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Olive Oil and Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where there is a disturbance in the way the body uses food that has been digested for growth and energy.

Type 1 diabetes is to do with auto-immunity and very little can be done to prevent it. However the more common Type 2 diabetes is related to age, family history of diabetes, obesity, and a lack of exercise and much can be done to prevent and manage it.

Without proper care and attention, diabetes can affect all parts of the body and can lead to stroke, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, blindness, foot problems and neuropathy .

 Much research has been done on the link between diet and diabetes . Findings have shown that the Mediterranean diet can be helpful to patients with a new diabetes diagnosis or those who are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The Harvard School of Public Health, Olways and the European Office of the World Health Organisation found that those living in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Southern Italy have lower rates of diabetes and heart disease compared to countries like the USA and India.

They also identified that the main components to a Mediterranean diet include:

• Seasonal fresh and locally grown fruits and vegetables. These maximize antioxidant content of these foods.

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grain cereals, potatoes, millets, and seeds.

• Olive oil is the main oil used and replaces other fats including butter and margarine.

• Daily consumption of small amounts of cheese and yogurt.

• Low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry eaten twice a week and only 340-450 gm of red meat per month.

• 1-2 glasses of wine per day, normally with meals, but this is optional.


Green Olives and Type 2 Diabetes

Gotta Love Olives for Their Nutritional Benefits

Growing up, my brother and I used to embarrass my mother greatly whenever we would go to a restaurant that had a salad bar. We’d both go through the line and return with a plate full of some greens, some carrots and tomatoes, some celery, and LOTS of olives. Mom would just roll her eyes at both of us, but we’d both finish our plates.


It turns out that my brother and I were ahead of our time in embracing a health food. The George Mateljan Foundation, which is a non-profit foundation with no commercial interests or advertising, reported the benefits as:
Olives have many health-protective nutrients. “The overall conclusion from these studies is exciting for anyone who loves olives of all varieties,” the foundation reported. “Greek-style black olives, Spanish-style green olives, Kalamata-style olives, and may different methods of olive preparation provide us with valuable amounts of many different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients.
One olive phytonutrient, hydroxytyrosol, has been linked to both the prevention of cancer and of bone loss. “These findings are fascinating, since consumption of a Mediterranean Diet has long been associated with decreased risk of osteoporosis, and olives often find themselves on center stage in Mediterranean Diet studies,” the foundation explained.
Olives and olive leaves have been used to treat inflammatory problems because they function as anti-histamines at a cellular level.

In addition, the foundation noted that one cup of olives provides 25% of a person’s RDA of iron, 20% of vitamin E, and more than 15% of dietary fiber and copper. According to the foundation, one cup of olives has slightly more than 150 calories.

Many people worry about olives because they are considered high-fat; however, most of that fat is oleic acid, which is a mono unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) while the rest is smaller amounts of linoleic acid (which is an essential fatty acid) and alpha-linoleic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid). In other words, you're eating the good type of fat that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as decreases in blood cholesterol, including LDL cholesterol (the lousy cholesterol that's bad for you).


Much of this is not surprising considering that olive oil continues to receive positive accolades. A recent article by NPR reporter Scott Hensley described a French study that suggested that olive oil could help reduce the stroke risk in the elderly. The study, which included 7,000 participants who were 65 years and older, analyzed how much olive oil was consumed by participants and their rate of strokes. The researchers found that after adjusting the data for other risk factors, study participants who used a lot of olive oil had a 41% lower risk of stroke than those who didn’t use this oil; however, NPR also noted that only 148 strokes were recorded during the five years of the study. "A lot of olive oil" was defined as using olive oil for both cooking and dressing. People who used olive oil only for cooking or for dressing were considered having moderate use. If people didn’t use olive oil for either purpose, they were classified as none.

Still, you need to be careful about the amount of olive oil that you use. Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic warned, “...even healthier fats like olive oil are high in calories, so use them only in moderation. Choose MUFA-rich foods such as olive oil instead of other fatty foods — particularly butter and stick margarine — not in addition to them. And remember that you can't make unhealthy foods healthier simply by adding olive oil to them.”

Olive oil also has a limited shelf life since the healthy phytonutrients and the taste can degrade over time. Therefore, it’s recommended that you use the olive oil within a year of when you open it. Also, be aware that heat, light and air may also affect the taste and nutrients so you want to store olive oil in a dark, room-temperature cupboard or the refrigerator.

You don’t have to go overboard like my brother and I did in eating gobs of olives when we could (but then, we just liked them and weren’t aware of the health benefits). Just know olives provide good fats that can, in moderation, be really beneficial to your health.

Olive oil Attacks a Root Cause of Diabetes

f you are a diabetic, you know that controlling blood sugar has a huge impact on how you feel. Did you also know that controlling inflammation has a huge impact on how you heal? That’s right, stabilizing blood sugar and lowering inflammation over the long term are two of the most critical things you can do to recover from diabetes. Lucky for us, extra virgin olive oil does both.

1. Olive oil rolls back blood sugar levels. A 2006 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine put 772 people on either a low-fat diet, a Mediterranean diet emphasizing extra virgin olive oil, or a Mediterranean diet emphasizing nuts. Those on the olive oil and nut diets had significantly lower blood sugar levels than those on the low-fat diet.

2. Olive oil tames inflammation, one of the root causes of diabetes. Researchers now believe that systemic inflammation is a primary cause of diabetes. In part, that’s because inflammation destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. So getting inflammation under control is essential for healing this disease. The study mentioned above found that the olive oil diet put the brakes on C-reactive protein, an indicator of systemic inflammation.

3. A peppery finish means anti-inflammatory power. This is how we learned that olive oil’s “ zing” is a good thing. One day a scientist visiting Sicily got a taste of fresh-pressed olive oil. He noticed a peppery, ticklish sensation at the back of his throat. That surprised him, because it was nearly identical to the “sting” of liquid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) he’d worked with in previous clinical trials. It made him wonder if olive oil’s peppery nutrient was also an anti-inflammatory.

The researcher learned that “the zing” was caused by oleocanthal. And indeed, it blocked inflammatory enzymes in the body. His team discovered that 50 milliliters of olive oil (about 3 1/2 Tbsp.) has the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving power of a 200-mg tablet of ibuprofen. Even better: it has zero side effects. This research was published in the prestigious science magazine Nature.

3. Olive oil helps reduce weight. If you worry that olive oil in your diet might cause you to gain weight, you can relax. Olive oil is one of the fats that helps you lose weight because it boosts your metabolism (making you burn fat) and it helps you feel full (making it easier to put down your fork). That’s important, because less weight means less risk of diabetes.

Even though this seems to contradict everything we’ve ever learned about fat making us fat, studies shows it works. For example, Harvard research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. compared the waistline measurements of a group who consumed moderate amounts of olive oil to those on a low-fat diet. Those who enjoyed olive oil lost 9 pounds and trimmed 3 inches from their waistlines while the low-fat group gained 6 pounds and added 1 inch.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) has the most “medicine”. Freshly pressed, extra virgin oils are by far the most medicinal. The oleocanthal is strongest just after the olives are pressed, and then fades down to nothing after a year. And you simply can’t beat the flavor of fresh olive oils. They don’t have that “dead” oily feel, but instead they are light, and sometimes buttery or “grassy” with undertones of wood or fruit, like a fine wine. That makes them much easier to get down the hatch! Pour olive oil on salads, steamed vegetables or stir-fries after the cooking is done, put it in dips, or take it by the spoonful.

Olive Oil and Beauty

Sales of skin and hair care products in the U.S. are a multi-billion dollar business and growing. Many of the latest “miracle in a jar” options are marketed as high-end, but costly, solutions to everyday challenges: how

to keep skin moisturized, hair healthy, and facial skin free of wrinkles. Some of the most popular products, promoted as “natural” solutions, even incorporate olive oil as a key ingredient in their formulas.

But what many consumers don’t realize is something that people living millennia ago in ancient Greece took for granted; that extra virgin olive oil, all by itself, is one of the best beauty secrets. In addition to being a natural, hypoallergenic way to moisturize skin, extra virgin olive oil has the added advantage of providing strong antioxidants, like Vitamins A and E that help repair and renew skin that has been damaged from overexposure to sun, air pollution, and other modern-day environmental hazards – like cigarette smoke and fast food. These antioxidants have the natural ability to stimulate cells and return skin to a firmer, smoother, and healthier state.

To provide a slightly more scientific explanation, this damage is related to the destructive activity of oxygen-related free radicals produced by skin cells. Polyphenolic components of olive oil have been compared to traditional antioxidants, such as tocopherols, used by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry to prevent skin damage. There are a number of simple and inexpensive ways to get the best skin care and beauty benefits out of a single bottle of extra virgin olive oil. The rich emollients in olive oil allow just a little to go a long way.

