Olive Lexicon
The olive is one of the world's oldest cultivated plants and has shaped the landscapes and traditions of the Mediterranean for thousands of years. But what makes an exceptional extra virgin olive oil? Which olive varieties exist, how does an olive tree grow, and how can you recognise outstanding quality?
Our Olive Encyclopedia offers valuable insights, fascinating background information and practical knowledge about olives, olive oil and olive trees – clearly explained and continuously expanded.
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Mechanical production
MECHANICAL PRODUCTION
Modern olive oil production almost always involves:
- Mills
- Centrifuges
- Presses
All of these are considered mechanical and are permitted for ‘extra virgin’ olive oil, as long as:
- No solvents are used
- No refining takes place
- Temperature limits are observed
- The term ‘up to 27 °C’
- ‘Cold-pressed’ may only be used if the oil was actually pressed below 27 °C.
- ‘Cold extraction’: also below 27 °C, but in continuous systems.
- For ‘extra virgin olive oil’, it is not mandatory to state ‘cold-pressed’ on the label – the quality criteria are decisive.
Mesocarp
The fleshy pulp (oily) of the olive is called the mesocarp.