Easy, accessible and very rewarding. However, if you add complementary citronella, it will cause flashes of brilliant lightning in the rounded cinnamon sky.

It has a soft, fresh, subtle, light, clean, floral scent, like fresh flowers with a woody undertone.

The perception of smell is always perfectly calm.

The smell of the oil is warm, resinous, smoky, woody, sweet, spicy, balsamic with a lemon note.

The rigor and deep philosophy of this fragrance is difficult to take in vain, because they require from us a greater depth of inhalation, a greater capacity of the soul and less dispersion in the world. Therefore, to comprehend the Great Aesthetics, you need to begin your acquaintance with it alone.

The aroma that masterfully sings in the “third” with incense and draws out an associative series of terry bass notes is complementary wood.

Leuzea

If you conduct a survey of the opinions of people who use fragrances, then exactly half of them are not fans of the smell of Leuzea, while for the other half this aroma evokes enthusiastic feelings. We can say that some disadvantage of Leuzea in the eyes of people who prefer tart smells is the length and candy-like quality of the two upper tones.

The addition of a complementary ylang aroma transforms the naive candy “babble” of the aroma into gourmand and seductive eloquence.

emits a unique fruity smell of fresh lemons, fresh, cold, bitter.

Light, accessible, since the aroma is generally accepted in everyday life. To eliminate the hint of oxidized metal in the lower tone, a complementary addition of ylang is recommended.

The smell is light, cheerful, festive, gentle, warm, piquant, fruity-sweet, with floral notes, arousing sympathy from the first sniff.

The smell is fresh, cool, morning, invigorating, sweet, reminiscent of an aroma with floral tones, explosive, gusty, sharp, concentrated, very stormy for the delicate sense of smell.

The complementary addition gives this fragrance an aristocratic sophistication.

The smell of the oil is fresh, clean, transparent, penetrating, delicate, spiritual, herbaceous, camphor-spicy, somewhat tart and bitter.

The aroma envelops you with its tenderness and purity, evoking the brightest and most spiritual associations. The only difficulty in the aroma is the slight camphority of the first note, which can be neutralized by adding complementary cloves.

The smell of essential oil is warm, warming, pulsating, intoxicating, intoxicatingly spicy, sweetish-tart, slightly musky, slightly peppery.

The harmony of warmth given by the aroma of nutmeg easily and gently envelops the consciousness. Usually this aroma causes admiration. But if spicy smells are not very close to you, combining nutmeg with a compliment aroma - limette - can help you discover the source of pleasure in them.

The smell is very strong, dominant, fresh, ringing, invigorating, menthol, mint with a hint of camphor.

The smell is strong, penetrating, clean, fresh, cold, sweetish, spicy with camphor tones.

The essential oil has a five-tone aroma with a complex and multi-component aromatic pattern, very pleasant, fresh, spicy-aromatic, floral, evening, dry, pulsating, magical, hypnotically elusive.

Among many peoples, this magical scent is called gypsy because of its hypnotic elusiveness. The complexity and multi-composition of aromatic patterns often deceive even those who constantly use them. The presence of two additional tones, which our consciousness does not fixate on during prolonged perception of the aroma, introduces “deceptive” shades into its perception. The aroma is always new. Usually everyone likes him. If associatively this scent is not yours, you can combine it with a complimentary scent.

The aroma is easy to perceive, despite even some bass timbre in the upper tone, which can be slightly enhanced by complementary grapefruit.

The essential oil has a strong, penetrating, oriental, nocturnal, mysterious, intimate, earthy, exotic, bitter-smoky, resinous-tart, woody-balsamic smell, at the same time sweet and spicy with a hint of rotten leaves, damp wood and green grass; The aroma is complex, has an additional fourth tone - the tone of heat.

For Europeans, the ability to easily perceive it is a whole science. The first touch to the wise world can be started by adding a complementary swamp shade of the first tone to drain.

It has a clean, fresh, cold, rich, spicy, tart, balsamic, resinous pine scent, reminiscent of a fresh pine forest.

The smell of the oil is strong, fresh, clean, penetrating, warm, cozy, bitter, spicy, herbaceous-minty with a woody-camphor balsamic undertone, refreshing and stimulating.