Skin Cre and Olive Oil

Skin Moisturizer

Whether applied to face or body, olive oil will penetrate deep into the skin and provide a long-lasting shield of moisture to keep skin smooth and supple. Used either as a night cream or daily moisturizer, it is best applied to damp skin, when water can help reduce any feeling of greasiness. We recommend using extra virgin olive oil.

Our readers have also suggested that a little lemon juice mixed with olive oil can provide a more bracing and refreshing feeling. In her best-selling book The Passionate Olive, Carol Firenze suggests making a moisturizer made of Italian parsley, water, and extra virgin olive oil.

Expect the natural benefits of olive oil to take a bit longer to be absorbed into the skin than most lightweight packaged skin products. But the advantages can be longer lasting too.

Exfoliator

If dry and scaly skin is a problem, Carol Firenze also suggests mixing olive oil and sea salt in a rub and massaging it into the affected area to slough off dead skin and enrich the healthy layer beneath it. Or add a few tablespoons of olive oil with a drop or two of lavender essential oil in a bath. This is a luxurious way to relax, soothe and moisturize the whole body.

Nail and Cuticle Care

Extra virgin olive oil makes the perfect, simple solution for dry nails and cuticles. Simply rub a few drops into the cuticle area and around the nail. Cuticles stay plump and moist, and nails respond with a natural shine.

Eye Makeup Remover

Just a drop or two of extra virgin olive oil on a cotton pad is all it takes to gently and effectively remove eye makeup without irritating the delicate skin around the eye area. The biggest added advantage is that when used consistently, olive oil can soften the skin around the eyes and smooth out wrinkles.

Hair and Olive Oil

When used on hair and scalp, olive oil can be considered two products: a deep conditioner and a dandruff controller. After shampooing, massage a mixture of equal amounts of olive oil and water into your hair. Leave on for 5 minutes, then shampoo and rinse. Your scalp will benefit from healthy conditioning; your hair will respond with more shine and strength.

Benefits of eating olives

Experts recommend taking a day 7 olives. This food is consumed mainly as a starter and has a wide range with or without bone, whole or chopped green or black. Also used as an ingredient in numerous dishes of Spanish Mediterranean diet.

Is the raw material is obtained from olive oil are a healthy food with high nutritional value has important health benefits and to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

 * They are nutritious and rich in mineral content as sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine.

* Contribute to the contribution of calcium to the body. Antioxidants due to their group B vitamins and provitamin A and E.

* They provide essential vitamins and amino acids.

* They contain oleic acid, which has beneficial properties to protect the heart.

* There is a variety with over 90 different types of filling.

* It's affordable and suitable ingredient in recipes as typical of summer salads.

The can enjoy with or without bone, whole or chopped, green or black, as an aperitif, on top, or as an ingredient in many dishes from our gastromomía.

Improve memory 

 Olives contain polyphenols, a natural chemicals that reduce oxidative stress in the brain. Eating a daily serving of olives improves memory by 25% according to research from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Power
 A cup of olives contain 4.4 mg of iron. Iron helps in the synthesis of carnitine, an amino acid that converts fat into energy. Besides the iron up the hemoglobin in the blood.

Reduce wrinkles
 Eating olives improves the appearance of wrinkles by 20% since they contain oleic acid, which keeps skin soft and healthy. In addition, olives contain vitamin E, an excellent antioxidant for skin health.

Control appetite 
 The eating 10 olives before meals reduced appetite by 22% according to studies in Italy. Monounsaturated fatty acids containing olives are slower digestion and stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin, a hormone that sends messages of satiety to the brain. Moreover, these acids also stimulate the production of adiponectin, a chemical that burns fat for five hours after ingestion.

Benefits 
Provides several benefits since they have a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants as well, making it an ideal food for the prevention of cardiovascular disease by decreasing cholesterol levels (bad) cholesterol without lowering good cholesterol.

They also prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries, making closer are very serious and if you can even block the blood vessels.)

Have a protective effect and toning the skin.

In addition to its large number of fibers improves the slow intestinal transit constipation.

Is currently studying whether olive oil lowers the risk of certain cancers and in the protection exercise on brain function.

Then different types of table olives:

 Manzanilla. Is the most used for its flavor and to fill it with peppers.
  Rapazalla or rapasayos. It is ideal for incorporation into the preparations.
 Sevillana. You can also find the name of Carrasqueña.
  La gordal. Itwidely used to be filled with different items such as anchovies .

Seven day eating olives, about 25 grams, within a balanced diet has the same cardiovascular effects at the olive oil. So said yesterday the charge of the Unit of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics of the Hospital Universitario La Paz, Carmen Gómez Candela, during a luncheon in Madrid organized by the Association of Exporters and Industrialists Table Olives (ASEMESA).

 Gómez Candela described the nutritional and culinary benefits of this product, which has the same properties as oil, plus fiber, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and iodine. The expert pointed out that consumption should be limited only to those who require a restriction of salt (for hypertension, for example) or overweight or obese.

 Among the different types of olives, green are preferred for an aperitif and dwellings are the least consumed, despite being those with fewer calories. In the past five years, anchovy stuffed olives and chopped black are the most consumed due to its use on pizzas.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a fat obtained from the olive (the fruit of Olea europaea; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. The oil is produced by grinding whole olives and extracting the oil by mechanical or chemical means. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps. Olive oil is used throughout the world, but especially in the Mediterranean countries and, in particular, in Greece where the largest consumption per person can be found.

Early cultivation

The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean basin; wild olives were collected by Neolithic peoples as early as the 8th millennium BC. The wild olive tree originated in Asia Minor in ancient Greece.

It is not clear when and where olive trees were first domesticated: in Asia Minor in the 6th millennium; along the Levantine coast stretching from the Sinai Peninsula to modern Turkey in the 4th millennium; or somewhere in the Mesopotamian Fertile Crescent in the 3rd millennium.

Ancient Greek olive oil production workshop in Klazomenai, Ionia (modern Turkey)

A widespread view exists that the first cultivation took place on the island of Crete. Archeological evidence suggest that olives were being grown in Crete as long ago as 2,500 BC. The earliest surviving olive oil amphorae date to 3500 BC (Early Minoan times), though the production of olive is assumed to have started before 4000 BC. An alternative view retains that olives were turned into oil by 4500 BC by Canaanites in present-day Israel. Until 1500 BC, eastern coastal areas of the Mediterranean were most heavily cultivated. Olive trees were certainly cultivated by the Late Minoan period (1500 BC) in Crete, and perhaps as early as the Early Minoan.The cultivation of olive trees in Crete became particularly intense in the post-palatial period and played an important role in the island's economy.

Recent genetic studies suggest that species used by modern cultivators descend from multiple wild populations, but a detailed history of domestication is not yet understood.

Production and trade

Ancient oil press (Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Bodrum, Turkey)

Olive trees and oil production in the Eastern Mediterranean can be traced to archives of the ancient city-state Ebla (2600–2240 BC), which were located on the outskirts of the Syrian city Aleppo. Here some dozen documents dated 2400 BC describe lands of the king and the queen. These belonged to a library of clay tablets perfectly preserved by having been baked in the fire that destroyed the palace. A later source is the frequent mentions of oil in Tanakh.

Dynastic Egyptians before 2000 BC imported olive oil from Crete, Syria and Canaan and oil was an important item of commerce and wealth. Remains of olive oil have been found in jugs over 4,000 years old in a tomb on the island of Naxos in the Aegean Sea. Sinuhe, the Egyptian exile who lived in northern Canaan about 1960 BC, wrote of abundant olive trees.

Besides food, olive oil has been used for religious rituals, medicines, as a fuel in oil lamps, soap-making, and skin care application. The Minoans used olive oil in religious ceremonies. The oil became a principal product of the Minoan civilization, where it is thought to have represented wealth. The Minoans put the pulp into settling tanks and, when the oil had risen to the top, drained the water from the bottom.[citation needed] Olive tree growing reached Iberia and Etruscan cities well before the 8th century BC through trade with the Phoenicians and Carthage, then spread into Southern Gaul by the Celtic tribes during the 7th century BC.

The first recorded oil extraction is known from the Hebrew Bible and took place during the Exodus from Egypt, during the 13th century BC. During this time, the oil was derived through hand-squeezing the berries and stored in special containers under guard of the priests. A commercial mill for non-sacramental use of oil was in use in the tribal Confederation and later in 1000 BC, the fertile crescent, and area consisting of present day Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel. Over 100 olive presses have been found in Tel Miqne (Ekron), where the Biblical Philistines also produced oil. These presses are estimated to have had output of between 1,000 and 3,000 tons of olive oil per season.

Many ancient presses still exist in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and some dating to the Roman period are still in use today.

