[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”7px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”8px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ header_2_font_size=”22px” header_3_font_size=”14px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
If you are as curious as we are, it is very likely that you would like to know how the oil<\/strong> is produced in an oil mill<\/strong>. So throughout this article, you are going to find out. <\/p>\n The extra virgin olive oil<\/strong><\/a> is a product appreciated for its flavor and quality<\/strong>, whose production<\/strong> process in an olive mill follows a series of meticulous steps<\/strong>. From the harvesting of the olives to their storage and packaging, each stage influences the final quality of the product. <\/p>\n And gastronomy lovers, in addition to the pleasure of eating, we love to know where to find to know where, and how<\/strong><\/a>and how delicacies such as olive oil are produced. It is incredible that from a small fruit this liquid gold is obtained, which has managed to be adored internationally. We are going to tell you briefly but with as much detail as possible, to bring you even closer to this wonderful product that nature gives us. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/almazaraartal.com\/tienda\/” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Comprar Aceite de Oliva de nuestra almazara” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#a0b670″ button_border_color=”#a0b670″ custom_margin=”49px||60px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ header_2_font_size=”17px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Let’s see how extra virgin olive oil is produced<\/strong>. But first, a little history. <\/p>\n It is believed to have originated more than 6,000 years<\/strong> ago in the eastern Mediterranean region, where wild olive trees were cultivated. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans valued it in cooking as well as in religious and medicinal rituals. <\/p>\n During the Middle Ages, olive oil became an important commercial product throughout Europe. Cultivation and production techniques improved, and specialized mills were established to press and extract the oil from the olives. Spain, Italy and Greece became the main producers. <\/p>\n In modern times, olive oil has maintained its status as an essential culinary ingredient and a symbol of the Mediterranean diet<\/strong>. Worldwide demand is growing steadily, and varieties such as extra virgin olive oil have become hallmarks of quality and authenticity. <\/p>\n Today, olive oil production is a global industry, with innovative cultivation and production methods. innovative cultivation and production methods<\/strong><\/a> that guarantee the quality, organoleptic qualities and freshness of the product.<\/p>\n And now we tell you how this soft, delicate and aromatic liquid gold is produced<\/strong>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/almazaraartal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/proceso-de-elaboracion-del-aceite-en-una-almazara-02.jpg” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” alt=”Oil production process in an olive oil mill” title_text=”Proceso de elaboraci\u00f3n del aceite en una almazara” align=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ header_2_font_size=”17px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ custom_css_free_form=”h2{|| font-size:40px !important;|| color: #415544 !important;|| text-transform:inherit !important;|| line-height:2em !important;||}||h3{|| font-size:24px !important;||}” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Harvesting usually occurs between October and January<\/strong>, when the olives are ripe and ready to be harvested. This process is carried out manually or mechanically<\/strong>, depending on the scale and location of the plantation. <\/p>\n In manual harvesting<\/strong>, olives are picked by hand, using special rods or combs to detach the fruit from the trees. This method is preferred in steep terrain or small-scale plantations<\/strong> where machinery access is not possible. <\/p>\n On the other hand, mechanical harvesting<\/strong> is carried out with harvesting machines that shake the trees, making the olives fall into nets placed on the ground. This method is more efficient in terms of time and cost<\/strong>, especially in large plantations. <\/p>\n Once harvested, the olives are quickly transported to the mill to avoid fermentation and loss of quality<\/strong>. There, they undergo a cleaning and sorting process to eliminate leaves, branches and other impurities before the next stage of production. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once harvested, the olives are transported quickly to the mill to avoid fermentation and loss of quality.<\/p>\n Specialized machinery<\/strong> is often used to load and transport large quantities of olives efficiently<\/strong>. These vehicles are designed to minimize transfer time and maintain the quality of the olives during the process. <\/p>\n It is essential that transport is carried out quickly and safely<\/strong>, avoiding long storage periods that could affect the quality of the fruit and, therefore, of the oil produced. For this reason, olive mills are usually located in areas close to olive plantations, which facilitates quick transport and minimizes logistic costs. <\/p>\n Once there, they are ready for the next stage of the olive oil production process.