Rose oil has a strong and pungent floral-pink aroma, slightly sweet, somewhat spicy, tart, smoky, low, deep, bluesy, honey, delicate.

The perception is perfect. If rose is a too “dry” floral scent, you can lightly water it with a complimentary rain.

Chamomile has a deep balsamic, sweetish-herbal scent with Fruity notes, hints of hay, tobacco and sweet spices, very long lasting.

The aroma is very viscous, dense and dried. The first tone usually gets boring quickly. Only one complementary oil - petitgrain - can transform the felt fabric of a fragrance into the finest lace.

The smell of essential oil is not very strong, but very persistent; does not have a single sharp and loud note, it grows slowly, refined, deep, soft, gentle, exotic, hazy-musky, sweet-woody balsamic, delicate, complex philosophical, with two additional tones - a tone of heat and a tone of cold.

The aroma is very persistent and refined, it does not have a single sharp or loud note and grows slowly, like trees grow. For people with an ordinary sense of smell, who prefer loud smells, the aroma at first may seem weak, like a whisper, but brilliant thoughts are usually also uttered quietly. It can be complementarily combined with, enhancing its sound.

The smell is fresh, forest, coniferous, resinous, cool, balsamic.

Transmission text:

What does the oil smell like?

One spring, at the hour of an unprecedented rainy sunset in Moscow, Alexander Adabashyan, who plays Berlioz in the film “The Master and Margarita,” appears on the Patriarch’s Ponds. He doesn’t know that ten minutes before, Annushka had already spilled the oil.

And not one, but two. One of them was purchased in a store, the other was purchased at a manufacturer’s factory. The actor walks calmly through a puddle of oil from a supermarket. And on spilled oil from the manufacturer it slips. This is explained simply. The shelf life of the oil is one year. If it sits longer, it begins to deteriorate and becomes rancid. Spoiled oil is more viscous. You can't even really slip on it. The problem is that many oils do not indicate the production date, but the bottling date. And sometimes expired oil ends up on the shelves. Experts will tell us how to determine the freshness of oil.

Oil. Without this product it is impossible to prepare almost any dish. It is fried in oil, baked, and added to porridge, purees, pasta and meat. Some prefer vegetable oil, others prefer butter. But few people realize that some of the oil that is sold in stores is not made from what it should be. Manufacturers have learned to obtain sunflower oil from rapeseed. And olive is made from sunflowers with flavorings. Butter is whipped not from cream, but from vegetable fats.

Kostya Turkin was admitted to the hospital with an acute attack of allergies. Doctors said it was a reaction to a substance found in rapeseed oil. Mom actually gave her son salad before this. But it was seasoned not with rapeseed oil, but with sunflower oil. The remaining oil was sent to the laboratory. It turned out that it was indeed rapeseed.

According to experts, almost a quarter of the oil is not what manufacturers claim it to be. Olive oil is especially often counterfeited. To test whether real olive oil can be distinguished by smell, we conducted an experiment. A perfumer from one of the large companies took part in it. That evening, his housekeeper prepared three identical salads and dressed them with three different oils. Can a perfumer distinguish real oil from fake oil?

Even the car does not drive well with fake oil. We started racing on vegetable oil. Instead of diesel fuel, we filled the gas tanks of two KamAZ vehicles with oil. We poured oil from the market into the gas tank of one car, and oil from the store into the gas tank of the other. Who will reach the finish line first?

The highest quality oil is virgin oil. The most useful substances get into it from the seed. Second-press oil is cheaper. It is usually used to produce refined oil. If the seeds are pressed a third time, the so-called third pressing oil is obtained. To squeeze out the seeds, which have already been squeezed out twice before, use gasoline and caustic soda. The result is so-called technical oil. It is used for refilling lamps, in the automotive industry, etc. But sometimes third-press oil ends up in bottles and is sold as regular sunflower oil. This is dangerous, since the technical oil contains residues of gasoline and caustic soda. You can distinguish third-press oil by setting it on fire. Third-rate burns little with a bright yellow flame.

Tender, creamy, with a slight nutty flavor. This is the kind of butter we ate when we were kids. It was made according to GOST 37-91. There were no additives in it. Just cream and nothing else. Currently, only one oil is produced according to this recipe. Vologda. To find out how to distinguish real Vologda oil on the counter, we went to Vologda.

