9.1 Origin and History
Olive is perhaps the most ancient plant known to be cultivated for its oil. The origin
of the olive plants go back into the Greek mythology. The first evidence of
cultivation is dated back to 7000 years ago in the Mediterranean Basin.
3000 years BC, this plant was already cultivated and exploited commercially in
Crete. Considering the dramatic influence of olive and its products in the life and
history of people living in the Mediterranean Basin, as well as its symbolic connotations, economical significance and influence on gastronomy, books on this plant
have been written centuries or millennia ago. References to olive are found in
Ancient Greek literature, e.g. Homer poems, as well as in the Ancient Roman
writers, e.g. Pliny the Elder and Vitruvius who tried to “scientifically” report
information on this plant, its cultivation and uses.
A chapter providing information on the origin of the olive plant has been authored
by Polymerou-Kamilakis in the book Olive Oil: Chemistry and Technology, edited
by Boskou (2006). It contains details about its history and myths related to the origin
of olive growing, as well as the multiple traditional uses of products obtained from
the olive plant. The oil extracted from the olive fruits was used in many applications,
including heating and lighting with torches, as well as in cosmetics, spreading on the
body or for haircare. Its symbolic meaning made olive oil a precious element in
rituals and worship ceremonies.
Olive oil has been used since millennia for human nutrition, and extensive trade
has been described since the Roman Empire, e.g. when the region of Andalucía in
Spain produced olive oil that was exported to other regions including Rome.
A possible reason for which olive oil is probably one of the most ancient
vegetable oils used for human consumption is the relative ease of oil extraction.
The simplest mean to obtain olive oil was to crush the olive fruits and naturally
separate the lipid fraction from the water and solid fraction by natural decantation.
During the Roman age, a millstone crusher was used, and the crushed meal was
separated by presses. A great innovation was obtained in the seventeenth century
with the use of hydraulic press, while obvious advantages were given by the
electricity in the modern era. One of the latest innovations in the olive oil technology
was the introduction of centrifugal decantation systems during the 1960s, allowing
continuous separation of the oil, water and solid fractions. The following sections of
this chapter describe its composition, health benefits and food applications, as well
as details on the systems currently available for olive oil production.
9.2 Production
Olive oil has a limited production with respect to other vegetable oils, but it has a
paramount importance in terms of economic significance for the producing countries
and interest for consumers worldwide. This is due to its health properties and unique
212
N. Caporaso and D. Boskou
Olive is perhaps the most ancient plant known to be cultivated for its oil. The origin
of the olive plants go back into the Greek mythology. The first evidence of
cultivation is dated back to 7000 years ago in the Mediterranean Basin.
3000 years BC, this plant was already cultivated and exploited commercially in
Crete. Considering the dramatic influence of olive and its products in the life and
history of people living in the Mediterranean Basin, as well as its symbolic connotations, economical significance and influence on gastronomy, books on this plant
have been written centuries or millennia ago. References to olive are found in
Ancient Greek literature, e.g. Homer poems, as well as in the Ancient Roman
writers, e.g. Pliny the Elder and Vitruvius who tried to “scientifically” report
information on this plant, its cultivation and uses.
A chapter providing information on the origin of the olive plant has been authored
by Polymerou-Kamilakis in the book Olive Oil: Chemistry and Technology, edited
by Boskou (2006). It contains details about its history and myths related to the origin
of olive growing, as well as the multiple traditional uses of products obtained from
the olive plant. The oil extracted from the olive fruits was used in many applications,
including heating and lighting with torches, as well as in cosmetics, spreading on the
body or for haircare. Its symbolic meaning made olive oil a precious element in
rituals and worship ceremonies.
Olive oil has been used since millennia for human nutrition, and extensive trade
has been described since the Roman Empire, e.g. when the region of Andalucía in
Spain produced olive oil that was exported to other regions including Rome.
A possible reason for which olive oil is probably one of the most ancient
vegetable oils used for human consumption is the relative ease of oil extraction.
The simplest mean to obtain olive oil was to crush the olive fruits and naturally
separate the lipid fraction from the water and solid fraction by natural decantation.
During the Roman age, a millstone crusher was used, and the crushed meal was
separated by presses. A great innovation was obtained in the seventeenth century
with the use of hydraulic press, while obvious advantages were given by the
electricity in the modern era. One of the latest innovations in the olive oil technology
was the introduction of centrifugal decantation systems during the 1960s, allowing
continuous separation of the oil, water and solid fractions. The following sections of
this chapter describe its composition, health benefits and food applications, as well
as details on the systems currently available for olive oil production.
9.2 Production
Olive oil has a limited production with respect to other vegetable oils, but it has a
paramount importance in terms of economic significance for the producing countries
and interest for consumers worldwide. This is due to its health properties and unique
212
N. Caporaso and D. Boskou