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How does olive oil get its green edge?

Crush an olive and you trigger an enzymatic cascade — lipids shatter into volatile aldehydes and alcohols that define the grassy, peppery character we associate with good oil.

2-hexenal
2-hexenal — the dominant cut-grass/green-leaf aldehyde, far above threshold
OAV in olive oil
2-decenal
2-decenal — a fatty, waxy aldehyde that deepens the oil's savory body
OAV in olive oil
1-hexanol
1-hexanol — a mild green-herbaceous alcohol that rounds the sharper top notes
OAV in olive oil

Olive oil's 'green' character is almost entirely the work of short-chain aldehydes produced at the moment of crushing — not extracted from the fruit itself. The ratio of these compounds shifts with ripeness, cultivar, and processing speed, which is why two extra-virgins can taste like different foods.

Unlock the OAV numbers

See exactly how far over the detection threshold each compound is — the part of the chemistry that explains why this pairing works. Plus the full ranked list for any ingredient, compound index, and Compare tool.

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See every ingredient that contains 2-hexenal · Compare olive oil vs black tea

OAV (Odor Activity Value) = concentration ÷ detection threshold. Numbers above 1 mean the compound contributes detectably to aroma.

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