Olive oil extraction

Olive Oil Extraction

Ancient Roman olive press in Capernaum

Olive oil extraction is the process of separating the oil from the other fruit contents (vegetative extract liquid and solid material). It is a key step in the production of olive oil, which is a staple in the Mediterranean diet.

History

The extraction of olive oil has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations, such as the Romans and Greeks, developed various methods to extract oil from olives. These methods have evolved over time, but the basic principles remain the same.

Traditional olive press

Traditional Methods

Traditional methods of olive oil extraction involve the use of a press. The olives are crushed to produce a paste, which is then spread onto mats or disks. These mats are stacked and pressed to extract the oil.

Stone Mills

Stone mills, also known as "gethsemanes", were used in ancient times to crush the olives. The olives were placed in a circular stone basin and crushed by a large stone wheel.

Pressing

The paste obtained from the stone mills was spread onto fiber disks, known as "fiscoli".

Fiscoli used in traditional pressing

These disks were stacked and pressed to extract the oil. The pressure applied would separate the oil from the water and solid materials.

Modern Methods

Modern extraction methods have improved the efficiency and quality of olive oil production. These methods include the use of mechanical crushers and centrifuges.

Diagram of modern olive oil extraction process

Crushing

In modern extraction, olives are crushed using mechanical crushers. This process breaks down the cell walls and releases the oil.

Malaxation

The crushed olives are then subjected to malaxation, a process where the paste is slowly mixed to allow small oil droplets to combine into larger ones.

Centrifugation

After malaxation, the paste is spun in a centrifuge to separate the oil from the water and solids.

Decanter used in centrifugation

By-products

The extraction process produces several by-products, including olive pomace and vegetation water. These by-products can be used for various purposes, such as animal feed or fertilizer.

Related Pages

• Olive oil
• Mediterranean diet
• Gethsemane