<\/p>\n The olives that have just arrived at the mill undergo a rigorous procedure to guarantee their quality and eliminate impurities<\/strong>. First, they undergo a superficial cleaning to eliminate leaves, branches and other residues that may have adhered during harvesting and transport. <\/p>\n The olives are then sorted according to their degree of ripeness, size and quality<\/strong>. This process is carried out manually or with specialized machinery that uses different sorting methods, such as sieves or vibration systems, to separate the olives by category. <\/p>\n Sorting is crucial for obtaining high quality olive oil, as it allows the best olives to be selected for further processing. Inferior quality olives or those with defects are discarded or destined for other purposes, such as the production of lower quality oil or the production of table olives. <\/p>\n The cleaned and sorted olives pass through a series of specialized machines that crush them into a homogeneous paste.<\/strong> This step is traditionally carried out in stone mills or in modern hammer mills or metal discs. <\/p>\n Milling is a key process<\/strong>, as it breaks the cells of the olives and releases the oil contained inside. Once the olive paste is obtained, the olives are beaten, which consists of shaking the paste to facilitate the separation of the olive oil from the solids (pulp, skin and stone).<\/em> <\/p>\n Whipping is carried out in horizontal or vertical mixers<\/strong>, which agitate the paste at a controlled speed for a given period of time. This process allows the oil droplets to separate from the solid phase and group together to form an emulsion. <\/p>\n The temperature during whisking is critical as it affects the quality and yield of the olive oil. It must be carefully controlled to avoid overheating and degrading the oil. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/almazaraartal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/proceso-de-elaboracion-del-aceite-en-una-almazara-03.jpg” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” alt=”Oil production process in an olive oil mill” title_text=”Proceso de elaboraci\u00f3n del aceite en una almazara” align=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ header_2_font_size=”17px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ custom_css_free_form=”h2{|| font-size:40px !important;|| color: #415544 !important;|| text-transform:inherit !important;|| line-height:2em !important;||}||h3{|| font-size:24px !important;||}” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The olive paste obtained in the previous stage is subjected to a centrifugation process to separate the olive oil from the remaining solids and liquids<\/strong>. This process is carried out in a series of centrifuges that apply centrifugal forces to separate the components of the olive paste. <\/p>\n First, the paste is pumped to the horizontal centrifuges, where the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO<\/strong> ) is separated. (EVOO)<\/strong><\/em><\/a> from the alpech\u00edn, pulp residues and other solids. During centrifugation, the oil, having a lower density, tends to settle at the top, while the denser solids settle to the bottom. <\/p>\n The extra virgin olive oil<\/strong><\/a> resulting from this primary centrifugation is collected and pumped to a second vertical centrifuge, known as a decanter, where a finer separation is performed and any remaining impurities are removed. This vertical centrifuge allows obtaining an extra virgin olive oil of high quality and purity. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once extracted, the olive oil goes through the storage and packaging process at the mill<\/strong>, where its conservation is guaranteed and it is prepared for distribution to the market.<\/p>\n First of all, the extra virgin olive oil<\/strong><\/a> is stored in stainless steel tanks specially designed to preserve its quality<\/strong>. These tanks are hermetically sealed and protected from light, air and temperature variations to prevent oxidation and deterioration of the oil. <\/p>\n During storage, the olive oil undergoes an additional decanting and clarification process to remove any sediment or impurities that may have remained in the liquid<\/strong>. This ensures that the oil maintains its characteristic purity and transparency. <\/p>\n Once the olive oil has gone through the decanting and clarification process, it is bottled. The oil is bottled in glass, plastic or metal containers<\/strong>, depending on the producer’s preferences and market requirements. It is properly labeled with information on its variety, origin, date of bottling and other relevant data. <\/p>\n Finally, the packaged olive oil containers are stored under controlled temperature and humidity conditions until they are ready for distribution and sale. for distribution and sale.<\/strong><\/a>. This storage and packaging process ensures that the olive oil maintains its exceptional freshness, flavor and quality until it reaches the final consumer. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#415544″ header_2_font_size=”17px” background_enable_color=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”3em|3em|3em|3em|true|true” hover_enabled=”0″ border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#415544″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nHow extra virgin olive oil is produced<\/h2>\n
Olive harvesting<\/h2>\n
Transportation to the mill<\/h2>\n
Cleaning and Sorting<\/h2>\n
Grinding and Blending<\/h2>\n
Oil Extraction<\/h2>\n
Storage and Packaging<\/h2>\n