Frequently Asked Questions


15 Most Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Where do your olives come from?

    2. A. Santa Barbara Olive Company, Inc. grows and buys olives depending upon supply and demand. All our olive products are grown in California unless otherwise stated.

  2. What makes your olives different?

    3. A. California soil and climate. Also our olive selection process assures that our olives are perfect in shape, color and size. We use only the top 10% of any particular orchard at any time.

  3. What kind of olives do you use?

    4. A. Barouni, Sevellano, Ascalano, Manzanillo, and Mission. These are the five olives grown in California.

  4. How do you cure your olives?

    5. A. We use several methods, including Spanish cure, Sicilian cure, brine cure, and dry cure.

  5. Do you use any chemicals?

    6. A. No. Our olive products are packed cold by hand and require only sea salt, cider vinegar and/or purified water, unless otherwise stated.

  6. What is extra virgin olive oil?

    7. A. Cold pressed, unrefined oil with an oleic acid level less than 1%. Virgin olive oil is also cold pressed and unrefined with an oleic acid level between 1% and 1.5%. Pure olive oil is a blend of mostly refined olive oil with lesser amounts of virgin or extra virgin oil added for flavoring.

  7. Why do olives taste salty?

    8. A. Santa Barbara Olive Company, Inc. uses no chemical preservatives in our cold pack olives. Chemical preservatives often mask out the salt taste. We use the lowest amount of salt allowable by F.D.A. standards.

  8. What are your best sellers?

    9. A. Jalapeno, Martini, Garlic, Medium, Jumbo, Large, Pitted Calamata, Pitted Garlic, Pitted Italian, Pitted Country, Pitted Cajun, Almond Stuffed, Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed, Pitted Lemon Citrus and Virgin Olive Oil.

  9. What is your product shelf life?

    10. A. One year on the shelf or after opened and refrigerated. If a white residue appears on top of the olives, it is a process called oxidation involving a reaction between the vinegar and air and is not detrimental to your health.

  10. How long does the curing process take?

    11. A. Depending upon the method of curing, between three weeks and one year.

  11. What makes your canned black olives special?

    12. A. They are produced without ferrous gluconate and contain 1/3 less salt and are the first and only in the world currently available.

  12. Are olives fattening?

    13. A. No. Our olives average 4 to 5 calories each and contain no cholesterol. Our olive oil is also cholesterol free and, when used regularly, is actually very healthy for the cardiovascular system. Santa Barbara Olive Company's olives also naturally contain vitamins B6, A, C, plus fiber, ash, protein and most of the essential minerals needed for a good daily diet.

  13. Are all of your products KSA Certified?

    14. A. No. The following 5 olives are not KSA Certified: Calamata, Anchovy Stuffed, Hickory Smoked, Martini Stuffed and Wine Cured. All the rest are KSA Certified. All veggies are now KSA Certified except: Marinated Mushrooms & Asparagus (both).

  14. What are your cans lined with?

    15. A. Our cans are double coated with an 80/20 blend of Epoxy and Phenolic resin. The cans are baked for 10 minutes at 400 F to drive out the carrier solvents and cross link the coating.

  15. What is the white milky stuff on my olives?

    16. A. The most common name is Mother. This is harmless residue that forms on the olives when the vinegar in the brine mixes with oxygen (oxidation).


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