Like wine, no two olive oils are exactly alike. There are at least 60 different kinds of olives, and each oil is different because of the soil, climate, olive type, and processing method. And like wine, olive oil is a changing, “living food. “.
There are many types of olive trees, but the domesticated Olea Europaea is the most common. It is a hardy evergreen tree with silver-green leaves that does best in dry, arid climates and mild winters. Olive trees can often be hundreds of years old and still bear fruit. They start producing fruit that can be used after five to eight years.
About 800 million olive trees grow around the world, in places like Australia and California. However, the 20 or so countries that make up the International Olive Oil Council produce 98 percent of the world’s olive oil. The IOOC operates under a United Nations treaty and sets standards of quality for member countries. Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world, followed closely by Italy. Greece is the third-largest producer, though it uses more olive oil per capita than any other country.
Worldwide, about 10 million metric tons of olives are produced each year. Nine million metric tons, or 93% of the crop, are pressed to make olive oil. One million metric tons are used for table olives. Only 15 to 20 kilograms (33 to 44 pounds) of olives will come from an old olive tree every year. One tree can only make three to four liters of oil a year, since it takes about five kilograms of olives to make one liter of oil. This is a very small amount of oil to make.
The olive is a drupe, a fruit like the peach and the plum, with a single hard stone. An olive branch will bear 10 to 40 clusters of the fruit. The olive’s flesh gets bigger as it ripens. Six to eight months after the tree’s flowers first show up, the olives are fully ripe and have the most oil.
When the olives are ready, pickers stand on ladders propped up on the branches and pick each one by hand, putting them in net bags as they go. Hand picking assures that each olive is not damaged, and that only the fully ripe olives are picked. Even though olives are picked by machines, these machines can’t tell the difference between ripe and unripe olives.
Right away, the olives are taken to an olive oil mill, where they are pressed for oil either that same day or the next, before they start to oxidize and ferment. The fruit of the tree, the freshly picked olives, are far too bitter and sour to eat. This is one of nature’s great ironies. Before the fruit can be eaten, it needs to be washed, soaked, brined or salted, and left to age. Virgin olive oil, on the other hand, comes from freshly picked bitter olives and is extracted without using heat, chemicals, or solvents. It should have a lush, rich flavor and a velvety texture, and it is ready to use right away.
“Cold-pressed” olive oil comes from olives that have been crushed with a traditional millstone or a stainless steel grindstone. No heat or chemicals are added during the process, which produces a heavy olive paste. The paste is then spread over thick, round straw or plastic mats that are placed in a press. This press extracts the liquid from the paste—a combination of oil and water. Either decanting or centrifuging are used to separate the oil from the water. The oil is then filtered to get rid of any big particles.
The resulting oil is then graded and classified, according to standards established by the IOOC. The finest oil has the lowest acidity, which is measured as a percentage per 100 grams of oil.
Extra Virgin: An olive oil can be called extra virgin if it has certain tastes and a total acidity of 1% or less. This means that it has perfect smells and tastes. Because of its purity, distinct taste, and limited production, extra virgin olive oil is the most expensive.
Virgin: The next grade down, virgin olive oil is produced without heat or additives, just like extra virgin. Virgin olive oil smells and tastes great, but it may have up to 2 percent more acidity than extra virgin olive oil. “Ordinary virgin olive oil,” rarely available in this country, may have up to 3. 3 percent acidity.
Olive Oil: The most popular type of olive oil is now just called “olive oil.” This is the new name for what used to be called “pure olive oil” or “100% pure olive oil.” Extra virgin olive oil costs more than a quarter as much as this oil, which has less than a 1. 5 percent and is a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil. If the producer wants a certain flavor, the amount of virgin oil in a blended oil can be anywhere from 5 to 25 percent. This group includes the new “lite” olive oils, which taste and feel lighter than virgin olive oils but have the same amount of calories and fat.
Oil from Olive Pomace: This oil comes from pomace, which is the pulpy olive waste that comes after virgin olive oil has been taken out. Solvents are used to extract the oil, which is similar to how seed oils are made. The oil is then mixed with virgin olive oil. Pomace is usually the least expensive olive-derived oil product but may not be sold as olive oil. Production is limited and continues to decline because of advances in olive pressing technology.
Storing olive oil As long as it is properly cared for, olive oil has a long shelf life. Because it has antioxidants, it will stay fresh longer than other oils. In a restaurant, it will be eaten before the flavor goes away. Under proper conditions, olive oil may last up to 12 months (18 months if stored in metal containers). To keep olive oil fresh, buy it in tins or dark glass bottles. Light, heat, and air can damage it. The best place to store well-sealed containers is in a cool, dark place.
