Solving the virgin olive oil industry’s bottleneck problem
As the world leader in virgin olive oil extraction, the EU produces nearly 67 % of the world’s olive oils. However, to meet consumers’ increasing demand for high-quality virgin olive oils, Europe must increase its production capacity. According to Pieralisi, an Italian company specialising in olive oil production machinery, doing so starts with efficiency. “Producing virgin olive oils is a mechanical process involving three key phases – crushing, malaxation and separation,” explains Stefano Cei, chief technical officer at Pieralisi. “While the crushing and separation steps are continuous processes, because malaxation is a batch-sized process, it often becomes a bottleneck, slowing down the entire production process.” Malaxation involves slowly churning or mixing olives that have already been pressed to allow small droplets of oil to aggregate, which makes them easier to separate. Unfortunately, this process can last up to 40 minutes, meaning producers must either produce less oil or purchase more malaxation equipment. “Both choices affect the bottom line,” adds Cei. With the support of the EU-funded OLIVE-SOUND project, Pieralisi has developed a middle ground – a single machine able to extract more oil in less time. “Our cost-effective, innovative solution turns what was once a slow and inefficient process into a continuous one,” says Cei.
More quality olive oil
At the core of the solution is ultrasound technology – instead of using malaxation, OLIVE-SOUND extracts oil by treating the olive paste with ultrasound. More specifically, the equipment uses an ultrasound reactor to run a continuous extraction process that, thanks to its compact design, can be easily transported via forklift, further decreasing the need for multiple pieces of equipment. “What makes this solution so groundbreaking is not only its ability to extract more oil, but to do so with a higher polyphenolic content than what’s possible using traditional techniques,” adds Cei. “This combination of higher quantities of oil with a higher commercial value is a win-win for producers.”
Initial tests are promising
According to initial testing, the OLIVE-SOUND system can reduce processing time by as much as 70 %. It can also reduce a processing plant’s energy use, resulting in additional cost savings. “All this while still producing a higher quality virgin olive oil,” remarks Cei. The project is currently working to develop a full-scale version of the OLIVE-SOUND system, one capable of providing a 4 000 kg/hour flowrate. Once developed, further testing will be done. “Although there’s still a long way to go to get our solution to market, we are confident that, ultimately, it will succeed at solving the virgin olive oil production industry’s bottleneck problem,” concludes Cei.
Keywords
OLIVE-SOUND, virgin olive oil, olive oils, olives, ultrasound, malaxation
