Once harvested from the branch, olives embark on a long and meticulous journey before reaching our tables.

The harvesting process requires utmost care and precision, playing a pivotal role in determining the final product's quality. To illustrate its significance: "Oil extracted from olives that have touched the ground is lower in quality."

When olives arrive at the processing facility, they are first separated from any remaining twigs and leaves. Once sorted, the olive fruit undergoes a cleaning process to remove dirt, agricultural residues, and dust. Following washing, the olives move to the crushing phase, typically conducted in industrial mills where they are crushed and ground. This process releases the oil contained within the fleshy pulp surrounding the pit. The olives, now reduced to a paste-like consistency, are ready for malaxation (kneading).

During malaxation, the microscopic oil droplets within the olive paste coalesce into larger drops, causing the oil to begin separating. To accelerate the separation of oil from the paste, pressure/extraction is applied, ensuring maximum oil release. As a result, the mixture splits into three distinct components: olive oil, vegetation water (karasu), and pomace (prina). Separating the vegetation water from the oil is facilitated by the oil's lower specific gravity, allowing it to collect at the top. After this phase, the oil undergoes a final filtration step to separate any remaining fine particles.

Following this process, extra virgin olive oil is passed through cotton filters, transferred into stainless steel tanks, and prepared for bottling.

This summarizes the long journey of the olive from tree to liquid gold. Beyond traditional methods, Polat Makina—always standing by producers—manufactures Polat continuous olive oil extraction systems that utilize an interconnected series of machines designed for seamless, continuous operation.

In addition to designing and manufacturing turnkey continuous plants, Polat Makina offers standalone equipment solutions tailored to your process needs. All machinery required within the system is manufactured by Polat Makina in full compliance with food contact regulations and CE standards.

In Polat Makina continuous systems, olives are first defoliated, washed, and crushed. This workflow concludes with the malaxation of the olive paste and the extraction of premium olive oil. From the initial washing phase to the final output, the olive oil is produced entirely untouched by human hands.