Preparation
Just 2 hours from the start of the working day, the first batches of olives arrive at the oil mill, where our “factory master” makes a first visual inspection of the condition of the fruit, checking that it is healthy and with a good exterior appearance.
Subsequently it is processed in the cleaning plant, consisting of separating the olive from possible impurities such as leaves and branches, using a cyclone that blows them, and then it is sent for storage in the stainless steel hoppers and for its immediate processing.
The crushing and beating is performed cold, with temperatures below 21ºC, in this way maintaining all the volatile components that cause the fruity aromas and flavours that are transmitted from the fruit to the juice, just the same as if we were talking about oranges.
After the beating process comes the physical centrifugation, which consists of the separation of the liquid part; alpechin or olive juice (vegetation water) and oil, from the solid part: mass (stones, pulp, …) as a result of the different densities forming the olive’s components.
As a final phase for the processing of the oil, it is cleaned in the vertical centrifuge, which as in the horizontal centrifuge, consists of separating the liquid (oil) – liquid (alpechin), using its different densities. At the exit from this vertical centrifuge the master makes his classification of the oil that will go to different tanks, depending on the tasting.