Specialty in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive tree is the oldest known tree in earth. Since the ancient times, this tree has been symbol of health, productivity, wealth and beauty. Many stories have been told about the wonders of olive oil. It is called as the richest gift of heaven as referred in the old miracles told. With such a history, olive tree has always kept the secrets of its precious fruit and its capabilities. Such capabilities, of course, lead to health and wealth of humankind.
Liquid gold, it is called, with the purpose of emphasizing the priceless value of it. Before the modern era with highly technological equipment that are able to evaluate the biochemical substances of a given food almost instantly, the people on earth living in ancient times of such poverty of technology and communication knew the miraculous benefits of olive oil not only with the consumption but also with its use as a skin cream that is healing the damaged skins, beautify the normal ones.
Along with such long storied health benefits of this liquid gold of precious value, it has a commercial value that can be with benefit of in different uses such as candle fuel. This use, of course, was on the table before the electricity and lamp was invented. With no clue, one thing for sure being of this olive oil has more to give to humankind in the future as well.
Nowadays, production of olive oil is done with the same method of old times that is the physical pressing of the olives with the purpose of extracting their oils. In modern era, there is not to discuss under this topic!
One thing called as efficiency is what we see in every part of our everyday life. Because everything is supposed to be efficient. The output shall be high, the input shall be close to zero. So, it be in the olive oil production as well! However, what is this “efficiency” all about when it comes to olive oil production? Is it the quality of olive oil extracted? Is it the amount of olive oil extracted? Or, is it the energy consumption for each unit of olive oil produced?
Artem Oliva, that is one of the biggest olive oil producers in Turkey, has few words to add in this topic. The answer for each of above questions is “yes”. Yes, it is about all those factors. The efficiency effects the quality, quantity and energy consumed overall. But how?
In a recent inter-company study made by Artem Oliva, it is proved that the efficiency in all of above 3 areas can be improved almost without any extra effort or cost involved. To understand this process better, what is needed to be checked in the detail is the production process of olive oil. For the purpose of this article, olive oil will always refer to “extra virgin olive oil” that is the best olive oil type known and recorded in the legal definitions as it same.
Production process of olive oil start with the olive tree itself and the way of growing the trees that is such a wide subject even including the land of the ranch placed. Olive ranch shall be located within a geography that is meeting the tree’s requirements. These requirements are actually very simple. Winters shall be cold and rainy; summers shall be hot and dry. This simple definition has 2 legs. First one is that this definition fits perfectly to what olive tree can live perfectly with having a healthy yield. Second is that, this definition is perfectly naming what is called Mediterranean region.
Mediterranean region is the motherland of olive tree since the beginning of history. Olive tree is the oldest tree on earth and its origin is today’s Mediterranean region. Such a place is defined as the center of world’s health. Turkey, on the other hand, is the most suitable country that is reflecting the characteristic climate of Mediterranean region perfectly. Centuries over centuries, olive tree has evolved to have different varieties which all of those have different aroma and flavor in the oils extracted. However, all those oils have one thing in common which is the highest possible health benefits on earth that no other food can provide such.
Once the land where the olive tree will be grown is chosen, the second point is the location of the olive mill. There is a reason behind why the location of the olive mill matters so. Countless of wonders of olive fruit comes with some sensitive characteristics that needs attention. Olive fruit, right after harvested starts to spoil. Such spoilage mainly referred to be increasing with the exposure to light and air considering the harvest is made under the daylight. Therefore, the olive fruits’ transportation to the mill shall be very short. Therefore, the optimization of the location choice is vital in production of olive oil.
Once the fruits arrive to the olive mill that is near to olive ranch, same logic continues. The fruits shall enter to production very urgently in order not to lose any time. Remember that the fruit has already started spoiling! The sooner they enter the production, the better olive quality will be.
During the production, the malaxation process is vital. Especially the duration of this phase carries top importance. Since many years, it was believed that the malaxation was the phase of a physical interaction. However, recently it has been proved that not only physical but also biochemical interactions are occurring during this phase. The flavor and aroma of the oil is taking its shape during this period as well.
After the optimum malaxation process, the olive paste is taking to centrifugation where the oil and water will be separated. The performance of centrifugation machine will define the shelf life of the olive oil. Under normal circumstances, all the water mixed with olive oil shall be separated perfectly. If even a slight amount of water stays in the oil, the oil’s acidity levels, hence the spoilage level would be quite high.
If all the processes defined above are optimized properly, the oil extracted is expected to be high in quality. However, is it all? No. The temperature. There is another vital element that is directly affecting whole production and it is the temperature. It shall be maximum 27°C during the whole operation. This is vital to produce the highest quality of extra virgin olive oil.
Last but not the least, olive oil production requires passion. This is true. If the purpose of the olive oil produces is to create the purest olive oil, then the rest of the items are just factors written on paper. If the purpose is to extract as much oil as possible, then it is waste of time to wait the oil quality will be the finest.