Mayonnaise. Proper mayonnaise should consist of 80% sunflower oil, the rest is egg yolks, mustard and acetic acid. To find out what mayonnaise is actually made from, what oil is used in production, and what is used instead of eggs, our correspondent got a job in a mayonnaise production workshop.

How to find real butter, olive and sunflower oil on the counter? Which mayonnaise is safe? And what is the difference between light mayonnaise and fatty mayonnaise? Experts from the Institute of Food Production, perfumers, and employees of testing laboratories tell us.

Producers: Andrey Sychev, Oleg Volnov
Director: Darel Gomozha
Written by: Ekaterina Pasternak

Vegetable oil

The shelf life of refined oil is 1 year, unrefined oil is 5 months. Storage periods must be observed very strictly. Indeed, under the influence of oxygen, the oil begins to oxidize, and free radicals are formed, which cause premature aging in humans, and can sometimes lead to cancer.

It is not always possible to determine the freshness of the oil by looking at the label. After all, it does not indicate the production date, but the bottling date. For example, in a good year, oil was squeezed out, stored in a barrel, and two years later it was bottled and released for sale. It turns out that the oil that is on the counter is already two years old, which means that it may well turn out to be rancid. You can determine the freshness of the oil by its appearance.

Take a bottle of oil from the shelf and look at the light. If you see sediment at the bottom or the oil is a little cloudy, it's expired.

Oil does not like air and light, so it is best to buy oil in dark glass bottles. It is best to store an open bottle of oil in the refrigerator - it is dark and cold there, which means the product will not oxidize.

The Habitat program decided to test the quality of oil in one more way - by organizing a truck race. Two cars must drive a regular route 40 kilometers long. True, it used unusual fuel: instead of diesel, vegetable oil was poured into the gas tanks. According to the mechanic, the oil must be clean, otherwise the engine will run rough. Fedor's truck was fed with oil from the market, Ivan's car with oil from the store. Whoever wins the race will have better oil.
The trucks walked smoothly for the first 10 kilometers, but then there was a hill on the road. It immediately became clear that Fedor’s car was not moving. The second truck drove as if nothing had happened. After 30 kilometers, Fedor’s car ran out of fuel, the second car was able to last another 5 kilometers. Why such a difference? The bottles of oil seemed to be the same. Both have the inscription: “Sunflower oil, refined, deodorized.” To answer this question, both bottles were sent for examination. It turned out that the sunflower oil with which Fedor’s car was fueled was diluted with cheaper palm oil.

The business of producing counterfeits is on stream. Habitat correspondents discovered a market where they sell empty bottles and labels for sunflower oil for every taste. The owners of many market stalls buy containers here. They bring low-quality vegetable oil from abroad, bottle it and sell it. You can distinguish fake oil by the bottle, although not with a 100% guarantee.

The more complex the shape of the bottle, the more likely it is that there is real oil inside. As a rule, fake wine is bottled in simple shapes.

Sunflower seeds, soybeans and rapeseed are squeezed not just once, but several times. Virgin oil is most valued - it contains many useful substances and vitamins. Second-press oil is cheaper - it is usually used to produce refined oil. Refining and deodorization is the purification of oil with chemical reagents that remove free fatty acids and phospholipids from it. After processing, the oil practically loses its taste and smell. All refined, deodorized oils are similar, like twin brothers. Unscrupulous manufacturers take advantage of this. A bottle labeled “Sunflower” or “Olive” may well contain cheap palm or rapeseed oil.

Kostya Katurkin's diathesis began at the age of 3. First a rash appeared on the cheeks and palms, then eczema on the elbows and knees. A month later, the boy could not even sleep normally - his whole body was constantly itching. The doctor from the clinic advised me to eliminate all foods one by one. Kostya’s mother Polina did just that, but the allergy did not go away. After testing, it turned out that it was an allergy to erucic acid. It is found in mustard, peanuts and peanut butter, and canola oil. Erucic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid; in large quantities it causes cardiovascular disorders and even cirrhosis of the liver. In small children it provokes allergies. Oils containing erucic acid are banned in Europe.
Polina was surprised: she actually added vegetable oil to the puree, but only olive oil. She had never bought rapeseed oil, and had never even heard of it. When Polina stopped giving her son the strange oil, the allergy disappeared, literally as if it disappeared. Now Polina dresses salads with sunflower oil.

