Historical Notes

The Olive Tree (Olea Europea) is one of the most important plants in the Mediterranean basin.
It is an evergreen plant which grows in temperate climates and adapts easily to rocky soil. The Olive tree enjoys long life. Some plants are known to be over 2.000 years old.

Symbolics

Jupiter chose the olive tree as a divine gift, placing a branch in Minerva's hands. It's for this reason that Mythology attributes the creation of the first tree to Minerva. From ancient times olive oil was used for various purposes: athletes used it to massage their muscles to make them more supple; women used it to keep their skin looking young; it was thought to be a strengthening tonic which helped prevent baldness; and, with the addition of wine and spices it was used for cosmetic oils have been found which date back to the second millennium B.C.

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Agronomical notes

The olive tree grows best in calcareous, hilly terrains, in temperate climates. It is a plants with few pretences. Its most dangerous enemy is the cold. If the temperature falls to 5 or 6 degrees below zero the roots of the tree risk irreparable damage which could even kill the entire tree. This is a grave loss especially when considering that an olive tree bears fruit only after five or six years of being planted.

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Harvesting and processing

Harvest time usual starts around the beginning of November, in tends to be early, when the olives are richer in antioxidizers. There are many systems of harvesting: from picking the olives by hands (in Tuscany) to beating the olives down, or in Calabria and Puglia with the use of mechanical shakers. In some areas large nets are placed under the olive trees to catch the olives as they fall naturally from their branches and are then easily gathered. The establishment where the olives are processed is called an OIL-Mill.

Oil-Mill

The olives harvested daily are brought here immediately. First they are washed. During this process foreign bodies such as leaves, sand, pebbles etc. are removed. Next the olives are squeezed. This process is done by a mill-stone. This is a large round granite slab over which two large stone wheels are rotated, producing a squeezing action and crushing the olives into a paste.

The last phase is the cold pressing when the paste is placed on special discs made of coconut fibres with holes in the center. After these discs are piled up, they are placed under a press which is regulated at Max 250 ATM.

The fluid which emerges from the sides of the discs is called crude virgin olive oil. This crude virgin olive oil is centrifuged and filtered to eliminate residual liquid before it is put into storage.

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The Mediterranean diet

Finding by Professor Keys of the University of Minnesota and recently by Professor Scott Grundy have confirmed the nutritional importance of virgin olive oil which had already been established centuries ago by the Mediterranean people who used it.

In fact, through his research, Professor Keys was able to establish without a shadow of a doubt the preventative qualities of olive oil in relation to cardiac and circulatory aliments as well as certain forms of tumours.

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Other possible uses of olive oil

The medical and curative qualities of olive oil are not limited to those described above. Olive oil is used, with excellent results, in the care of muscle pain, hepatic deficiencies and ulcers. The cosmetic use of olive oil is also wide-spread, as a base for balsams, shampoos and beauty creams.

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CLASSIFICATION AND BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS

Virgin olive oil

Obtained by cold pressing is classified according to the percentage of acidic oil content and other chemical characteristics (EEC Regulation / 6 September 1991) as follows:

• Extra virgin oil : maximum acidity of 1%
• Virgin oil: maximum acidity of 2%

Olive oil

Is an oil composed of a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil; its acidity should not exceed 1,5%.

Oils with acidity exceeding 3,3% are defined as lighting oils due to their organic faults. These oils are subjected to a refining process before they are ready for consumption, consisting of deacidification and distillation which eliminate the distinctly negative aroma.

The composition of virgin olive oil is more or less optimal for nutritional needs. It is rich in monounsaturated (oleic acid 70-80%) easily absorbed; it plays a fundamental role in the development of the central nervous system of new born in particular, the composition of the fats in virgin olive oil is similar to that of mother's milk. It is rich in vitamins (A, B, B12, C, K, E) and it is perfect for cooking since it keeps this composition even at high temperatures.

The nutritional superiority of virgin olive oil derives from the presence of minor components (polyphenols and tocopherols) and of aromatic components, , that protect the oil from oxidation and, moreover, give it a distinctive taste and flavour.

Other important elements are the sterols, especially Betasitosterol which inhibits the absorption of cholesterol.

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