How is olive oil made?
Olive oil has a fascinating history and is produced in various ways, from traditional artisanal methods to modern techniques. On this page, I'll take you through the process, from the past to the present, of how olive oil is made.
You'll discover how olive oil is traditionally pressed, just like my grandfather did, with a love for the craft and the simplicity of manual labor. I'll also show you how modern technology has transformed the production process – replacing traditional presses with innovative methods.
The famous "cold-pressed" olive oil is known worldwide for its unique flavor, health benefits, and versatility. But what makes the production process of high-quality extra virgin olive oil so special? It all begins in the olive groves, where careful harvesting and processing ensure an acidity of no more than 0.8%.
In this explanation, I'll focus on the best olive oil: extra virgin. I'll leave other types, such as refined or regular olive oil, out of the question. Step by step, I'll guide you through the craftsmanship and innovation that have made the Mediterranean countries so famous.
Picking and harvest
The production process of high-quality olive oil begins with the careful selection of olives. For the finest extra virgin olive oil, only healthy olives are harvested, often from organic orchards.
The timing of the harvest plays a crucial role in the quality and flavor of the oil. An early harvest, usually between October and November, produces olive oil with a more intense, fruity flavor and a high antioxidant content. This olive oil is beloved by gourmets for its complexity and health benefits.
Later in the season, from November to February, the olives are fully ripe. They develop a darker color and contain more oil, resulting in a milder flavor and a higher yield. Both harvest times have their own unique characteristics, but the choice depends on the desired end product.
Different olive varieties influence the flavor of olive oil. For example, the Arbequina olive, typical of Spain, produces a mild, fruity oil with a slightly nutty flavor, while the Picual olive, native to southern Spain, produces a more powerful and bitter oil with a higher antioxidant content. The Koroneiki olive, common in Greece, is renowned for its grassy flavor and strong aromatic qualities.
The traditional olive harvest
In earlier times, olive harvesting was primarily done by hand—a labor-intensive process that ensured the quality of the olives. This artisanal work, often performed by families and seasonal workers, was known as "hand-picking" and required considerable attention and dedication.
Hand harvesting offered significant advantages, such as minimizing damage to the olives. This was essential for producing high-quality olive oil with a refined flavor and low acidity.
Traditional harvesting techniques:
- Hand picking:
During manual harvesting, workers picked the olives directly from the branches using their hands or simple tools like rakes or combs. This method was ideal for ripe and delicate olives, as the risk of damage was low. This often occurred early in the morning, at low temperatures, to preserve the olives' flavor and quality. - Sticks for shaking branches:
This method involved using long sticks to lightly beat the branches, loosening ripe olives and allowing them to fall to the ground or into nets. While this process was faster than hand-picking, it could cause minor damage to both the olives and the tree. - Nets on the ground:
Nets were placed at the base of the trees to catch olives that fell naturally as they ripened. While this was less labor-intensive, it could affect quality because overripe olives lay on the ground longer, promoting fermentation. This method was often combined with hand-picking or stick-shaking to collect all the olives. - Selective harvest based on ripeness:
Much attention was paid to the right time of harvest. For high-quality olive oil, green, unripe olives were picked early in the season. These olives produce an intensely flavored oil with a high antioxidant content, but yields are low: approximately 10 kilograms of olives for 1 liter of oil. Riper, darker olives yielded more oil (about 5 kilograms per liter) and were used for other purposes.
10kg of olives are needed to make 1 liter of early-harvest green olive oil. 5kg of olives are needed to make 1 liter of mature black olive oil.
Traditional pressing of olive oil
After harvesting, the olives were taken to the press or traditional mill. Here, olive oil was produced in an artisanal way, without the modern technologies used today. The process was manual, laborious and consisted of a series of simple but effective steps.
Cold pressing involves crushing the olives without adding external heat, which helps preserve the aromas and nutrients (such as vitamin E and polyphenols). The process should not exceed 27°C to prevent the oil from oxidizing and changing its flavor. This is why extra virgin olive oil is prized for its superior quality, as the oil is extracted directly from the olive without heating.
1. Crushing the olives
The harvested olives were first washed and then crushed together with their stones. This was usually done with the help of large round stones – “millstones” – that were driven by people, animals such as donkeys, or later by windmills.
- The stones weighed hundreds of kilos and rotated in a circle over the olives, grinding them into a paste.
- The milling was done slowly to avoid overheating and to preserve the taste and quality of the oil.
2. Collecting the olive paste
The crushed olives formed a thick paste, which was transferred to round mats of woven fibers, such as hemp or coconut fiber.
- These mats were filled with olive paste and stacked in a pressing plant.
- The stacking already created some pressure, but the actual pressing followed in the next step.
3. Manual or mechanical pressing
A heavy press – often made of wood or metal – was used to apply pressure to the stack of mats.
- The press could operate via a lever or a screw mechanism.
- The pressure caused the sap, a mixture of oil and water, to seep out of the mats.
- The first drops of oil were the purest and were reserved for the highest quality, similar to what we now call extra virgin olive oil.
4. Separation of oil and water
The juice that came out of the press consisted of oil, water and other particles. This mixture was collected in a vessel to settle.
- Because oil is lighter than water, the olive oil floated to the surface.
- This top layer was carefully skimmed or poured off, a process known as “decantation.”
- Sometimes this was repeated several times to obtain the purest oil.