Unscrupulous producers have learned to squeeze olive oil not from olives, but from seeds and even rapeseed. Refined and deodorized sunflower oil is simply added with olive flavor and then poured into a green glass bottle. Some manufacturers honestly write that they sell a mixture of sunflower and olive oil. True, it is difficult to understand how much olive oil and how much sunflower oil is in the bottle.

Can you tell real olive oil by smell? In order to test this, an experiment was conducted. Perfumer Oleg Chazov was given three identical salads seasoned with three different oils to try. The first salad is seasoned with a mixture of sunflower and olive oil, the second with olive oil purchased at the market, the third with olive oil from a well-known company, purchased in a store.
The first course is a salad dressed with olive oil from the market. Oleg smells a slight scent of flavorings. He puts the plate aside; the perfumer doesn’t want to dine on this salad. The second course is a salad seasoned with a mixture of sunflower and olive oil. Oleg confirms: this is a mixture of oils. The last salad is dressed with extra virgin olive oil from a well-known company. Oleg likes this gas station more than others.

The oil used to season the salads was taken to the laboratory. They did not check the mixture of olive and sunflower oil - the manufacturer already indicated the composition on the label. The two remaining oils were sent for testing. Experts don't trust their sense of smell - they put bottles of oil in the freezer. The fact is that sunflower, corn, cottonseed or rapeseed oil solidifies at a temperature of minus 15-20 degrees, and olive oil begins to become cloudy at approximately +5 - 0 degrees. Two hours later, experts removed the oils from the refrigerator. The more expensive oil began to solidify and sediment appeared, but the cheap olive oil remained liquid. This suggests that there is either very little or virtually no olive oil.

You can check the olive oil that is on your table yourself.

Pour olive oil into a glass and place in the refrigerator. If after 15 minutes a sediment appears at the bottom and the oil thickens, then it is real olive oil. If the consistency of the oil has not changed, it means that it was diluted with sunflower, rapeseed or soybean.

There is another way to check the quality of olive oil. The fact is that high-quality oil is well absorbed into the skin.

Place some oil on your hand and rub. If it is immediately absorbed into the skin, then the oil is good.

“No cholesterol, rich in vitamin E” - this is the inscription on many bottles of vegetable oil. The paradox is that cholesterol is found only in animal products. There simply cannot be cholesterol in vegetable oil - it’s like writing on the bottle “Does not contain milk or sausage trimmings.”

These inscriptions appear on bottles for a reason. Manufacturers know very well: if you write “Cholesterol Free” on the label, the oil can be sold at a higher price. To verify this, Habitat conducted an experiment. Two types of sunflower oil labels were made: one is honest, it states that the bottle contains deodorized, refined sunflower oil. On the second label they wrote complete nonsense: “Contains vitamins A, B, C, D, D, S, Z,” “Purified with milk.” They indicated that there were no harmful impurities in the oil - no rain water, no polluted air, no animal fats. And, of course, not a drop of cholesterol. Both labels were pasted onto the cheapest sunflower oil and displayed on the counter. Regular butter began to be sold for 50 rubles, “purified with milk” – for 70.
The oil “without rainwater and polluted air” was sold out much faster than usual, despite the fact that it costs 20 rubles more. Buyers were not confused by the fact that the butter was “refined with milk” and “does not contain husks or rainwater.” On the contrary, they considered it a sign of the quality of the product. The abundance of vitamins didn’t bother anyone either. Probably, “Yu”, “Ya” are some new, hitherto undiscovered vitamins. And even the inscription that the oil was “produced in the ecologically clean meadows of Kapotnya” did not stop buyers. The main thing is that there is no cholesterol, full of vitamins, and even purified with milk. Out of twelve buyers, only one woman chose regular sunflower oil.
Habitat refunded all customers and told them that vegetable oils do not contain cholesterol and that they cannot be purified with milk.

Butter

Butter is made from whipped milk cream, which is why it is called “butter.” Delicate, with a slight nutty flavor - this is the kind of butter we ate in childhood, it was made according to GOST 3791, there were no additives in it - only cream and nothing else. Now only one oil is produced according to this recipe - Vologda. The recipe for Vologda oil was invented by Nikolai Vereshchagin, the older brother of the artist Vasily Vereshchagin. He suggested making butter from cream heated to a high temperature - this gave the butter a slight nutty flavor.

