Olive oil from traditional olive mill

The production process for the production of extra virgin olive oil in our traditional mill, which has completed over 140 years of continuous operation, guarantees the best quality product and in particular:

1. The harvest done the period during which the fruit is in a normal maturation.

2.The olives are not stowed in the warehouse of the manufacturer or mill, because the collection amount of olives is controlled so that the amounts collected daily to match the processing capacity at the mill. The time from harvest until the extraction is less than 24 hours.

3. The olive fruit purified from leaves washed and placed in perforated bins as soon as come to the mill. In this way the gaps which created between the fruit of the olive allow airflow so that prevent from warming and create fermentations. Meantime , in the time leading up to the processing of olives, the water is removed (drainage and evaporation) and not mixed with the fruit so to disperse the phenolic compounds contained in the olive oil so that retain the most benefits substances.

4. The grinding of olive done with the traditional millstones avoiding any sudden and violent treatment of the wrist, with negative effects on the quality of olive oil. The grinding is strictly cold (temperature <18th C).

5. All quantities of oil that remain in the mill at the end of the season, stored in stainless steel tanks and underground to avoid the effect of temperature humidity and light and standardized in proper containers after the order of consumer.

 

The process, that follow a traditional mill, charge the product more because of the greater number of staff employed (5 people instead of 2 units of modern centrifuges) and less capacity per hour (just 1,500 kg instead of 3000-8000 kg of the respective modern centrifugal units).

The fact that little now preserved traditional mills in Italy, located in Tuscan, which undoubtedly produced the best quality agricultural products in Italy, is perhaps the most good evidence of the qualitative superiority of the oil produced by the traditional method.

 

 

What should consumers know

Olive oil is the main added lipid in the Mediterranean diet. As a natural food product contains substances that are altered by the influence of external factors.

Such substances contained in olive oil are:

• vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
• carotenoids (eg beta-carotene) found in greater proportion in green olives
• phenols dependent on climatic conditions, production, storage and ripeness of the olives and divided into simple (eg hydroxytyrosol), which prevent the accumulation of platelets thus have anti-inflammatory effect and compound phenols (p . alefropeini example) that help in the formation of nitric acid a potent vasodilator which has antibacterial action, ferulic and caffeic acid.

The beneficial effect of olive oil in the operating system of the human body is similar, primarily by the percentage content of these substances.

Indicative content of such substances in olive oil is the external appearance and in particular the yellow color of the opaque appearance and a velvety texture, ie all those features that the oil when at all stages of production have been the correct procedures.

When the temperature, either during the manufacturing process or during storage, even when the oil is packaged, surpassed 20 ° C – 22 ° C, most of the benefit components of decay. The oil changes appearance and becomes transparent. When this happens while the oil is put at the bottom of the pack precipitate dark color digest components.This in no way an indication that the oil contained in the original packaging was defective. Olive oils in the package do not precipitate or packaged after enough years of their production (4-9 months) have been mechanical or chemical cleaning (filtering or refining).

But if the packaged product is created with yellow-green precipitate gradually tint (similar to that of fresh oil), then the sediment is likely to margarines are created either on a wrist olive due to weather conditions or due to the use of high temperatures during the process of treating the olives to the mill.

Other factors that accelerate the decay of these important components of the oil is light,humidity and contact with air.

What  consumers should do

1. To store large quantities of oil in appropriately dark, glass bottles, demijohns or stainless steel containers which can be closed tightly.

2. Avoid cans 17lt (galvanized) possibly be oxidized internally. This packaging ensures the impermeability to light, but poses risks in terms of oxidation, particularly if the storage is done in places with high humidity. (Although it is unusual to oxidize the same container, due to a defect in the inner layer, if this happens destroys the oil giving it high acidity and impairing its taste, though without necessarily perceived by the consumer). Also avoid PVC containers since releasing resins and dioxins if left exposed to temperature and light.

3. To keep the oil in a dark, non-wet and cool (10-18 ° C), with no strong smells.

4. To purchase the entire quantity of the product expecting to consume during a year, if they have the capability to  store correctly.