5. Filtration and storage
After separation, the oil was sometimes filtered through cloths to remove any last impurities.
- The purified oil was stored in earthenware jars, amphorae or metal containers.
- These storage methods protected the olive oil from air and light, which was essential to preserve its flavor and quality.
- The jars were stored in cool, dark places to extend their shelf life.
The modern olive harvesting process
Much has changed in the world of olive oil production since my grandfather picked and pressed olives by hand. Today, my family, including my uncle and cousins, harvest olives using modern techniques that are faster, more efficient and more sustainable than in the past.
This approach marks an important step forward in the process, where tradition and innovation come together to produce high-quality olive oil.
In modern olive harvesting, various advanced techniques and machinery are used to improve both the efficiency and quality of the harvest. These innovative methods have optimized the process so that olives can be harvested faster and with less damage to the trees.
Here is an overview of the most important modern harvesting techniques:
1. Mechanical Shakers
Mechanical shakers are designed to grip the trunk of the olive tree and shake the branches vigorously, causing the olives to fall into collecting nets.
- These machines significantly speed up harvesting and reduce labor intensity.
- They do not cause any damage to the olive trees, even if they are older and sturdier.
- Shakers are particularly useful in orchards with older trees that are difficult to harvest by hand.
2. Automatic Picking Machines
Automatic harvesters are mobile machines equipped with special grippers or vibrators. They move along the rows of olive trees, picking the olives directly from the branches and collecting them in collection bins.
- These machines are particularly efficient in orchards where the trees are regularly spaced.
- They are increasingly used in large olive groves, where they significantly reduce the harvest time.
- However, the Sierra de Segura, a mountainous area, is difficult to access for these machines, which is why picking is often still done by hand.
3. Nets and Vibrating Rakes
In steep or difficult to access orchards, vibrating rakes are often used. These rakes vibrate the olives loose from the branches, after which they fall onto nets placed under the trees.
- This method is ideal for areas where it is difficult to work with large machines.
- The use of nets ensures that the olives can be collected easily without being damaged.
- Vibrating the olives with the rakes is less intensive than other mechanical harvesting methods, making it a good option for difficult to reach orchards.
Modern olive oil production
Modern olive oil production uses advanced techniques that significantly improve both the quality and efficiency of the production process.
Below is an overview of the main steps used in the olive oil production process today:
1. Sorting and Cleaning
After harvesting, the olives are taken to the press or mill, where they are first thoroughly sorted and washed. This removes leaves, twigs, and other impurities, ensuring the olive oil remains pure. Removing unwanted materials prevents off-flavors from tainting the oil during the production process.
2. Grinding and Crushing
The olives are then ground into a paste. This is done in a modern mill, where both the flesh and the pits are crushed. Depending on the desired texture and flavor, this is done with stainless steel hammer mills or stone rollers. The grinding releases the oil and aromas, which influences the final flavor of the olive oil.
3. Mixing and Kneading (Malaxation)
The olive paste is then placed in a malaxator (mixing machine), where it is gently kneaded and stirred for 20 to 40 minutes. This process causes the small oil droplets to coalesce into larger droplets, which improves the extraction process. Mixing is done at a low temperature (cold pressing), typically not above 27°C (80°F), to minimize oxidation and preserve the oil's quality.
4. Centrifugation or Separation
After mixing, the paste is placed in a centrifuge, where the oil is separated from the solids and water. The high speed of the centrifuge pushes the light oil particles out, while the heavier water and solids remain in the center. This results in a first, pure olive oil extraction.
5. Filter and Refine
The olive oil that comes out of the centrifuge is often filtered to remove any remaining impurities. Some producers choose to leave the oil unfiltered for a more authentic, "cloudier" texture, but filtering helps extend shelf life and results in a clearer product. Due to our high quality standards, our olive oil is always filtered.
6. Storage in stainless steel tanks
The filtered oil is stored in stainless steel tanks, often under a nitrogen atmosphere. This prevents oxidation and protects the olive oil from light, air, and temperature fluctuations, ensuring optimal preservation of its flavor, color, and nutrients. The tanks are often kept in cool areas to further ensure quality. By creating ideal conditions, olive oil can be kept fresh for a long time before bottling.
7. Bottling and Packaging
When the olive oil is ready for sale, it is bottled in dark glass bottles or cans. The dark packaging protects the oil from harmful light and air. After bottling, the oil is labeled and packaged, after which it is ready to be delivered to the consumer.
Thanks to these modern processes, the quality of the extra virgin olive oil remains consistent, while its healthy properties and authentic taste are optimally preserved.
Olive pressing of the Saqura Extra virgin olive oil
A prime example of a modern olive oil press is the one where the exclusive Saqura extra virgin olive oil is produced. This high-tech press is located just outside the town of Arroyo de Ojanco in the beautiful Sierra de Segura. Here, my cousin, who works in technical services, ensures that the mechanical press runs smoothly during the harvest season.
The video below shows the complete process from olive to olive oil, step by step:
- Receiving the olives
- Cleaning the olives
- Grinding and crushing
- Mixing and kneading
- Centrifugation and separation
- Filter and refine
Watch the video and discover how modern techniques contribute to the quality of extra virgin olive oil like Saqura.
Want to try Saqura extra virgin olive oil for yourself? Order this exclusive olive oil here.