Olive crusher (trapetum) in Pompeii (79 AD)

Olive oil was common in ancient Greek and Roman cuisine. According to Herodotus, Apollodorus, Plutarch, Pausanias, Ovid and other sources, the city of Athens obtained its name because Athenians considered olive oil essential, preferring the offering of the goddess Athena (an olive tree) over the offering of Poseidon (a spring of salt water gushing out of a cliff). The Spartans and other Greeks used oil to rub themselves while exercising in the gymnasia. From its beginnings early in the 7th century BC, the cosmetic use of olive oil quickly spread to all of Hellenic city states, together with naked appearance of athletes, and lasted close to a thousand years despite its great expense. Olive trees were planted in the entire Mediterranean basin during evolution of the Roman republic and empire. According to the historian Pliny, Italy had "excellent olive oil at reasonable prices" by the 1st century AD, "the best in the Mediterranean", he maintained.

The importance and antiquity of olive oil can be seen in the fact that the English word oil derives from c. 1175, olive oil, from Anglo-Fr. and O.N.Fr. olie, from O.Fr. oile (12c., Mod.Fr. huile), from L. oleum "oil, olive oil" (cf. It. olio), from Gk. elaion "olive tree",[9] which may have been borrowed through trade networks from the Semitic Phoenician use of el'yon meaning "superior", probably in recognized comparison to other vegetable or animal fats available at the time. Robin Lane Fox suggests that the Latin borrowing of Greek elaion for oil (Latin oleum) is itself a marker for improved Greek varieties of oil-producing olive, already present in Italy as Latin was forming, brought by Euboean traders, whose presence in Latium is signaled by remains of their characteristic pottery, from the mid-8th century.






Olive Oil Manufacturing

The olive and the tree on which it grows have been revered since ancient times. Archaeological digs have unearthed evidence that olive trees existed on the island of Crete in 3500 B.C. The Semitic peoples were cultivating the tree's fruit by 3000 B.C. They particularly liked to use the oil of the olive to anoint the body during religious ceremonies, and to light their lamps. An ancient Hebrew law prohibiting the destruction of any olive tree is still obeyed.

By the time of the Roman Empire, olives were a mainstay of the agricultural economy. The Romans also used the oil to grease the axles of wagons and chariots. The Greeks traded it for wheat; the elaborately decorated clay pots that they used to transport the oil became part of the civilization's burgeoning art industry.

The olive tree is mentioned frequently in the Koran and in the Bible. Noah receives the message that land is near when a dove arrives at the ark with an olive branch in its mouth. Greek mythology associates the goddess Athena with the olive tree and credits Acropos, the founder of Athens, with teaching the Greeks to extract oil from the tree's fruit.

A member of the evergreen family, the olive tree features a gnarled trunk and leaves with a silvery underside. Its strong root system is perfect for penetrating sand, limestone, or heavy, poorly aerated soil. The trees thrive best in regions with rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Although it may take up to eight years before a tree produces its first harvest, a single tree can live for centuries.

Early oil producers pressed the olives by crushing them between huge cone-shaped stones as they turned slowly on a base of granite. Today, most factories employ hydraulic presses, exerting hundreds of tons of pressure, to separate the oil from the olive paste. Spain and Italy are the primary commercial producers of olives and olive oil. Greece is close behind them. However, California, Australia, and South Africa are emerging as leaders in the industry. Some wineries are planting olives to offset poor wine harvests. Ironically, olive trees were planted in California by missionaries in the 1800s, which by the turn of the century were producing an excellent grade of olive oil. However, the market demand was weak so the trees were uprooted and grape vines were planted in their place.

 In the late twentieth century, emphasis on good nutrition and a fascination with the so-called Mediterranean diet has resulted in a resurgence in the olive oil trade. Olive oil is touted as a mono unsaturated that is healthier for human consumption than corn and vegetable oils. The oil is also promoted as a dandruff reliever and, when mixed with beeswax, a homemade lip balm. In the late 1990s, the United States and Canada consumed olive oil at a yearly rate of 147,600 tons (150,000 metric tons). The demand often exceeds the supply, and during the 1990s prices rose significantly.

Raw Materials

 The primary ingredient of olive oil is the oil that is expressed from ripe olives. In the late spring, small flowers appear on the olive trees. Wind pollination results in the blossoming of the olives, which reach their
peak oil content approximately six months later. Thus, the olives are harvested from November to March, after they have progressed in color from green to reddish violet to black. It is often necessary to harvest olives from the same trees several times in order to gather olives at the same stage of maturation.


Since ancient times, workers have knocked the fruit from the trees with long-handled poles. The process has not changed significantly over the centuries. Modern poles resemble rakes. Originally, nets were spread under the tree to catch the falling olives. Many producers are now using plastic covers to cushion the fall and to allow for cleaner, faster gathering.

One quart (0.95 L) of extra virgin olive oil, the highest level of quality, requires 2,000 olives. The only added ingredient in extra virgin olive oil is the warm water used to flush away the bittemess of the olives, caused by the presence of oleuropein. Extra virgin olive oil contains not more than 1% oleic acid. Pure olive oil, that which results from the second pressing, is often mixed with extra virgin olive oil. The commercial, or non-edible, grades are put through a refining process that may leave traces of soda solutions and bleaching carbons.

The Manufacturing
Process
Collecting and grading the olives
1 After the ripe olives have been combed from the trees, they are picked over by hand to weed out unsound olives. The olives are divided into categories according to their plumpness, state of ripeness, and quality. Then the olives are taken to the press and stored for a short period of time, from a few hours to several days. The period is short enough to prevent fermentation but long enough to allow the olives to get warm so that they release their oil easily.
Washing and milling the olives
2 The olives are rinsed in cold water and then passed along a conveyer belt between rollers or continuous hammers. This machinery, often called the olive crusher, breaks down the cells and de-stones the olives. Depending on the resiliency of the olives' skin and the stage of maturation, it may be necessary to pass the fruit through the mill a second time.
Creating an olive paste through malaxation
3 In ancient times, the olives were mashed into a paste with a simple mortar and pestle. This principle was expanded upon until the stone mortars were large enough to require slaves or pack animals to operate them. In the modern process, the milled olives travel from the mill into vats in which slowly turning blades mash the olives into a homogenized paste.
Cold-pressing the olive paste to extract the oil
4 The oil is extracted by loading the paste into a hydraulic press. The olive paste is evenly spread over hemp pressing bags or disks covered with synthetic fibers. Each bag or disk is covered with approximately 9-13 lb (4-6 kg) of paste. Between 25 and 50 bags or disks are stacked onto a press plate. Plate guides are inserted at intervals of five to six bags. The plates serve to maintain the balance of the stack and to distribute the pressure evenly. A piston pushes up against the stack, and the oil seeps slowly through the pressing bags to attached tubes. The solid material remains inside the pressing bags.
5 The term cold-pressing refers to the fact that the oil is extracted without heating the paste, furthering insuring the purity of the oil. The oil that is expressed is a reddish mixture of the oil and the inherent vegetable water. This is the oil that receives the appellation of "extra-virgin" olive oil. The paste is removed from the bags and run through several more presses to obtain the lesser grades of oil that remain.





Separating the oil from the vegetable water
6 Originally, the oil and water mixture was stored in vats until the oil rose to the top and was skimmed off. Some fermentation was inevitable, affecting the taste and smell of the olive oil. Today, the separation is accomplished swiftly by pumping the mixture into a centrifuge. The centrifuge is comprised of a rotating drum and an auger that are spun on the same axis at great speed. Because the oil and the vegetable water are of differing densities, the centrifuge forces them apart and into separate receptacles.
Storing and packaging the oil
7 The oil is stored in underground vats until it is ready to be shipped. Then the oil is canned or bottled on an assembly line. Cans or dark-tinted bottles will keep the deep-green color of the olive oil intact. Oil placed in clear-glass bottles will fade to a yellowish-green. However, the flavor is not affected.
8 In many cases, olive oil distributors purchase the olive from the producers and rebottle it. Packaging has become more ornate as the popularity of olive oil has grown. It is not unusual to purchase olive oil in unusually shaped bottles topped with netting or rope. Some packagers also hire professional artists to design their labels.


Do Olives and Olive Oil Have the Same Health Benefits?


When I was growing up, there were only two kinds of olives at the grocery store: green olives stuffed with pimentos and pitted black or “ripe” olives that you could wear on the tips of your fingers until your Mom made you stop playing with your food.
Today, of course, most grocery stores have entire olive bars, with all kinds of exotic varietals—everything from the tiny brown Nicoise to the giant, bright-green Cerignola, to the shriveled black Morrocans.
But “are they all the same nutritionally?” asks Grace. “Or are some types particularly good for you?” Meanwhile, Tania wonders how olives compare to olive oil in terms of health benefits.
Do Olives and Olive Oil Have the Same Benefits?
Both olives and olive oil are promoted as healthy foods primarily because they are high in monounsaturated fats. Cultures whose diets are rich in this type of fat tend to have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and obesity—even when their total fat consumption is on the high side. In fact, some researchers theorize that monounsaturated fats might be slightly less “fattening” than other types of fat because the body metabolizes and stores them differently. Monounsaturated fats also seem to be less likely to contribute to clogged arteries and heart disease.
The Differences Between Olives and Olive Oil
Here’s one big difference between olives and olive oil: Oil is virtually 100% fat, while whole olives are only about 20% fat. As a result, a serving of olive oil (1 tablespoon) contains 120 calories while a serving of olives (about 10 medium) has only 40.
There are a few other distinctions:

Olives, which have to be cured or pickled in order to be edible, usually contain a lot of sodium while olive oil is virtually sodium free.

