Olive oil is the coveted treasure of olive trees

Manuel Martínez Cano, agricultural engineer and professor at the School of Agricultural Engineering of the University of Extremadura, Badajoz, explains, “The Romans were responsible for spreading both the olive grove and the oil in all the territories they conquered. . . until the Mediterranean region became the main olive-growing area in the world, like Spain and France.” This represents 98 percent of the olive grove area.

Currently, there are three types of oil: extra virgin olive oil, which is of the highest quality and without defects; Virgin olive oil, which is of high quality despite some elemental defect (severity) up to the permissible limit of 3.5 percent.

Both can be purchased directly from outlets, and olive pomace oil can be marketed after processing.

“In Ibero-America, the countries with the largest extensions of olive trees and oil production, in order of importance, are Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and El Salvador, which together harvest 1.7 percent of olive groves. The world and its oil production is 2.3 percent”, said the engineer. refers to

Manuel Martínez Cano, agricultural engineer and professor of olive growing and olive oil technology at the Agricultural Engineering School of Badajoz, University of Extremadura, explains to EFE the history of olive oil and why it is considered the best world oil.

“There are two hypotheses about the origin of the olive tree directly related to the expansion of oil, one indicates its origin in the area between Syria, Lebanon and Israel, and the second hypothesis points to Asia Minor, that is, the area of ​​Turkey, although both are very close, with a high density of olive trees”.

The Romans, the protagonists of their expansion

The engineer added, “The olive tree spread throughout North Africa in the 16th century BC. C.; It spread as far as Greece and reached Italy, where the Romans were responsible for spreading both the olive grove and oil, and all the territories it conquered as far as the Mediterranean region, such as Spain and France. It became a major olive growing area and currently represents 98 percent of the world’s olive grove surface.

The quality of the oil has improved a lot, “thanks to the fact that it is improving with the modernization of the oil mills (the Arabic word means: the plant or where the oil is extracted) because there is more knowledge”, says Martínez.

Since their introduction by the Romans, all oil mills were stone presses, and generally the oil produced was of low quality, the impurity of the extraction systems and the use of very ripe olives facilitating the operation of the presses. .

For the agronomist, “with modern extraction systems, centrifuging, oil can be produced with less ripe, green olives, and obtain a more sound quality oil with higher levels of antioxidants, polyphenols… and its constituents. Fatty acids, especially monounsaturated, are healthy.”

Additional Virgin Olivia, Virgin Olivia and Olivia Pomace

Currently, there are three types of oil: extra virgin olive oil, which is of the highest quality and without defects; Virgin olive oil, which is of high quality, although it has some elemental defects (severe). The permissible limit is up to 3.5 percent. Both can be purchased directly from the outlets.

“The third oil that we can find at the points of sale is olive pomace oil, which is obtained through the by-products of oil mills. This oil must be refined and mixed with olive oil. Extra virgin olives or virgin olive oil“What is known as olive pomace oil is obtained after processing with a level of acidity that can reach 1.5 pH,” says the expert.

There is also what is called kerosene because it was used as fuel for oil lamps. “It’s a very low-quality oil, with many defects, and direct marketing is completely prohibited. You have to take it to the refiners to remove all the smell, color and taste and mix it with virgin olive oil,” says Martínez.

The permissible level of acidity of each of these oils is based on their high or low quality, they are for extra virgin olive oil, up to 0.8 degrees of acidity, 0.1º, 0.2º and 0.3º. High quality; Virgin olive oil has an acidity level of 0.8º to 2º; The pomace oil, after processing, can have a maximum of 1.5º, but from 2 degrees it is considered a lampante olive oil.

For example, to season a salad, Martínez Cano recommends an extra virgin oil, “Although there are very bitter and very spicy varieties, it depends on the taste of the consumer, but it is an oil that can withstand frying. When it comes to most candies, the best candies use light oils like sunflower oil. prefer to use because it does not impart such a strong flavor to their desserts that it can overshadow what they want to impart to their dishes.

Quality of palm, soybean and sunflower oil

“The highest level of nutritional properties and the best vegetable oil is undoubtedly olive oil, especially the content of unsaturated and monosaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid. However, it is not consumed much. The most consumed in the world are palm oil and soybean oil, which have a significant amount of saturated fatty acids, and They have huge nutritional problems,” the expert underlines.

“Sunflower oil -continues Martínez-, when it is quality and a refining process, although it does not reach olive oil, it acquires important properties. Its main component is linoleic oil, rich in Omega 6, whose function is to hydrate, protect and repair the skin. is

Olive trees and their oil production span all continents. When it began its journey in the Americas, entering the Antilles in the Caribbean, it gradually became accustomed and cultivated in California (USA), where today, there are large areas of olive groves and important oil production. .

And countries like China, Japan or Australia have developed large expanses of olive trees for olive oil production. With 12% of world consumption and more than 75% imported from Spain and Italy, the United States is currently the largest consumer of olive oil in the world.

Expansion of olive oil in Latin America

“In Ibero-America, the countries with the largest expansions of olive trees and oil production are, in order of importance, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and El Salvador, which together account for 1.7% of the area harvested from olive groves. The world and its oil production account for 2.3%, It still exists A small amount compared to 75% World production is produced in Europe, above all in Italy and France, with Spain leading the way,” notes the engineer.

“These data show a change in attitudes regarding oil consumption, as it has shifted from consuming low-quality oils to better ones, such as virgin olive oil,” concludes Manuel Martínez.