The olive tree is an ancient tree that dates back to 1200 BC in ancient Greece. According to Greek mythology, it was born as a result of a fight between the goddess of wisdom “Athena” and the god of waters “Poseidon”.
If we enter the wonderful world of EVOO, we will experience the organoleptic perception by activating our senses such as smell and taste. We all know that olive oil is a fundamental part of our gastronomic heritage, and a reference point in the Mediterranean Diet, but it is also a very important ingredient in our diet:
Have you ever wondered how Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made?
In recent years, the Extra Virgin Olive Oil extraction industry has undergone a technological revolution that has allowed it to adapt to the new times, with new techniques and machinery.
The quality of olive oil derives from the fact that it is a fruit juice that can be consumed directly, unlike any other type of vegetable oil. Extra virgin olive oil is not to be drunk but eaten!
One of the most important characteristics of the harvesting of the olives used to produce QUEO extra virgin olive oil is that it is carried out in the early hours of the day and the fact of guaranteeing that no more than 4 hours elapse between harvesting and milling.
We want to contribute to the knowledge of the good Extra Virgin Olive Oil, our EVOO, these are the most relevant steps of its process.
Step 1: Olive harvesting process
The olive tree is the first link in the production process and will define the quantity and quality of the oil produced.
It can be carried out in different ways, but currently in Spain the most commonly used systems are the thinning and mechanical vibration of branches and trunks. At Queo Porcuna we use vibrators with umbrellas to be more agile, avoid steps and take care of the fruit even more.
Step 2: Receiving and milling
Once in the mill, the branches and leaves are removed from the olives, usually by blowing air. The olives are then washed with water before being weighed.
Finally, the fruit is ground or crushed. It should be milled the same day it is harvested to avoid fermentation and oxidation and to preserve all its organoleptic properties.
Step 3: Olive crushing process
In the past, millstones were used to carry out this process, nowadays this process can be carried out with a hammer or blade crusher, the objective is to break the vegetable tissues and release the oil to obtain a homogeneous paste.
Subsequently, this paste goes to the churning phase, so that the oil is separated from the rest of the oil (pulp, stone, skin and water) normally at this stage temperature is applied to help the process, in our case at room temperature, which we can say that it is called as cold extraction.
Step 4: Centrifugation
To extract the olive juice, strong mechanical pressure must be exerted on the already beaten paste.
In this system there is always a separation of three phases in the decanter: solid, liquid oil, and liquid alpechín.
Step 5: Olive oil quality control
The decanted oil is passed to tanks called pre-cellars where it is stored for 24-48 hours and the remaining impurities that may remain in the oil are filtered out. This is the difference between filtered and unfiltered olive oil. After this process the oil passes to the storage tanks, differentiating the qualities.
It is at this point that qualified personnel must perform sampling to evaluate the quality and perform the initial classification of the oil batch. This assessment is usually made on the basis of acidity content and organoleptic characteristics.
Step 6: Bottling of olive oil
The types and formats of containers vary according to the category of oil to be packaged. For the higher categories, containers must be non-deformable, impermeable to oil and gases, resistant and add value to the contents.
In short, the quality of a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil will depend on the good condition of the fruits, a careful and careful process of elaboration, a correct classification of the oil and an adequate storage and conservation.
That is our purpose at QUEO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to offer the best quality to the consumer, directly from the field to the table.
