Why would an olive need an ultrasound?
The EU produces nearly two thirds of the world’s olive oils. Yet to meet increasing demand, Europe must increase its production capacity. “Producing virgin olive oils is a mechanical process involving three key phases – crushing, malaxation and separation,” explains Stefano Cei, chief technical officer at Pieralisi. “Because malaxation is a batch-sized process, it often becomes a bottleneck, slowing down the entire production process.” With the support of the EU-funded OLIVE-SOUND project, Pieralisi has developed a machine able to extract more oil in less time, using an ultrasound reactor to run a continuous extraction process. The project has now been featured in the new CORDIS series of explanatory videos titled Make the Connection. “Our cost-effective, innovative solution turns what was once a slow and inefficient process into a continuous one,” says Cei. Not only is more oil produced, but the quality is also higher than in traditional techniques. He calls this combination of higher quantities of oil with a higher commercial value “a win-win for producers”. ‘Make the connection with EU-science’ is a series of explanatory videos focusing on the scientific content and exploitation aspects of EU research projects.
Keywords
OLIVE-SOUND, virgin olive oil, olive oils, olives, ultrasound, malaxation