Achieve better extraction                                                with the use of Pectinex Enzymes

Olive Oil is said to be the ‘fruit juice’ of the olive and is able to be consumed directly after processing. 

For decades, industrial pectolyic enzymes, produced by micro-organisms, are used in fruit juice and wine production and was therefore able to apply this concept to olive oil productions. Over 30 years ago the first attempts were made by adding pectolytic enzymes to the malaxing process.

In the olive fruit, 96 - 98% of the oil is found in the flesh (mesocarp) and skin (epicarp). The remaining oil is found in the pit (endocarp).  The majority of the oil is located in the vacuoles but the bound oil is not accessible in the extraction process and is therefore lost in the waste. When processing, the oil that has been released has been done by the natural enzymes contained in the olive fruit.

You are now able to extract more of this so-called 'lost oil' and can be achieved when enzymes are added to the malaxing process to break down the bound cells to release extra oil that would have normally been disposed of with the waste.

Earlier trials have concluded that for every 1 tonne of fruit processed you will receive an extra 1% of oil (in some trial this result has been much higher). This means an extra 10 litres per tonne of fruit processed. At the malaxing stage of the processing you need to add between 100 - 200 mls of Pectolyic enzymes, which works out to be $18.00, to achieve the extra oil.

Other benefits of using enzymes is...

• Increased yield due to the release of bound oil.
• Improved oil storage stability as the amount of antioxidants is increased.
• Improved flavour, taste etc as the extraction is more complete.
• Helps to process difficult batches i.e. with high moisture content.
• Better filterability of the oil as it contains lesser impurities.
• Low cost to achieve more oil.

Talc can be used in olive oil extraction processing to help reduce excessive moisture content.  Talc is added to the malaxing tanks.

Talc is also able to be sourced only available in bulk quantities.