Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long are Lindsay Olives good before and after opening?

    Our canned olives are good for four years before opening and our jarred olives are good for three years before opening. For best quality, we recommend that you refrigerate your olives and use within 10 days of opening. After opening your olives it is best to store them in a non-metallic, covered container and kept in brine to ensure the best quality.

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  • Is olive brine safe to drink?

    Yes, the liquid in the can or jar is completely safe to drink. It mostly contains water, salt and juice from the olives. The only concern would be if you are on a salt restricted diet because it can be high in salt.

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  • Why are there pits in the olives that are labeled as “pitted”?

    There may be times during the automated pitting process when an olive will be missed due to its softer texture and the pit remains inside. Although this may happen, it does not affect the quality of your olives.

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  • What are the cans made of?

    Our ripe cans are made of tin plated steel with a coating to protect the olives to keep from corroding the can. We use this protective coating because the salt water would cause rust if exposed to steel directly.

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  • Is canned food safe?

    Yes, canned food is absolutely safe. The chance that you would be exposed to Bisphenol-A from can coating is extremely small and poses no health risk. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you would need to eat more than 500 pounds of canned food and beverages everyday for 70 years to exceed the level set as safe.

    All Lindsay Olives products are prepared and packaged using safe, FDA-approved processes and materials.  BPA is approved by the FDA for use in food contact applications, and for more than 40 years has played an essential part in food preservation. 

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  • What is Bisphenol-A?

    It is a critical component used in the manufacturing of most coatings in cans. These cans comply with direct food contact regulatory requirements worldwide. Packaging that comes into contact with food must undergo strict testing and comply with US Food and Drug Administration requirements before use. The Bisphenol-A, or BPA, in our cans is 0.6 parts per million and meets the strict standards set by the European Union. The European Union standards are even higher than those set by the US Food and Drug Administration.

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  • Are Lindsay Re-closeable bowls reusable?

    Our Re-closeable plastic bowls are made from a very common type of food-grade plastic.  The bowls are reusable but we do not recommend use in a microwave due to the metallic trim that may cause a spark.

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  • What spices are used in Lindsay Re-closeables Italian Seasoned olives?

    The Italian seasoning found in Lindsay Italian Seasoned Snackers and Lindsay Italian Seasoned Re-closeables have flavor notes of garlic and Italian herbs such as rosemary and oregano.

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  • How are Lindsay Naturals different from other black ripe olives?

    Black ripe olives have Ferrous Gluconate, a water-soluble iron salt and color stabilizer, that helps maintain the black color in the olives.  Our Lindsay Naturals process does not use Ferrous Gluconate which creates a dark brown colored olive, rather than the dark satin black.  Lindsay Naturals are canned in plain water and sea salt.  They contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

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  • How are Lindsay Naturals Green Ripe Olives different from other green or black olives?

    Unlike their tart Spanish Green cousins and more like their mellow California Black Ripe siblings, Lindsay Naturals Green Ripe Olives have a unique nutty and buttery flavor.  They do not contain Ferrous Gluconate and are canned in water and sea salt, nothing else!

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  • Why is there no liquid in Lindsay Chopped Olives?

    Lindsay Chopped Olives are meant to be liquid-free to allow for versatile use in many different types of dishes.

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  • What are the brown spots on Lindsay Naturals Green Ripe Olives?

    These spots are natural bruising and freckling that occur in picking/harvesting. The olives are still delicious and safe to eat. Black olives also have these bruises but this bruising is not visible because of the olive's dark color.

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  • What are the white spots on Spanish Olives?

    Occasionally, white spots can be seen on the Spanish olives which come from naturally occurring yeast that adds to the Spanish flavor. These olives are safe to eat!

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  • Is it okay to eat Spanish Olives without a vacuum-sealed lid?

    Yes, Lindsay Spanish Olives are safe to eat without a vacuum seal.  Our Spanish products undergo a pasteurization process which does not require a vacuum-sealed lid.

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  • Do Lindsay Olives contain Lactose?

    We don't use any milk or nut products to make our black ripe olives. Although, some of our stuffed Spanish olives do contain nuts and cheese. These are produced separately and the equipment is thoroughly sanitized between each run of these stuffed olives.

    The Lactic Acid that we use to produce Lindsay olives is not animal or dairy based.  It‘s an organic food acid, naturally found in olives, that's produced during the fermentation process. It's very similar to what happens when you make wine. 

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  • Do Lindsay Olives contain Sulfites?

    No, sulfites are not present in Lindsay olive products although Lindsay Cocktail Onions do contain a small amount of sulfites.

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  • What is Ferrous Gluconate?

    Ferrous gluconate is water soluble iron salt combined with a reduced sugar acid. It is used to fix the black color on the olive and the iron reacts with the tannins in the olive skin and helps to hold the black color. Lindsay Naturals do not use ferrous gluconate which produces a chocolate brown olive. There are no allergens, glutens or proteins in ferrous gluconate, even though it's from a corn or potato acid.

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  • What is Guar Gum?

    Guar Gum is an extract from the guar bean, which is used to make the minced pimiento you find in some stuffed olives. It is a thickener that's often used in foods you eat every day. Guar gum is perfectly safe to eat.

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  • What kind of salt is used in Lindsay California Black Ripe Olives?

    The salt we use in our olives is kiln dried sea salt sourced from the San Francisco Bay. It is non-iodized and put in the water used for the brine. This salt doesn't have added iodine like you'd find in table salt. There is approximately 2.5% salt in our black ripe olives.

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  • Are Lindsay Olives gluten-free and casein-free?

    Yes, our olives are both gluten free and casein free. Our Black Ripe Olives do contain Ferrous Gluconate, which is used to stabilize the color. Ferrous Gluconate comes from corn and is not related to gluten.

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  • What is the difference between pasteurization and sterilization?

    Pasteurization refers to the heating or cooking of products to a specified temperature to ensure that common pathogens do not grow inside jarred products like Lindsay Spanish Olives.  Lindsay California Black Ripe Olives undergo a sterilization process, which is slightly different than pasteurization.  Sterilization also involves the heating or cooking of products to a specified temperature to prevent common pathogens.  The key difference between pasteurization and sterilization relates to the pH.  Pasteurization typically occurs with products that have high acidity levels while sterilization is most common with products with a neutral pH.

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