The curing process removes a lot of the polyphenols in olives whereas these are largely preserved in extra virgin olive oil. (Polyphenols are phytonutrients thought to protect against disease.)

Whole olives provide some fiber; olive oil does not.

Some olives are processed with natural fermentation, meaning that they would be a source of beneficial bacteria; olive oil is not.
As you can see, olives and olive oil each have pros and cons. But it’s a little silly to try to compare them because they’re really not interchangeable. You’re not going to sauté your spinach in a handful of olives and you’re probably not going to have a tablespoon of olive oil as a snack. Suffice it to say that olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can choose and olives make nutritious snacks and condiments.

What’s the Healthiest Type of Olive?


I’ve written previously about the best types of olive oil to buy. But what are your best choices when you belly up to the olive bar?
The concentration of oil and polyphenols varies according to the variety of olive and the degree of ripeness. Green olives, which are picked before they ripen, tend to be higher in polyphenols. Black olives, which are allowed to ripen on the tree, generally have higher oil content. Both ripe and unripe olives are good sources of iron, copper, and vitamin E.

How are Olives Processed?

As I said earlier, you can’t eat olives straight off the tree—even if they are “ripe.” Raw olives are hard and bitter. To make them edible, they are pickled in brine, or cured in salt or oil. The curing process removes bitter compounds (some of which are those healthy polyphenols), softens the fruit, and imbues them with flavor. It also imbues them with a fair amount of sodium.

Which Olives Have the Least Salt?

The amount of sodium in processed olives depends on their curing process. Unfortunately, detailed nutrition information may be hard to come by at the olive bar. In my experience, the big Cerignola olives are among the least salty varieties. And as a general rule, black olives will have about half the sodium of green olives.
If you’re very salt sensitive, you might want to skip the bulk olives and stick with olives in jars, which have nutrition facts labels. Here, too, your options have increased. In addition to the classic green-with-pimiento, even a modestly-stocked grocery store is likely to carry kalamata, Seville, and maybe even some oil-cured olives in jars..

Olives and Acrylamide

One last tip: As much fun as they are to wear on your fingers, some canned black olives have been found to be quite high in acrylamide. Since acrylamide has not been detected in other kinds of olives, it probably has to do with the way canned black olives are processed.
I talked about the potential dangers of acrylamide in a previous article. While I personally don’t think you need to worry that much about acrylamide exposure (especially when there are so many other things to worry about), that information might change how often you choose to indulge in canned black olives. If you like that style of olive (slightly sweet and fleshy), try ripe Cerignola instead. They’re even tastier.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy olives? Share it below in Comments or post it on my Nutrition Diva Facebook Page. And don’t forget to sign up for my free weekly newsletter, which includes more tips, recipes, and answers to listener questions.

Have a great week and remember to eat something good for me!

Olives

Even though more attention has been sometimes been given to their delicious oil than their whole food delights, olives are one of the world's most widely enjoyed foods. Technically classified as fruits of the Olea europea tree (an amazing tree that typically lives for hundreds of years) we commonly think about olives not as fruit but as a zesty vegetable that can be added are harvested in September but available year round to make a zesty additionto salads, meat and poultry dishes and, of course, pizza.

Olives are too bitter to be eaten right off the tree and must be cured to reduce their intrinsic bitterness. Processing methods vary with the olive variety, region where they are cultivated, and the desired taste, texture and color. Some olives are picked unripe, while others are allowed to fully ripen on the tree. The color of an olive is not necessarily related to its state of maturity. Many olives start off green and turn black when fully ripe. However, some olives start off green and remain green when fully ripe, while others start of black and remain black. In the United States, where most olives come from California, olives are typically green in color, picked in an unripe state, lye-cured, and then exposed to air as a way of triggering oxidation and conversion to a black outer color. Water curing, brine curing, and lye curing are the most common treatment processes for olives, and each of these treatments can affect the color and composition of the olives.

What's New and Beneficial About Olives

Dozens of health-protective nutrients have been identified in olives, and recent studies have taken a very close look at olive varieties, olive processing, and changes that take place in olive nutrients. The overall conclusion from these studies is exciting for anyone who loves olives of all varieties. Greek-style black olives, Spanish-style green olives, Kalamata-style olives, and many different methods of olive preparation provide us with valuable amounts of many different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. While there are trade-offs that occur during olive ripening and olive curing—for example, decreased oleuropein with advanced stages of ripening yet increased amounts of anthocyanins—it's impossible to rule out any single type of olive as being unworthy of consideration as a uniquely health-supportive food, particularly in terms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Hydroxytyrosol, an olive phytonutrient that has long been linked to cancer prevention, is now regarded as having the potential to help us prevent bone loss as well. Several recent laboratory animal studies have found increased depositing of calcium in bone and decreased loss of total bone mass following consumption of this olive phytonutrient (as well as oleuropein, another key phytonutrient found in olives). These findings are fascinating, since consumption of a Mediterranean Diet has long been associated with decreased risk of osteoporosis, and olives often find themselves on center stage in Mediterranean Diet studies.
In traditional herbal medicine practices, preparations from olives and olive leaves have often been used in treatment of inflammatory problems, including allergy-related inflammation. New research may help explain how olives work to provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits, especially during circumstances involving allergy. Olive extracts have now been shown to function as anti-histamines at a cellular level. By blocking special histamine receptors (called H1 receptors), unique components in olive extracts may help to lessen a cell's histamine response. Because histamine is a molecule that can get overproduced in allergy-related conditions and can be a key player in the inflammatory process, it's likely that the anti-inflammatory benefits we get from olives involve this anti-histamine pathway. It's also possible that olives may have a special role to play as part of an overall anti-allergenic diet.

Health Benefits

While commonly recognized as a high-fat food (about 80-85% of the calories in olives come from fat), olives are not always appreciated for the type of fat they contain. Olives are unusual in their fat quality, because they provide almost three-quarters of their fat as oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. (In addition they provide a small amount of the essential fatty acid called linoleic acid, and a very small amount of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.) The high monounsaturated fat content of olives has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. When diets low in monounsaturated fat are altered to increase the monounsaturated fat content (without becoming too high in total fat), research study participants typically experience a decrease in their blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and LDL:HDL ratio. All of these changes lower our risk of heart disease.

Recent research studies have also shown that the monounsaturated fat found in olives (and olive oil) can help to decrease blood pressure. The oleic acid found in olives—once absorbed up into the body and transported to our cells—can change signaling patterns at a cell membrane level (specifically, altering G-protein associated cascades). These changes at a cell membrane level result in decreased blood pressure.

In terms of their phytonutrient content, olives are nothing short of astounding. Few high-fat foods offer such a diverse range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients—some of which are unique to olives themselves. The list below shows some key phytonutrients in olives, organized by their chemical category:

Simple Phenols 
tyrosol 
hydroxytyrosol 
Terpenes (including secoiridoids and triterpenes) 
oleuropein 
demethyloleuropein 
erythrodiol 
uvaol 
oleanolic acid 
elenoic acid 
ligstroside 
Flavones 
apigenin 
luteolin 
Hydroxycinnamic acids 
caffeic acid 
cinnamic acid 
ferulic acid 
coumaric acid 
Anthocyanidins 
cyanidins 
peonidins 
Flavonols 
quercetin 
kaempferol 
Hydroxybenzoic acids 
gallic acid 
protocatechuic acid 
vanillic acid 
syringic acid 
Hydroxyphenylacetic acids 
homovanillic acid 
homveratric acid 

Given this phytonutrient richness, it's not surprising that olives have documented health benefits that extend to most of our body systems. Olive benefits have been demonstrated for the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, nervous system, musculoskeletal system, immune system, inflammatory system, and digestive system. We believe that many of these diverse systems benefits are actually related to two underlying health-support aspects of olives, namely, their unusual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. In this Health Benefits section, we will focus on those antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of olives, as well as some anti-cancer benefits that seem especially important with respect to this food.

Antioxidant Benefits

The vast majority of olive phytonutrients listed at the beginning of this section function as antioxidants and help us avoid unwanted problems due to oxidative stress. "Oxidative stress" is a situation in which our cells are insufficiently protected from potential oxygen damage, and oxidative stress can often be related to an insufficient supply of antioxidant nutrients. Olives are a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E, and they also contain small amounts of antioxidant minerals like selenium and zinc. However, it's the phytonutrient content of olives that makes them unique as an antioxidant-rich food.

Perhaps the best-studied antioxidant phytonutrient found in olives is oleuropein. Oleuropein is found exclusively in olives, and it's been shown to function as an antioxidant nutrient in a variety of ways. Intake of oleuropein has been shown to decrease oxidation of LDL cholesterol; to scavenge nitric oxide (a reactive oxygen-containing molecule); to lower several markers of oxidative stress; and to help protect nerve cells from oxygen-related damage.

