Considerations

No matter the size of the processing operation, the basic principles are the same throughout

The layout of the line will dictate the logistical flow of the olives, oil and byproducts from the machinery.

Here are some scenarios for consideration:

For larger production lines, we are able to offer a layout diagram based on the machinery required. An example of a floor layout is as follows:

Which size machine should I consider?

Click the arrow in the top right corner to enter the spreadsheet

Power Requirements for an Olive Oil Extraction Machine

Have you assessed the power requirements of the olive oil machinery you are considering? Do you have single or three phase power?

The answers to these questions can be relatively straightforward or difficult and/or costly. Here we look to find a solution to power your machine.

Typically, we start with your Electrician or Energy Power provider. They should be able to ascertain the size of the transformer you have in relation to the power needed.

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Why are Centrifuge Decanters used for olive oil processing today instead of Olive Presses?

A new era of processing olive oil began in Australia with the first machine containing a stainless Centrifugal Decanter arriving in 1997, an important milestone for the Australian Olive Industry!

The machine which engineers had been trying to process for decades was now a reality to producing extra virgin olive oil in an efficient, hygienic and economical equipment.

This meant that any Olive Grower could now run the operations of olive harvesting, processing and bottling oil, with their own equipment or start a processing business to contract press other growers olive fruit.

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Processing Aids, should I use them?

So what are enzymes and what are they responsible for?

FACT: Enzymes are responsible for the softening of the olive during maturation.

FACT: Enzymes that are used in the extraction process are the same as in the fruit.

Industrial Enzymes have been used for fruit juice production for many years. As Olive Oil is the fruit juice of the olive the same basic principles could also be applied. The more enzymes that are activated during malaxing the faster and more efficient the malaxing process will be. Also, as the breakdown of the paste is more complete with the extra enzyme activity you will also find that the free oil can not only be seen quicker but there are heightened Organoleptic characteristics in the oil. Higher polyphenol levels also bring greater stability.

Once enzymes have carried out their job there are no traces found in the resultant oil. (The enzymes have a lipophobic character meaning they are not oil absorbing).

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ARTICLE: Why Every Grower Should Ask Their Olive Processor To Use Enzymes? Read Full Article on our Blog

OLIVE OIL EXTRACTION BY-PRODUCT USES WASTE CAKE

The olive cake is one of the by-products that is generated when processing olive oil. The physical composition of the olive is skin, pulp, the stonewall and the kernel. Through all of this physical matter is the water and oil which are mostly extracted from the olive during processing. After going through the extraction process about 35% of the fruit will be left as olive cake. In 1985 when it was estimated that olive cake production worldwide was nearly 3 million tonnes.

The most common use for olive cake is in heating. Because of the small amounts of olive oil still in the cake, when dried, it burns very well in fireplaces and heating furnaces. It is very common in the traditional press type oil factories to see people shovelling dry cake into furnaces to warm water for the oil extraction process. In addition to this, it keeps the room warm while they work through autumn into winter.

The olive cake is generally pressed into briquettes for commercial sale for fireplaces or is left in its ‘mat-like’ state for furnace heating inside the factory.

This article cannot go into all details on the various types of olive cake and feed preparation methods, however, it does give evidence that research has been and is being done into the cake’s possible uses.

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4 FACTORS that will set up for next harvest

Marcelo Berlanda and I were talking about the need for proper implementation of key areas of grove management. It must be stressed that if any of these areas are lacking then production in your grove can be greatly affected, even to the extent of non-production of a commercial grove.

In reflection, this is the time of the year when you have just completed harvest and now is the time to prepare a management plan for the grove.

Let’s go into detail together and work out why you need a Grove Management Plan and what you need to do!

THE GROVE MANAGEMENT PLAN

A Grove Management Plan must take into account the following key areas:

1. Irrigation
2. Nutrition
3. Pruning
4. Pest and Disease control

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If you have questions, please contact our office on 07 4696 9845 or email sales@theolivecentre.com.au