Oive oil can also be refrigerated, though it will become hazy. When the kitchen is hot, it’s best to keep big amounts in the fridge and pour out small amounts that will be used up quickly.
Occasionally, extra virgin oil will have particles floating in it. Not to worry. This is unfiltered olive oil, considered prime oil in the producing countries. The tiny bits of pressed olives that have been left in the oil add flavor and color.
How to choose an oil Personal taste, cost effectiveness and availability are important issues when choosing olive oils. But what appeals to you may not necessarily be the choice of a colleague. Nature, fortunately, has provided a wide range of styles and flavors.
It would be simple if you could group olive oil grades by how they taste, but that’s not possible. Some extra virgin oils are very rich but not too strong, others are fruity and light, and still others smell and taste like pepper and are almost too strong. Like the wines that small wineries make, the extra virgin olive oils that they make may taste different from year to year. The olive oil from large producers, particularly those who do a lot of exporting, tends to be consistent.
Professional chefs who know a lot about olive oil say they can tell the country of origin of an oil even when they are not tasting it. What they probably know most of the time, though, is a style that comes from a certain country.
The olive oil doesn’t have to be from a certain country to be bottled and labeled in that country. However, the oil and its grade must meet IOOC standards. The oil itself can come from different parts of the same country or from one or more other countries, but each producer will usually try to make the oil taste like it does in their own country. ”.
Some chefs choose which olive oils to use with which dishes in order to get the most authentic taste. For example, Spanish oil is used for paella, Greek oil for mezze, and French oil from Provence for tapenade. Restaurants usually have a few different kinds of olive oil on hand. An extra virgin olive oil is used for some cold dishes and room service. A virgin olive oil is used for sautéing, braising, roasting, and grilling. A pomace olive oil is used for frying.
There is a substance called an antioxidant that makes fats and oils last longer by slowing down the rate at which they go bad. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are examples of manufactured anti-oxidants allowed by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for use in foods.
The point at which an oil will catch fire but not keep going (650oF for olive oil) is called its flash point.
Foaming: The development and persistence of froth on the surface of fats or oils during frying. Foaming can indicate fat breakdown, but may also result from the presence of foreign material.
Hydrogenated: The addition of hydrogen to the molecule of an unsaturated oil or fat to make it solid. polyunsaturated: A fatty acid with two free carbon links. Most of the polyunsaturated fats in food come from oils from plants and fish, but coconut oil is an exception.
Pro-oxident: A substance that speeds up the reaction of fats with oxygen. Copper and iron are pro-oxidants. saturated: A fatty acid with no free carbon links. Unsaturated fats have a greater potential to develop rancidity. There is a fatty acid that changes from a liquid to a solid when hydrogen is added to an unsaturated oil.
At what temperature does oil start to smoke when heated at a certain rate? This is called the smoke point. A high smoke point is good for frying fat and shows that it has been refined well, but the amount of time that you have to fry something before it starts to smoke is a better indicator of how stable it is. A good cooking oil will have a smoke point between 420oF and 450oF. Olive oil has a smoke point of 437oF.
Olive oil is a beloved culinary staple across many cuisines But have you ever wondered how many olive trees it takes to make this delicious “liquid gold”? Let’s take a detailed look at olive oil production to find out,
Olive Fruit Production Per Tree
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On average, a mature olive tree produces 15-20 kg (33-44 lbs) of olives per year
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Olive trees start bearing fruit after 5-8 years, reaching peak production at 20 years old.
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Production declines after 50 years, but trees can remain productive for centuries.
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Yield depends on climate, variety, farming methods, and tree health and age.
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Well-cared for trees in ideal climates can produce up to 40-50 kg (80-110 lbs).
So a single olive tree yields a modest harvest, even under optimal conditions.
Olive Oil Yield Per Tree
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It takes about 5 kg (11 lbs) of olives to make 1 liter of olive oil.
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So each tree produces around 3-4 liters (3.1-4.2 quarts) of olive oil annually.
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Top producers may yield up to 5 liters (1.3 gallons) per tree.
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With standard 500 ml bottles, one tree produces about 6 bottles of oil yearly.
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The oil content of olives averages 10-20% by weight.
While olive trees live long lives, their annual oil output from fruit is relatively low.
Estimating Trees Needed for Commercial Production
Commercial olive oil operations need many trees to produce substantial volumes. Some estimates:
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An acre of olive trees contains roughly 100-150 trees.