One recent study that caught our attention has shown the ability of olives to increase blood levels of glutathione (one of the body's premier antioxidant nutrients). In a very interesting research twist, study participants were not given fresh olives to eat but rather the pulpy residue from olives that had been previously milled to produce olive oil. Consumption of this olive pulp was associated with significantly increased glutathione levels in the blood of the participants, and improvement in their antioxidant capacity.

Interestingly, there may be common trade-offs made in the levels of different olive antioxidants during the maturation of olives on the tree. For example, the vitamin E content of olives may increase during early ripening when the total phenolic antioxidants in olives are slightly decreasing. Later on in the maturation process, these trends may be reversed.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

In addition to their function as antioxidants, many of the phytonutrients found in olives have well-documented anti-inflammatory properties. Extracts from whole olives have been shown to function as anti-histamines at a cellular level. By blocking special histamine receptors (called H1 receptors), unique components in whole olive extracts help to provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits. In addition to their antihistamine properties, whole olive extracts have also been shown to lower risk of unwanted inflammation by lowering levels of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a very common pro-inflammatory messaging molecule. Oleuropein—one of the unique phytonutrients found in olives—has been shown to decrease the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). iNOS is an enzyme whose overactivity has been associated with unwanted inflammation. Taken as a group, these research findings point to olives as a uniquely anti-inflammatory food.

The anti-inflammatory benefits of olives have been given special attention in the area of cardiovascular health. In heart patients, olive polyphenols have been determined to lower blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a widely used blood measurement for assessing the likelihood of unwanted inflammation. Olive polyphenols have also been found to reduce activity in a metabolic pathway called the arachidonic acid pathway, which is central for mobilizing inflammatory processes.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of olives make them a natural for protection against cancer because chronic oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can be key factors in the development of cancer. If our cells get overwhelmed by oxidative stress (damage to cell structure and cell function by overly reactive oxygen-containing molecules) and chronic excessive inflammation, our risk of cell cancer is increased. By providing us with rich supplies of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, olives can help us avoid this dangerous combination of chronic oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

Research on whole olives and cancer has often focused on two cancer types: breast cancer and stomach (gastric) cancer. In the case of breast cancer, special attention has been paid to the triterpene phytonutrients in olives, including erythrodiol, uvaol and oleanolic acid. These olive phytonutrients have been shown to help interrupt the life cycle of breast cancer cells. Interruption of cell cycles has also been shown in the case of gastric cancer, but with this second type of cancer, the exact olive phytonutrients involved are less clear.

One of the mechanisms linking olive intake to cancer protection may involve our genes. Antioxidant phytonutrients in olives may have a special ability to protect DNA (deoxyribonucleic acids)—the key chemical component of genetic material in our cells—from oxygen damage. DNA protection from unwanted oxidative stress means better cell function in wide variety of ways and provides cells with decreased risk of cancer development.

Description

From a botanical standpoint, olives belong to a very special group of fruits called drupes. Drupes are fruits that have a pit or stone at their core, and this pit is surrounded by a larger fleshy portion called the pericarp. Other drupes commonly found in diets worldwide include mango, cherry, peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, almond, and pistachio.

There are literally hundreds of varieties of olive trees, but all of them belong in the same scientific category of Olea europea. "Olea" is the Latin word for "oil," and reflects the high oil content of this food. Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean, as well as different parts of Asia and Africa. Their Mediterranean origins are highlighted in their species name, europea, since countries bordering the north shore of the Mediterranean Sea are typically considered as parts of southern Europe. Olive trees can have remarkable longevity. Most live to an age of several hundred years, and in at least one case, a carbon-dated world record for an olive tree stands at 2,000 years! Although olive trees may produce more olives in lowland terrain, they are comfortable growing in mountainous, rocky conditions and often thrive along the hillsides of Spain, Italy and Greece.

Olives come in many different varieties. In the United States, five varieties account for most commercial production. These varieties are Manzanillo, Sevillano, Mission, Ascolano and Barouni, and all are grown almost exclusively in California. Picholine and Rubra are two additional varieties produced in California in smaller amounts.

Kalamata olives are one olive variety that deserves special mention. Authentic Kalamata olives come from Kalamon olive trees in southern Greece and get their name from Kalamata, their city of origin. European Union (EU) law provides Kalamata olives with Protected Geographical Status and Protected Designation of Origin and does not allow product labeling as "Kalamata" unless the olives have come from this specific area. However, outside of the European Union countries, there are no binding legal standards for labeling of Kalamata olives. In the U.S., many canned and jarred olives are referred to as "Kalamata-style" or "Kalamata-type" olives and these olives are not authentic Kalamata olives grown in the Kalamata area of southern Greece. Genuine Kalamata olives are usually allowed to ripe fully before harvest. Different methods of curing can be used during production of Kalamata olives. Some Greek producers use dry-curing as a method of choice. In dry-curing, olives are covered directly in salt rather than soaked in brine (a concentrated salt liquid). Dry-curing is often used for olives that will be stored for longer periods of time, and Kalamata olives that have been dry-cured can often be identified by their wrinkly skin. Dry-cured Kalamata olives are eventually packaged in olive oil or olive oil/vinegar combinations to which other seasonings are sometimes added. Kalamata olives can also be cured in a salt brine or in water, and in both cases, red wine vinegar and/or red wine are typically used to give the olives their delicious flavors. Most "Kalamata-style" and "Kalamata-type" olives have been cured in this way. Authentic Kalamata olives from southern Greece that have been cured using red wine and/or red wine vinegar are available in many groceries, especially those groceries that stock specialty foods. Genuine Kalamata olives will almost always be labeled as "imported" and may also be labeled as "PDO Kalamata" to reflect their compliance with European Union regulations.

Kalamata are only one among many Mediterranean olive varieties. The list below contains some of the better-known varieties of Mediterranean olives:
ITALY
Cipresino
Coratina
Frantoio
Grappoio
Intrana
Leccino
Lecin de Sevilla
Moraiolo
Pendolino
Santa Cateria
Taggiasca
SPAIN
Arbequina
Bical
Blanqueta
Cornicabra
Farga
Gordal Sevillana
Hojiblanca
Lemono
Manzanillo
Morrut
Nevadillo
Piqual
GREECE
Adriamitini
Amigdalolia
Chalkidiki
Kalamon
Koroneiki
Megaritiki
Mirtoia

When freshly picked from the tree, olives often (but not always) have a bitter flavor. This bitterness is related to their phytonutrient content, and especially to their concentration of oleuropein (a secoirodoid terpene). In order to help offset their bitter taste, olives are typically cured. (Curing is also sometimes referred to as "pickling.") There are three basic types of curing widely used to lower the bitterness in olives. There types are:

Water-curing

Water-curing of olives—just like the name suggests—involves submersion of the olives in water for a period of several weeks or longer. Water-cured olives typically remain slightly bitter because water-curing removes less oleuropein from the olives than other curing methods.

Brine-curing

Brine-curing involves the submersion of olives in a concentrated salt solution. Greek style olives in brine and Sicilian style olives in brine are examples of brine-cured olives. Brine-curing can take many months, and olives often undergo fermentation during the brine-curing process. (Fermentation means that the sugars found in olives will often get broken down into lactic or acetic acid, and oleuropein will be freed to migrate into the brine.) Many changes in flavor and phytonutrient composition can take place during the brine-curing process.

Lye-curing

Lye-curing involves the submersion of olives in a strong alkali solutions containing either sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH). Lye-curing usually occurs in a series of sequential steps. A first lye bath will cure the skin and outermost portion of the olives. This first solution is then drained from the olives and discarded and the olives are submerged in a second lye solution which begins to cure the next layer of fleshy pulp inside the olive. Up to five lye solutions may be required to cure the entire olive, all the way down to the pit. Dark style ripe olives and green olives are examples of olives that have typically been lye-cured.

During the last stage of lye-curing, oxygen gas is often bubbled up through the lye solution to help darken the olives. In the United States, canned California black olives are typically lye-cured and oxygen-darkened.

Curing is not the only factor that can influence the color of an olive, and it's worth pointing out that olive color does not automatically indicate anything about the curing process. Many olives start off green and turn black on the tree when fully ripe. Other olives start off green on the tree, remain green when fully ripe, and can only be darkened by curing and/or air exposure. Still other olives start of black on the tree and remain black at full maturity.

History

Olives have been cultivated in parts of the Mediterranean—including Crete and Syria—for at least 5,000 years. In addition, there is carbon-dating evidence of olive tree presence in Spain as many as 6,000—8,000 years ago. This ancient and legendary tree was also native to parts of Asia and Africa.

It's not clear exactly how olive trees arrived in the U.S., but it's clear that the time frame was much later, during the 1500-1700's. Spanish colonizers of North America definitely brought olive trees across the Atlantic Ocean during the 1500-1700's, and while some may have been brought directly to the region which is now California, olive trees may also have been brought to the region from Mexico, where cultivation by the Spanish was already underway.

