Olive trees are native to hot climates
especially the Mediterranean regions of Spain, Italy and
Greece, which are the leading olive producers.
Olives
are composed of: Oil - The oil content of the olive
fruit is between 20-25% Water - One of the main
constituents of the olive fruit, accounting for about 70% of
its weight. A high oil content in a fruit implies low water
content Sugars - The main sugars in the pulp are
glucose and fructose. A decrease in the sugar content of an
olive is related to an increase in the oil
content Proteins - The olive fruit pulp contains
between 1.5 - 3.0% protein. Anthocyanins - These are
responsible for the colour of the olives. Oleuropein
- This is responsible for the taste of the olives. As the
fruit ripens, the amount of oleuropein diminishes. Therefore
ripe olives are not as bitter as unripe ones
The most
appropriate stage for harvesting olives destined for oil
extraction is when the fruit reaches optimum maturity. Oil
content and quality of the fruit are at the highest level at
the green/yellow or black/purple stage. Since the fruit does
not mature evenly in the same trees, harvesting should take
place when the majority of the fruits are at optimum
maturity.