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1 hectare (2.5 acres) contains at least 200-300 trees.
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An olive grove of 500 trees produces about 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of oil.
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At 3 liters per tree, 1,000 trees will yield 3,000 liters (793 gallons).
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An olive grove with 10,000 trees can produce 30,000 liters (7,925 gallons).
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Large commercial farms may have over 100,000 trees.
So the more trees, the more potential oil volume from the annual harvest.
Ideal Conditions for Maximizing Olive Oil Yield
To improve yields, olive growers should provide:
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Well-draining, fertile soil for strong tree growth.
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Consistent moisture and supplemental irrigation in dry climates.
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Sunny locations with minimal winter frost.
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Protection from strong winds which desiccate trees.
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Regular fertilization, pruning, and pest control.
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Harvest timing when olives reach peak oil content.
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Gentle mechanical harvesting to minimize bruised fruit.
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Quick processing within 24 hours of harvest.
Meeting olive tree needs results in greater fruit and oil quantities.
Factors Impacting Olive Oil Production
Several variables influence possible oil volume:
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Tree variety – some cultivars are naturally high producers.
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Tree age – peak yield occurs around 20 years old.
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Climate and growing region – warmth and sun improve production.
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Soil conditions – poor soils limit tree health and fruit yields.
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Farming methods – impacts tree strength and olive quality.
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Crop maintenance – proper care enhances yields.
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Harvesting technique – gently handled fruit has higher oil content.
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Processing method – quality equipment maximizes oil extraction.
Consider all these factors when estimating potential olive oil output.
Yield From Small-Scale Home Production
For residential growers with just a few trees:
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Expect approximately 3-5 liters (0.8-1.3 gallons) of oil per tree.
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5-10 trees can provide enough oil for a family’s yearly needs.
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Small home harvests must be processed off-site at commercial mills.
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Consider coordinating harvest timing with neighbors for processing efficiency.
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Weigh your olives before taking them to be pressed for oil.
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Oil yield averages 16-18% for small hand-harvested batches.
For personal use, just a handful of backyard trees may suffice.
Pressing Olives Into Olive Oil
To make olive oil from the harvested fruit:
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Olives are first crushed into a paste using a stone mill or steel press.
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The resulting paste is spread on fiber mats and stacked in a hydraulic press to separate the liquids from solids.
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The liquid contains both oil and water, which are then separated centrally using a centrifuge or by simple decanting to float off the lower-density oil.
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The oil may be filtered to remove impurities before grading and bottling.
Proper equipment and handling optimizes the amount of oil extracted.
Maximizing Yield Through Pruning
Regular pruning helps maximize olive yields through:
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Removing old wood and encouraging new fruitful shoots.
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Improving light penetration and air circulation for tree health.
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Balancing vegetative growth and directing energy towards fruiting.
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Facilitating harvest with open canopies and controlled tree heights.
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Renewing declining trees by pruning back severely to stumps.
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Managing pests and diseases by removing infections and dead wood.
Along with cultivation methods, pruning sustains olive productivity.
On average, a single mature olive tree can produce 3-5 liters of olive oil annually. However, yields vary considerably based on climate, variety, tree age, and growing conditions. Small home growers may only need 5-10 trees to supply their family. But commercial operations require tens of thousands of trees planted across many acres to generate substantial olive oil volume. With the right horticultural practices, olive trees continue yielding delicious oil for generations.
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How I Produce Olive Oil Using My Own Olive Trees
How much oil does an olive tree produce?
Olive trees typically yield 1 to 14 liters of olive oil on average. Yield varies based on factors like olive quantity, ripeness, variety, and weather. Average oil production from olives ranges from 10% to 20%. Emphasis on quality over quantity is advised, especially for small growers.
How many olive trees do you need to grow olive oil?
5 to 10 olive trees is the average number of trees required to get enough olive oil for the average US family. Ideally, plant 10 olive trees because you’ll increase olive oil consumption once you start producing your own olive oil. On average you can expect one olive tree to bear anywhere between ten to seventy kilograms of fruit each year.
Can You Make your own olive oil?
Here’s the catch: if you grow enough olive trees, then it’s worth it to make your own olive oil. Many people have just one or two trees for decoration purposes, but in most cases, having one or two trees won’t be enough to produce your olive oil.
How many olives make an oil?
The number of olives needed to produce oil varies depending on the size and oil content. It takes about 4 – 5 pounds (2 – 2.5 kg) of olives to produce a single cup (8 ounces = 230 ml) of olive oil.
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