There are a lot of different oils on the store shelves: “Vologda lace”, “Vologda gold”, “Vologda”, “Vologda”. How to find the real one among this variety of Vologda oils? To answer this question, Habitat correspondents went to the Vologda region. Real Vologda butter is made here. The best milk from Vologda cows is brought to the milk receiving point every day, and it is heated to a high temperature. Manufacturers do not say which one exactly, this is the main secret of the famous oil. The heated milk is sent for tasting. If the milk does not have a nutty flavor, it will be made into cottage cheese or kefir, and the rest will be sent to a separator. The cream will be collected from the milk and whipped; from 20 liters of milk you will get only 1 kilogram of butter.

Only seven dairies can make real Vologda butter, all of them are located in the Vologda region. Any other oil is considered counterfeit. But many manufacturers use tricks, for example, they produce oil “Vologda Lace”, “Vologda Gold” or even “Volgorod”. Rearranged extra letters - and this is no longer a counterfeit; according to the law, there is nothing to complain about. True, most buyers do not pay attention to these extra letters.

Real Vologda oil has one word written on it: “Vologda”. Fat content is 82.5%, it is made and packaged in Vologda. You need to be careful with the expiration date: Vologda oil is stored for only 20 days.

Traditional, Amateur, Peasant, Sandwich and Tea. By our standards, all this is butter; by European standards, all this is spreads. The fact is that, according to international standards, butter must be obtained only from cow's milk fat and have a fat content of at least 80%.

Traditional, Amateur and Peasant oils. According to the standard, food coloring and concentrates of lactic acid microorganisms can be added to them. Sandwich and Tea oils may contain flavorings, preservatives, emulsifiers and stabilizers.

The fact that dyes and stabilizers can be added to modern oil is not so bad. Some manufacturers have learned to make butter without cream at all; instead of milk fats, they use sunflower seeds, rapeseed and soybeans. At the same time, the composition of the product states: “One hundred percent cream.”

"Sreda Habitat" bought 10 samples of butter in stores: butter in a package with the inscription "FIN" from the Valio company; Butter "Peasant Cream" from the company "Dairy Product"; Lakoma oil produced by Bely Medved LLC; butter "Peasant Cream" from the same company; oil "Volgorod Traditions", made by OJSC "Ankovskoye" in the Ivanovo region; "Peasant sweet cream unsalted" from the Moscow region company "Flagman"; butter "Prostokvashino" from Unimilk; "Peasant sweet cream unsalted" company "Five Pluses"; butter from Nevskie Cheese company; Valio oil from the company of the same name.
All samples were taken to the laboratory and asked to check what the oil was made of. The test results surprised even the experts. The butter produced by Beliy Medved LLC is not butter. Palm vegetable fat in the amount of 65-70% of the total fat content in the butter was found in the butter of the Nevskie Cheese company and in the Peasant Sweet Cream Unsalted company of the Moscow region company Flagman. This is not indicated on the packaging.
To understand the situation, Habitat turned to the manufacturers. We arrived in Dubna, where, judging by the labels, they made peasant oil from the Flagman company. But representatives of the plant refused to talk to journalists - instead they called private security. The results of the examination of this oil were transferred to the department for combating economic crimes, and a statement was also written with a request to conduct an inspection at the plant.
The director of the Nevsky Cheese company agreed to give an interview by phone. He said that this is a temporary measure caused by a sharp rise in prices for butter and milk fat in the world, and that in the future the company will not offer the spread under the guise of butter.

Why did every second oil purchased by Habitat turn out to be a spread? The fact is that according to the standard developed in 2008, oil is tested only for safety and compliance with the declared fat content. These indicators are in order for all samples, that is, the oil is safe and has the fat content indicated on the label. One small problem: the butter is not butter. It turns out that unscrupulous manufacturers add cheap vegetable fats to their product. They simply take advantage of the fact that no one checks the butter - there is not a word in GOST about the authenticity of butter.

How to distinguish real butter? The first method is heating.

