How olive oil is made

How olive oil is made

Olive oil is still made today using traditional techniques. It is not a difficult process but care has to be taken at key stages.

The first stage is harvesting. The younger olives are picked by hand, the older by sticks, rakes or machines, between September and December. Before crushing, they are washed to remove any remaining impurities. They are then crushed, within thirty-six hours of picking. The olive paste is then pressurized, using a screw or hydraulic press. The resulting liquid contains water and oil which are separated by a centrifugal separator. Any remaining water and impurities are eliminated by the rapid spinning. After centrifugation, the amber olive oil is ready to be bottled. Superior oils have an opaque quality.

The process of making olive oil, as you can see, is thus not a very difficult one. It is important, however, to take care at key points in the process, such as the harvesting of the young olives.

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