Olive Oil 101 - An Italian Education

 An invitation from our Italian friends to tour an Olive Oil Processing plant was an opportunity not to be missed!! It was interesting and very educational. 

Olives are harvested from October through December by placing large nets on the ground below the tree and reaching up with vibrating rakes to shake the branches which makes the olives fall into the nets.

Italy is the world's second largest producer of olives. 

Independent olive growers from the area can bring their harvest to this processing plant and take home the oil from their own home-grown olives. First the olives are washed and separated from the stems and leaves.

Then the clean olives bounce their way into the plant...

....and through the grinder until the oil is extruded...

,,,into a large tank for a final clarifying. The acidity level of the oil determines its grade: Extra Virgin oil comes from same-day harvest with an acidity of less than 0.8%. Virgin olive oil is between 0.08 and 2%. The lowest quality is called lampante olive oil which is not edible but can be used as fuel in oil lamps and has an acidity level of higher than 2%.  

Then into the container it goes, ready for transport to kitchens around the world!! Another thing we learned is that the shelf life of olive oil is about 18 months IF it is kept away from its enemies which are....air and light. The experts say that the best place to store olive oil is under the kitchen sink. 

The remnants of the olive is not wasted. The mash is separated and the broken seeds of the olives are dried and packaged as wood stove pellets/fuel. The wet stuff (which looks like brown manure - but is not stinky) is sent to be recycled into bio fuel. You are now graduates of a course on Olive Oil 101! Boun appetito!!