Olives constitute one of the world's largest fruit crops, with more than 25 million acres of olive trees planted worldwide. (On a worldwide basis, olives are produced in greater amounts than either grapes, apples, or oranges.) Spain is the largest single producer of olives at approximately 6 million tons per year. Italy is second at approximately 3.5 million tons, followed by Greece at 2.5 million. Turkey and Syria are the next major olive producers. Mediterranean production of olives currently involves approximately 800 million trees. 90% of all Mediterranean olives are crushed for the production of olive oil, with the remaining 10% kept in whole food form for eating. In the United States, California's Central Valley is the site of most olive production, on approximately 27,000 acres.

How to Select and Store

While olives have been traditionally sold in jars and cans, many stores are now offering them in bulk in large barrels or bins (often called an "olive bar"). Buying bulk olives will allow you to experiment with many different types with which you may be unfamiliar and to purchase only as many as you need at one time.

While whole olives are very common, you may also find ones that have been pitted, as well as olives that have been stuffed with either peppers, garlic or almonds. If you purchase olives in bulk, make sure that the store has a good turnover and keeps their olives immersed in brine for freshness and to retain moistness.

When selecting olives from an olive bar, you'll often be faced with a wide variety of color options and textures. It's not uncommon to find color varieties of olives that include green, yellow-green, green-gray, rose, red-brown, dark red, purplish-black and black. It's also not uncommon to find several different textures, including shiny, wilted, or cracked. The size of olives may range from fairly small to fairly large or jumbo. Each of these options among olive varieties can provide you with valuable health benefits. In general, regardless of the variety you choose, select olives that still display a reasonable about of firmness and are not overly soft or mushy.

If you are purchasing olives in a can and don't use them immediately after opening, they can usually be safely stored in sealed container in your refrigerator for one to two weeks. Whether brine-based, acid-based, or water-based, you can transfer the canning fluid along with the olives into your sealed refrigerator container. Glass jars of olives can be stored directly in the refrigerator for the same period of time, and in the case of some brine-cured olives, for up to one to two months.

When selecting olives, beware of the label description, "hand-picked." This description does not necessarily tell you anything helpful about the olive harvesting. Many olives are hand-picked, even though the product label makes no mention of this fact. Conversely, olives with have been mechanically harvested with a hand-held pneumatic rake are sometimes labeled as "hand-picked."

Tips for Preparing and Cooking

Tips for Preparing Olives

To pit olives, press them with the flat side of a broad bladed knife. This will help break the flesh so that you can easily remove the pit with your fingers or the knife. The brine in which olives are packed can be used as a replacement for salted water in recipes.

How to Enjoy

A Few Quick Serving Ideas
Olive tapenade is a delicious and easy-to-make spread that you can use as a dip, sandwich spread, or topping for fish and poultry. To make it, put pitted olives in a food processor with olive oil, garlic, and your favorite seasonings.
Toss pasta with chopped olives, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs of your choice.
Marinate olives in olive oil, lemon zest, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
Add chopped olives to your favorite tuna or chicken salad recipe.
Set out a small plate of olives on the dinner table along with some vegetable crudités for your family to enjoy with the meal.

WHFoods Recipes That Include Olives
15-Minute Turkey Chef's Salad
Greek Salad
Kidney Bean Salad with Mediterranean Dressing
Mediterranean Baby Spinach Salad
Salad Nicoise
Braised Cod with Celery
5-Minute Cold Cucumber Salad
Olive Tapenade
Vegetable Appetizer 3

Individual Concerns

Olives and Acrylamides

Research on olives and their acrylamide content has shown some inconsistency over the past several years and this inconsistency has sparked controversy in the public press about olives and their health risk with respect to acrylamide. In data assembled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we've seen more than a dozen different kinds of olives, including Spanish, Greek, Kalamata, Nolellata, Sicilian, d'Abruzzo, and Gaeta, and di Cerignola that were determined to contain no detectable level of acrylamide. Yet we have also seen FDA data showing levels of acrylamide as high as 1,925 ppb in some canned, nationally distributed brands of black pitted olives. Based on this data, we suspect that these higher acrylamide levels in select canned black olives were related to specific handling, storage, processing (especially preservation and darkening methods), and heating steps that favored formation of acrylamide. (One 2008 study from a research team in Seville, Spain has also determined that darkening methods can influence acrylamide formation, but only within the context of many other factors, including the variety of olive itself.) It's also important to note here that we are not aware of any data showing problematic levels of acrylamide in any extra virgin olive oils available in the marketplace.

At present, we are not aware of any foolproof method that consumers can use to avoid purchase of canned black olives that contain unwanted amounts of acrylamide. Since the FDA data has shown no detectable levels of acrylamide in numerous samples of imported olives packed in brine, those olives may be worth considering as options that may help avoid unwanted acrylamide. As stated previously, extra virgin olive oil is another form of this nutrient-rich food that, to our knowledge, has not been shown in research to contain unwanted amounts of acrylamide.

For more on acrylamides, see our detailed write-up on the subject.

Nutritional Profile

Olives are a remarkable source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. Most prominent are two simple phenols (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol) and several terpenes (especially oleuropein, erythrodiol, uvaol, oleanolic acid, elenoic acid and ligstroside). Flavonoids—including apigenin, luteolin, cyanidins, and peonidins) are typically provided in valuable amounts by lives, as are hydroxycinnamic acids like caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, and coumaric acid. The phytonutrient content of olives depends upon olive variety, stage of maturation, and post-harvest treatment. Olives are a very good source of monounsaturated fat (in the form of oleic acid) and a good source of iron, copper, and dietary fiber.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Olives.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile
 In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Olives is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
 In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system.

Olive (fruit and Tree)

The olive, Olea europaea, meaning "Oil from/of Europe") is a species of small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iraq, and northern Iran at the south of the Caspian Sea.

Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the Mediterranean region as the source of olive oil. The tree and its fruit give its name to the plant family, which also includes species such as lilacs, jasmine, Forsythia and the true ash trees (Fraxinus). The word derives from Latin oliva which is cognate with the Greek ??a?a (elaía) ultimately from Mycenaean Greek ? e-ra-wa ("elaiva"), attested in Linear B syllabic script. The word "oil" in multiple languages ultimately derives from the name of this tree and its fruit.

Description

The olive tree, Olea europaea, is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa. It is short and squat, and rarely exceeds 8–15 metres (26–49 ft) in height. However, the Pisciottana, a unique variety comprising 40,000 trees found only in the area around Pisciotta in the Campania region of southern Italy often exceeds 8–15 metres (26–49 ft) with correspondingly large trunk diameters. The silvery green leaves are oblong, measuring 4–10 centimetres (1.6–3.9 in) long and 1–3 centimetres (0.39–1.2 in) wide. The trunk is typically gnarled and twisted.

The small white, feathery flowers, with ten-cleft calyx and corolla, two stamens and bifid stigma, are borne generally on the previous year's wood, in racemes springing from the axils of the leaves.

The fruit is a small drupe 1–2.5 centimetres (0.39–0.98 in) long, thinner-fleshed and smaller in wild plants than in orchard cultivars. Olives are harvested in the green to purple stage. Canned black olives may contain chemicals (usually ferrous sulfate) that turn them black artificially.

Olea europaea contains a seed commonly referred to in American English as a pit or a rock, and in British 
Paleobotany

 Ripening Olives

The place, time and immediate ancestry of the cultivated olive are unknown. It is assumed that Olea europaea may have arisen from O. chrysophylla in northern tropical Africa and that it was introduced into the countries of the Mediterranean Basin via Egypt and then Crete or the Levant, Syria and Asia Minor. Fossil Olea pollen has been found in Macedonia, Greece, and other places around Mediterranean, indicating that this genus is an original element of the Mediterranean flora. Fossilized leaves of Olea were found in the palaeosols of the volcanic Greek island of Santorini (Thera) and were dated about 37,000 Before Present (BP). Imprints of larvae of olive whitefly Aleurolobus (Aleurodes) olivinus were found on the leaves. The same insect is commonly found today on olive leaves, showing that the plant-animal co-evolutionary relations have not changed since that time.

History

The olive is one of the plants most often cited in western literature. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus crawls beneath two shoots of olive that grow from a single stock, and in the Iliad, (XVII.53ff) is a metaphoric description of a lone olive tree in the mountains, by a spring; the Greeks observed that the olive rarely thrives at a distance from the sea, which in Greece invariably means up mountain slopes. Greek myth attributed to the primordial culture-hero Aristaeus the understanding of olive husbandry, along with cheese-making and bee-keeping. Olive was one of the woods used to fashion the most primitive Greek cult figures, called xoana, referring to their wooden material; they were reverently preserved for centuries. It was purely a matter of local pride that the Athenians claimed that the olive grew first in Athens. In an archaic Athenian foundation myth, Athena won the patronship of Attica from Poseidon with the gift of the olive. Though, according to the 4th-century BC father of botany, Theophrastus, olive trees ordinarily attained an age of about 200 years, he mentions that the very olive tree of Athena still grew on the Acropolis; it was still to be seen there in the 2nd century AD; and when Pausanias was shown it, ca 170 AD, he reported "Legend also says that when the Persians fired Athens the olive was burnt down, but on the very day it was burnt it grew again to the height of two cubits." Indeed, olive suckers sprout readily from the stump, and the great age of some existing olive trees shows that it was perfectly possible that the olive tree of the Acropolis dated to the Bronze Age. The olive was sacred to Athena and appeared on the Athenian coinage.

