The diagram elucidates the sequential stages involved in the extraction and production of olive oil, commencing with the harvesting of olives and culminating in its storage and distribution.
Overall, the process is characterised by a series of mechanical procedures designed to transform raw olives into a refined culinary product. It encompasses harvesting, cleaning, pulverisation, extraction, purification, and finally, storage and packaging for commercial purposes.
Initially, olives are meticulously harvested from olive trees, typically employing manual methods involving long-handled rakes to dislodge the fruit. Subsequently, the collected olives are transported to a processing facility where they undergo a thorough cleansing process with cold water, often facilitated by a conveyor belt system. Following this, the olives are crushed using a specialised belt-driven crusher, resulting in the separation of olive paste from the stones, ensuring that only the pulp proceeds to the next stage.
The resulting olive paste is then carefully placed into porous bags, strategically riddled with holes to facilitate efficient oil extraction. These bags are subsequently subjected to intense pressure, effectively squeezing out the oil. The extracted oil then undergoes a crucial purification process where excess water and solid remnants are meticulously separated, yielding a concentrated and refined olive oil product. Finally, this high-quality olive oil is bottled, labelled, and stored, ready for distribution and sale in retail outlets and supermarkets.