Extra virgin olive oil is the result of processing olives for oil production, a series of stages that transform olives into this delicious, nutrient-rich product, known as green gold. Let’s take a closer look at the various stages of olive processing.

Harvesting the olives

It may seem like a simple step, but the first stage is harvesting the olives, which usually takes place between October, November, and December. To get a good extra virgin olive oil, the olives must be allowed to ripen properly, meaning they must turn from green to purple and finally to black, in order to achieve the right level of acidity and preserve all the organoleptic qualities that define it.

Harvesting can be done in two ways: by hand or mechanically.

Hand-picking is the more labor-intensive method, but it allows the olives to be harvested without damaging the tree, and is typically used in areas that are difficult to reach with machinery, or where the trees are shorter.

Mechanical harvesting is done using shakers, which, much like traditional beating, shake the tree to make the olives fall. Care must be taken not to damage the tree in the process.

Once harvested, the olives are placed in crates and transported to the oil mill.

Processing the olives: washing

Once they arrive at the mill, the olives are weighed and fed into a kind of funnel, called a loading hopper, which carries them onto a conveyor belt and then to the defoliator, which removes any remaining leaves. After this, the olives are washed to remove any impurities. Once every trace of soil, twigs, and other debris has been removed, the olives are ready for the next stage: crushing.

Crushing the olives

Crushing is the stage used to obtain a thick, strongly scented paste, made from the pulp, skin, and pits of the olives. This stage is carried out using mechanical discs that crush and knead the olives, and it’s a very delicate step, since overheating the paste must be avoided, or it will oxidize.

Crushing can be done using two methods: continuous cycle or batch cycle.

The continuous cycle method is used in modern oil mills and involves large metal discs rotating over the olives, crushing them and forming the paste. This method produces a homogeneous paste quickly, preventing oxidation.

The batch cycle method is used in traditional oil mills and involves large stone millstones.

Once the paste is obtained, it moves on to the next stage: malaxation.

The malaxation stage

The most important and delicate stage of the entire oil production process is undoubtedly malaxation, the stage in which the oil droplets are separated from the water droplets. The malaxation stage, which involves slowly mixing and gently heating the paste to a temperature not exceeding 27/28°C, must last no longer than 30 minutes and takes place inside sealed, airtight tanks to prevent the oil from oxidizing and to obtain a product with low acidity.

Pressing the olives

The final stage before obtaining the oil is pressing. This step separates the various components of the olive paste: the oily must, the vegetation water, and the pomace. Pressing can be done either warm or cold.

To separate the three components, either a centrifuge or a filter is used. In the first case, the olive paste is spun at very high speed in a centrifuge, and the three components separate due to their different specific weights.

When filters are used for pressing, the paste is passed through small holes, called “fiscoli” (traditional mats), which allow only the oily must to pass through while retaining the pomace.

The oil obtained this way has a cloudy appearance, but it’s perfectly edible. To get a clearer product, any air bubbles and water present must be removed, which is done by passing the oil through a decanter. This step allows any residue in the oil to settle at the bottom of the container, after which the oil can be bottled. The extra virgin olive oil is now ready to be brought to market and reach our tables.