According to Pliny the Elder a vine, a fig and an olive tree grew in the middle of the Roman Forum, the latter was planted to provide shade (the garden plot was recreated in the 20th century). The Roman poet Horace mentions it in reference to his own diet, which he describes as very simple: "As for me, olives, endives, and smooth mallows provide sustenance."[14] Lord Monboddo comments on the olive in 1779 as one of the foods preferred by the ancients and as one of the most perfect foods.

 Storing olives on Dere Street; Tacuinum Sanitatis, 14th century,

The leafy branches of the olive tree – the olive branch as a symbol of abundance, glory and peace – were used to crown the victors of friendly games and bloody wars. As emblems of benediction and purification, they were also ritually offered to deities and powerful figures; some were even found in Tutankhamen's tomb.

Olive oil has long been considered sacred; it was used to anoint kings and athletes in ancient Greece. It was burnt in the sacred lamps of temples as well as being the "eternal flame" of the original Olympic Games. Victors in these games were crowned with its leaves. Today, it is still used in many religious ceremonies. Over the years, the olive has been the symbol of peace, wisdom, glory, fertility, power and purity.

The olive was one of the main elements in ancient Israelite cuisine. Olive oil was used for not only food and cooking, but also lighting, sacrificial offerings, ointment, and anointment for priestly or royal office.

The olive tree and olives are mentioned over 30 times in the Bible, in both the New and Old Testaments. It is one of the first plants mentioned in the Bible, and one of the most significant. For example, it was an olive leaf that a dove brought back to Noah to demonstrate that the flood was over. The olive is listed in the Hebrew Bible (Deut 8:8) as one of the seven species that are noteworthy products of the Land of Israel.

The Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem is mentioned several times. The Allegory of the Olive Tree in St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans (which reappears in greatly expanded form in the Book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon) refers to the scattering and gathering of Israel. It compares the Israelites and gentiles to tame and wild olive trees. The olive tree itself, as well as olive oil and olives, play an important role in the Bible.

The olive tree and olive oil are mentioned seven times in the Quran, and the olive is praised as a precious fruit. Most notably, it is mentioned in one of the most famous verses of the Quran, Ayat an-Nur: "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The metaphor of His Light is that of a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, the glass like a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, its oil all but giving off light even if no fire touches it. Light upon Light. Allah guides to His Light whoever He wills and Allah makes metaphors for mankind and Allah has knowledge of all things." (Quran, 24:35). Olive tree and olive-oil health benefits have been propounded in Prophetic medicine. The Prophet Mohamed is reported to have said: "Take oil of olive and massage with it – it is a blessed tree"

 (Sunan al-Darimi, 69:103).

Olives are subsititutes for dates (if not available) during Ramadan fasting, and olive tree leaves are used as incense in some Muslim Mediterranean countries.

The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region and Western Asia, and spread to nearby countries from there. It is estimated the cultivation of olive trees began more than 7000 years ago. As far back as 3000 BC, olives were grown commercially in Crete; they may have been the source of the wealth of the Minoan civilization. The ancient Greeks used to smear olive oil on their bodies and hair as a matter of grooming and good health.

Theophrastus, in On the Nature of Plants, does not give as systematic and detailed an account of olive husbandry as he does of the vine, but he makes clear (in 1.16.10) that the cultivated olive must be vegetatively propagated; indeed, the pits give rise to thorny, wild-type olives, spread far and wide by birds. Theophrastus reports how the bearing olive can be grafted on the wild olive, for which the Greeks had a separate name, kotinos.

Vitruvius describes of the use of charred olive wood in tying together walls and foundations in his De Architectura:

The thickness of the wall should, in my opinion, be such that armed men meeting on top of it may pass one another without interference. In the thickness there should be set a very close succession of ties made of charred olive wood, binding the two faces of the wall together like pins, to give it lasting endurance. For that is a material which neither decay, nor the weather, nor time can harm, but even though buried in the earth or set in the water it keeps sound and useful forever. And so not only city walls but substructures in general and all walls that require a thickness like that of a city wall, will be long in falling to decay if tied in this manner.

The Spanish colonists brought the olive to the New World where its cultivation prospered in present-day Peru and Chile. The first precious seedlings from Spain were planted in Lima by Antonio de Rivera in 1560. Olive tree cultivation quickly spread along the valleys of South America's dry Pacific coast where the climate was similar to the Mediterranean. The Spanish missionaries established the tree in the 18th century in California. It was first cultivated at Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769 or later around 1795. Orchards were started at other missions but in 1838 an inspection found only two olive orchard in California. Oil tree cultivation gradually became a highly successful commercial venture from the 1860s onwards. In Japan the first successful planting of olive trees happened in 1908 on Shodo Island which became the cradle of olive cultivation. It is estimated that there are about 865 million olive trees in the world today (as of 2005), and the vast majority of these are found in Mediterranean countries, although traditionally marginal areas account for no more than 25% of olive planted area and 10% of oil production.

Old olive trees

 An ancient olive tree in Pelion, Greece

 Olive tree “Olea europea” on Bar, Montenegro which is over 2,000 years old

The olive tree, Olea europaea, is very hardy: drought-, disease- and fire-resistant, it can live to a great age. Its root system is robust and capable of regenerating the tree even if the above-ground structure is destroyed. The older the olive tree, the broader and more gnarled the trunk becomes. Many olive trees in the groves around the Mediterranean are said to be hundreds of years old, while an age of 2,000 years is claimed for a number of individual trees; in some cases, this has been scientifically verified.

Pliny the Elder told about a sacred Greek olive tree that was 1,600 years old. An olive tree in west Athens, named "Plato's Olive Tree", was said[by whom?] to be a remnant of the grove within which Plato's Academy was situated, which would make it approximately 2,400 years old. The tree comprised a cavernous trunk from which a few branches were still sprouting in 1975, when a traffic accident caused a bus to fall on and uproot it. Since then, the trunk has been preserved and displayed in the nearby Agricultural University of Athens. A supposedly older tree, the "Peisistratos Tree", is located by the banks of the Cephisus River, in the municipality of Agioi Anargyroi, and is said to be a remnant of an olive grove that was planted by Athenian tyrant Peisistratos in the 6th century BC. Numerous ancient olive trees also exist near Pelion in Greece. The age of an olive tree in Crete, claimed to be over 2,000 years old, has been confirmed on the basis of tree ring analysis.

An olive tree in Algarve, Portugal, is 2000 years old, according to radiocarbon dating.

An olive tree in Bar, Montenegro, is claimed to be over 2,000 years old.

 Olivo della Linza. 15th century.

An olive tree on the island of Brijuni (Brioni), Istria in Croatia, has been calculated to be about 1,600 years old. It still gives fruit (about 30 kg/66 lb per year), which is made into top quality olive oil.

The town of Bshaale, Lebanon claims to have the oldest olive trees in the world (4000 BC for the oldest), but no scientific study supports these claims. Other trees in the towns of Amioun appear to be at least 1,500 years old.

According to a recent scientific survey, there are dozens of ancient olive trees throughout Israel and Palestine, 1,600–2,000 years old. Ancient trees include two giant olive trees in Arraba and five trees in Deir Hanna, both in the Galilee region, which have been determined to be over 3,000 years old,although the credibility of the study that produced these dates has been questioned.[citation needed] All seven trees continue to produce olives.

Several trees in the Garden of Gethsemane (from the Hebrew words "gat shemanim" or olive press) in Jerusalem are claimed to date back to the time of Jesus.

Some Italian olive trees are believed to date back to Roman times, although identifying progenitor trees in ancient sources is difficult. A tree located in Santu Baltolu di Carana (municipality of Luras) in Sardinia, Italy, named with respect as the Ozzastru by the inhabitants of the region, is claimed to be 3,000 to 4,000 years old according to different studies.[citation needed] There are several other trees of about 1,000 years old within the same garden. The 15th-century trees of Olivo della Linza located in Alliste province of Lecce in Puglia were noted by Bishop Ludovico de Pennis during his pastoral visit to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nardò-Gallipoli in 1452.



 Importance

Nutritive value and composition: 

Olive is good source of edible oil and is also used for table purpose particularly for pickles. The olive has not only nutritional and medicinal value but its fat content is also free from cholesterol. It is also used in food preservation, textile industry and cosmetic preparation along with variety of other purposes. It contents six type of acids with a dominating oleic acid content upto 74.5%. Chemical composition of olive fruit, oil and fruit constituents are given in table 1,2 and 3 respectively.