Heat a piece of oil in a saucepan. If it's really creamy, flakes will form a sediment at the bottom when heated. If the mass remains homogeneous, it means it is a spread or margarine.

Cereals are animal protein. The more flakes, the more natural cream the manufacturer used to make this butter.

The second method is testing with alcohol and sulfuric acid. This experience should not be repeated at home! The experiment was carried out by chemists in a special laboratory. A mixture of alcohol and sulfuric acid was poured into the oil. The natural butter turned pink and then purple and began to smell like pineapples. The product, which contains vegetable fats, began to smell unpleasant after heating.

Heat a piece of butter in a frying pan. If a white foam with a pleasant smell appears, it means the butter is really creamy. If there is no foam and the smell is unpleasant, it means that vegetable fats have been added to the product.

The third method is flying from a height. As part of the experiment, frozen butter was thrown from the sixth floor. The real oil broke into fragments like a crystal vase, and the spread was smeared on the asphalt. However, under normal conditions, in order to distinguish oil from non-oil, you do not need to throw it from the sixth floor.

Put the butter in the freezer for 3 hours, take it out, try cutting off a piece of butter with a knife. If it breaks off, it means the oil is real. If the product cuts easily and spreads across the knife, then it is a spread.

Peasant butter, fat content 72.5%, is the most popular brand; it is produced by almost all dairies in the country. To find out which Peasant butter is of the highest quality, 10 samples of butter were taken to the Vologda Butter Museum. The most important exhibit in the museum is fresh homemade butter. Museum employees beat it by hand every day, a process that lasts 4 hours.
Museum workers were asked to try all the oil samples and choose the most Peasant among them. First, the experts tried “Peasant oil from Vologda” from the Vereshchaginsky testing plant. He was given 10 points. Then we tried “Special Peasant Butter” made at the Ilyinskoye production plant. Experts did not like this product. Upon closer examination, the label revealed the inscription in small letters: “Creamy spread.” That is why this product was called not just “Peasant”, but “Peasant Special”.
The next sample is “Peasant Sweet Cream Butter”, manufactured by Ankovskoye OJSC (Ivanovo region). This butter received 5 points out of 10. “Peasant butter”, made at the Vologda Dairy Plant, received 6 points. Peasant butter "Prostokvashino" (manufacturer - "Unimilk") was rated 9 points. But the butter produced at the dairy plant in Yanino received 0 points. The last sample - peasant butter "Five Pluses", made at the Ozeretsk dairy plant - scored 4 points.
After that, all the oil samples were given to the museum cat Vaska to try. But no matter how hard the correspondents tried, the spoiled cat still chose homemade butter.

Instead of butter, did you buy a spread? Unpleasant, but, as they say, not fatal. It's worse if this oil turns out to be fake.

At the spread production plant, margarine was made during the day; the ingredients were honestly written on the packaging: hydrogenated vegetable fat, milk fat, dyes, flavors, preservatives. Margarine was sold in stores for 10-15 rubles per pack. And after midnight, as if by magic, the plant was transformed: butter was made from expired margarine, which was already sold for 50 rubles per pack.
An examination of seized samples of these dairy products showed that the product does not meet microbiological safety requirements. The composition contained only a vegetable spread; the product was made from palm and coconut oils with the addition of aromatic substances.
Fake oil was supplied to markets and stores in the Moscow, Bryansk, Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan regions, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories. The plant is now closed. The operatives confiscated everything they could from the shelves; the director of the plant faces three to five years under the article “Production and sale of goods that do not meet safety requirements.”
This case is not uncommon. Every year, in the Moscow region alone, operatives close 5-6 underground workshops producing counterfeit oil.

To find real butter, sunflower and olive oil on the counter, you need to remember a few tips.
Take a bottle of oil from the shelf and look at the light. If you see sediment at the bottom, it's expired.
Pour olive oil into a glass and place in the refrigerator. If after 15 minutes a sediment appears at the bottom and the oil thickens, then it is real olive oil.
Heat a piece of butter in a frying pan. If a white foam with a pleasant smell appears, it means the butter is really creamy.
Put the butter in the freezer for 3 hours, take it out, try cutting off a piece of butter with a knife. If it breaks off, it means the oil is real. If the butter cuts easily and spreads across the knife, it is a spread.

These tips will help you know what real oil smells like.