Abstract Anthracnose olive rot (AOR) is the main fruit disease of olives, causing direct yield losses and declining oil quality. Fruit infection occurs either in spring during flowering and fruit-set or in summer from the beginning of veraison to harvest. Conducive weather conditions (rain, elevated air relative humidity, air temperature above 20 °C) and the lack of effective chemical control strategies may compromise olive oil production. To quantify AOR effect on olive oil quality and to establish threshold levels, olive oil was extracted from olives with increasing disease incidence (from 0 to 30%), along three consecutive seasons (2012?2014) in two cultivars (cv. Arbeqina and cv. Frantoio) and disease severity index was also determined. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.