Table-1. Chemical composition of different parts of fruit (%)

                                                  Fruit                        Pulp                        Stone                      Seed 

  

Water                                     45-55                       50-60                       10                            30

Oil                                         13-28                       15-30                         0.7                           17

N Compound                        1.5-2.0                        2-4                           3.3                           10

C.Compund                            18-40                        3-7                          79                            29

Fibre                                         5-8                        3-6                           -                               -

Ash                                          1-2                        1-2                           4.0                           1.5

Undetermined                       -                               -                                3.0                           2.5

 

Table-2. Composition of olive oil (Medium ripe olives) 

 

Palmitic acid                        13.2%

Palmitoleic acid                    0.7%

Steric acid                           2.2%

Oleic acid                            74.5%

Linoleic acid                         9.2%

Linolenic acid                       Traces

Arachic acid                         0.1%

Unsaponif                             1.2%

Hydrocarbon                        500 mg%

Squalen                              500 mg %

Sterols                               100 mg%

Carotinoids                         100 mg%

Tocopherol                          62 ppm

 

Table-3. Description of fruit constituent

Fruit weight                           1.5-10 g

Fruit volume                          1-10 ml

Skin                                        1.5-3.0 %

Pulp                                        70-85%

Stone                                      13.0-25.0%

Seed                                       2.0-4.0%

  Potential Area

  The commercial and wild plantation are found in two belts around the world between 30-45 o North and South  of the equator.  Since Pakistan lies in between these belt, hence it is possible to grow olive in the country . The wild species of olive are found abundantly in different parts of the country particularly in the provinces of NWFP and Balochinstan which indicate that improved varieties can also be grown successfully. Keeping in view the importance of this crop, olive cultivation and improvement work has been initiated at NARC. The survey of  potential areas of Pakistan with suitable ecology for olive cultivation indicates that olive can successfully be gown in tribal area in NWFP, Swat, Dir, Malakand, Loralai, Khuzar and  Quetta with suitable management practices. Oil Extraction  Plant was installed in Tarnab (Peshawar). in order to push the crop on commercial lines. Improved varieties of olive imported from Italy have been planted in Swat, Dir, Malakand, Loralai and at NARC Islamabad. In addition to Italian cultivars, four Turkish  olive cultivars were also introduced and planted at NARC for evaluation studies during 1986. Some of these cultivar have shown good performance and giving good yield in Baluchistan and at NARC Islamabad for last 4-5 years.

Production Techniques

  Climate: 
The plant is generally grown in Mediterranean region where summers are warm and dry with mild rainy winter. The spring and autumn seasons are short. It also requires some chilling period during winter for successful flowering and fruiting but the winter temperature should not go below 0oC for long time. It can also be grown commercially in sub-tropical zones at the altitude of 2000-3000 ft from sea level but maximum temperature during flowering  and fruit setting should not more than 28oC for getting good crop.

Soil: 
It can be grown in all type of soils provided irrigation water is available but deep well drained sandy loam soil with 5% clay and soil PH from 5.6 to 8.5 is preferred for olive growing.

Propagation: 
There are two methods of propagation  i) Sexual   ii) Asexual

Sexual: 
Olive propagated by seed gives the great deformity of progeny from parent tree. This technique is used only for genetic improvement of the species and for the production of seedling to be used as rootstock.

Asexual:
This method include grafting, cutting and root suckers and ovules for propagation.

a. Grafting: 

This method is successfully and economically applied for olive propagation particularly for those cultivars with self rooting problem. One year old seedling with stem diameter of 6-8 cm are suitable for grafting. Investigations have shown that high  percentage of grafting success can be obtained when plants are grafted during February through pen grafting technique.

b. Cutting: 

Olive can be successfully propagated from cuttings under mist. The results of the experiments conducted at NARC reveal that cuttings of 10-15 cm length of last year growth treated with 3000 ppm IBA and plant in sand culture under mist in greenhouse (temperature ranging from 20-28oC with relative humidity 90%) give more than 70% rooting success.

  Planting: 

There are two seasons of olive plantation during the year i.e. autumn and spring. The best period of the year is autumn (September -October) if the area is free from frost. It is because the development of the root system is easier and plants are in more favourable conditions for vegetative growth during next spring. On the other hand, if winter is severely cold, plantation should be done in early spring before the beginning of new vegetative growth. Field should be ploughed well and leveled properly and pits measuring 2 x 2’  should be dug before plantation. Pit should be filled with well rotten F.Y.M mixed with surface soil and silt in the ratio of 1:1:1. Generally olive is planted at 5 x 6 or 6 x 6 m from plant to plant and row to row distance according to the  variety and  fertility of soil. After planting the tree, irrigate them immediately.

Irrigation: 

Although olive is drought resistant but cultivated varieties need to be irrigated frequently depending upon the climatic conditions at least for two years untill the trees become established. The incidence of prolonged dry spell leads to the shriveling and drops of fruit after fruit setting.

  Under barani condition 400-500 mm average annual rainfall well distributed, particularly during the critical period is considered sufficient for cropping. Where rainfall is not secure, 2-3 irrigation’s at critical stage are very important for getting  economical crop. The first critical period starts during the first bud differentiation and blooming , 2nd after fruit setting and during the development of fruit growth.

  Pollination: Although olive flowers are hermaphrodite in nature but most of the cultivars are self in compatible, only a few cultivars are self  pollinating i.e. Frantoio, Ascolana, Tenera but the production is improved by cross pollination. When cultivars are selected suitable pollinizer varieties should be planted at least 8-10% trees in the grove. Some of the scultivars alongwith their suitable pollinizers are given below:

Cultivars                                                Pollinizers

Frantoio                                                 Pendolino, Morchiaio 

Lecciono                                                Pendolino, Morchiaio

Moraiolo                                                Pendolino, Morchiaio

  Fertilizer:  Manuring and fertilization encourage the vegetative growth and fruiting of the tree. Application of NPK depends upon the soil condition, fertility of soil and age of the tree. The olive tree needs more nitrogenous fertilizer than phosphorous and potash. Potash and phosphoric fertilizer should be incorporated in the soil before planting of trees at the rate of 200 kg and 300 kg per hectare respectively. It should be mixed thoroughly with soil with deep ploughing. Application of these fertilizers should be repeated after every 3-4 years. The best time of nitrogen fertilizer is before the flowering after fruit setting and at the  stone hardening. The schedule of nitrogen fertilizer is given below:

 

Age of tree                            N dose/tree                                           Time of application

1 year                                     60-80 gm urea in 3 doses                  During the growing season from April
                                                                                                        to July

2 year                                     200-250gm urea in two equal              Before growth start and in June

                                                                                                           doses

3 year                                     300gm (200+100)                               In the beginning of growth and in June

4 year                                     400mg urea (200+150)                        Before the blooming and after fruit  
                                                                                                           setting

5 year                                     500gm urea (300+200)                        Before the blooming and after setting

With the age and increasing the production of tree nitrogenous fertilizer should be increased accordingly.

Pruning and training: The main task of pruning is to modify the vegetative growth and regulate its production efficiency. It should also aim at lowering the bearing head, removal of non-bearing wood and proper spacing of shoots. This is attained by thinning out and light heading back of shoot. Olive bears fruit on one year old branch and pruning is generally practiced after every two years.

Picking and harvesting:  Olive are picked when the fruit has changed colour from deep green to a straw or cherry red colour but before it turn . Generally olives, are picked on the tree, off the ground and with mechanical device.

Diseases and pests: The common diseases in olive plant are trunk decay, sooty mould and peacock spot. The peacock spot is characterized by zoned ring spots on the leaves which start in January in the lower part of the tree and may result in complete defoliation. Spraying the tree with 2% Bordeaux mixture can control the disease. The bacterial knot appears in the form of numerous irregular tumors and galls resembling canker. It is very contagious and can also be controlled with Bordeaux mixture. The common olives pests are olive fly, olive moth, twig cutters, Bark beetle, Woolly aphid and scale etc. olive moth, twig, cutter, thrips and scales can be controlled with malathion at 2 ml/l. Activities of olive fly starts during August and cause severe damage to the fruit. Rogor at the rate of 1-2 ml/l is considered effective to save the fruit from damage of olive fly. Wooly aphid suck the sap of tree and excrete the white sticky secretion which results in stop of the plant growth. Dimecron/Karate at 1-2 ml/1 lit of water can be used effectively against this insect.

Pickling of a green olive: 

The fruits are picked when light green or of straw colour and dipped in 1-2% solution of NaoH. This treatment is continued for 24-48 hours, until the lye penetrate about 3/4 pit of fruit. The lye solution is then removed and fruit, are washed thoroughly with water. During the treatment light is avoided as it results in undesirable darkening of the fruit. After washing, fruit is placed in 6-8% Nacl solution for 2-3 weeks. After that olive are placed in a con