Saltar al contenido

Sector Information

 

THE TREE OF LIFE

If a tree exists that ahs earned the title of the tree of life, it is without any doubt, the olive. In papyruses of old Egypt, in the Bible, in the Koran and in other sacred books, multiple references are found pertaining to the value, importance and symbolism of the olive. The life of man has developed in parallel, to the cultivational evolution of the olive. Its uses have been varied and wide-ranging: an olive twig is the symbol of peace, the olive was used as a cosmetic and a curative ointment; as a source of light in the form of wicks and has also been used to fill Lucernes, and illumination for monasteries and cathedrals of the middle ages.during the Middle ages. The fruit of the olive tree can be found on tables all around the world and the olive oil is, always, one fo the mainstays of Mediterranean diet.

back to top

 

OLIVE GROWING

The growing of olive trees is limited by the cold, and as such olive trees are not resistant to temperatures belows -12ºC, however it can resist droughts and strong winds exceptionally well. Olive trees are very common all along the coast of the Mediterranean due to the mild Winters, rainy autums and springs, warm and dry summers and abundant sun light. Olive trees aren't very big, but they do have roots that are numerous and far reaching in their attempt to find the water reserves that the earth has to offer.

They are exceptional trees that face long and hot summers. Their fruit only matures after the warm months and the harvesting of their fruits is done in summer.and sometimes in winter. Olives produce more in open fields, even though in mountains the oil ends up being finer and tastier. Although the quality of the ground varies from place to place, olive trees adapt well to most types of terrain. They need temperaturas between 16ºC and 22ºC. Cold temperatures don't affect the tree if they aren't under -7ºC, not very long and if the tree isn' t wet.


They grow until aproximately between 400 and 600m above sea level, even though olive trees prefer the milder temperatures which are found closer to the sea. There are exceptions of course, such as those trees found in Sierra Nevada, which have been found to grow at 974m.

The olive tree is the most commonly found tree in the Mediterranean and its growing determines the climate of the area. For many years olive trees have been very important both economicly and culturaly across the whole Mediterranean area. Ecologically olive trees are good for ground conservation. Olive growing involves many people, significantly lowering the employment rates in many areas in which they are found.

Olive trees apreciate some treatmeants like:

  • One of Two deep diggings, 25cm aprox. In spring and autom.
  • Settling in September and October.
  • Treatments to avoid parasites.
  • Trimmings to make it level and stable.
  • Trimming to renew the branches and fruits.
  • A drastic trim when it has suffered from extreme cold temperaturas, fires, OR hasn't been used as a crop in years.

Olive trees have an important botanical characteristic: its leaves grow from April to October and from August to October it grows slower due to the heat and the lack of rain. In November it rests until January. It is then when it starts to grow its leaves and flowers again, which will eventually become the fruit. This is why the fruit of the year grows in the branches of the year before. This is also why olive trees sometimes grow a lot of fruits and sometimes they don't.

back to top

 

PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION

Much of the production and comsuption of olive oil is concentrated in the countries of the Mediterranean region. The European Union is the main power when it comes to worldwide influence of the produce, although Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Portugal also play a significant role. Outside of this region, production is more localized and consumption is greatly reduced, although markets such as that of the United States, Australia and Canada have developed significantly in recent years. Nevertheless olive oils are well known and consumed in all places of the world, although in smaller quantities in notably smaller markets with very difinitive characteristics.

The olive is the most widely known food in Spain as well as being on of the countries largest exports. Spain produces the most olive oil annually, with an average production of 1,000,000 tonnes a year. Spain has the largest olive groves producing more than 250 million olives that cover almost 2.5 million hectares. This surface are equates to more than 25% of the total world lang-usage dedicated to growing olives. Inhabitants of Spain consume 11kg of olive oil a year, and this figure places Spain third only behind Greece and Italy as the largest consumers of the oil in the world. In the last 10 years, Spain has exported annually more than 200,000 tonnes of olive oil (reaching the 400,000 mark in some years) making Spain the worlds largest exporter. Spain exports olive oil to more than 100 countries spanning 5 continents with Hojiblanca contributing notably to this. The production of olive oil in Spain at a regional level is as follwoing:


back to top

 

OLIVES

The flavour and quality are two strong points of Hojiblanca's extra virgin oil. To assure it's consistency and to satisfy our clients expectations, every year we work on the ideal composition, the perfect formula, the taste that characterizes each variety of the olives we use. In Hojiblanca we take care of every type of olives we use,

Hojiblanca

*Origin and Region of Cultivation.

Also called Lucentina, is found especially in Andalucía, in the province of Seville, the south of Cordoba and all of the north of the province of Malaga. It constitutes approximately 16% of olives grown in Andalusia. The olives are used as table olives as well as for producing olive oil. In this case: black "californian" whose pulp has a firm texture.

*The Plant.

From medium to good vigour, with a high fruit yield and long reaching branches. The cups have an average density, with regular surface area that are characterized the greyish green color of the young tree. It is very resistant to the cold and also adapts perfectly to limestone based soils.

*The Leaf.

A long leaf that widens slightly and is grooved. The name of this variety comes from the silver color on the back of the leaf. The greyish green back of the leaf, makes the tree appear silver when viewed at a distance.

*The Fruit and the Drupe.

The fruit is oblong and asymmetric. It is normally large and thick, although there is large variance (between 1.4 and 4.3 grams). It is almost perfectly spherical with a high percentage of pulp, between 83 and 87%. The fruit also stands up well against the cold. It flowers during the two first weeks of May, and is at its ripest during the start of the second week. It ripens somewhat late, from the end of November until the end of December. Once the fruit matures it is difficult to detach from the plant making harvesting difficult. It has a low fat content, with the average being between 23-28%.

*The oil.

Has a very stable composition of fatty acids with relatively less saturated fats than other varieties of oil. For its purpose this composition is ideal. Its stability before oxidation is not high and because of this we recommend storing these oils in a dark place with as little exposure to oxygen as possible. Oils from this tree have a large range of flavors, but generally have a sweet initial taste, with a fresh herby fragrance. While in the throat they have a light spicy flavor with hint of sourness, and an almond aftertaste.

Picual

*Origin and Region of Cultivation.

It's the most important variety of the World, representing 50% of the total olives and trees in Spain and approximately 20% of the world's. It's mainly distributed in Andalucía (major producer in the world). It's mainly cultivated in the provinces of Jaen, Cordoba and between Granada and Ciudad Real.

*The Plant.

It is characterized by good growth if with somewhat short branches, ramified, with a tendency to produce buds. Its cups are energetic and tend to be closed, with good follicle development (the young wood being a greyish green color). Its plantations have grown in size due to the high productivity of the tree. It's tolerant to frosts and adapts to diverse soils and climates, but has little resistant to droughts and to limestone based soils.

*The Leaf.

It's long, and slightly wider at its upper end. They have a dark green front and a slightly silvery back.

*The Fruit and Drupe.

The ellipsoidal shape peaks at the apex of the fruit, and this is where this variety of olive gets its name (Picual). Its size varies from medium to thick, between 2.14 and 3.66 grams. The percentage of pulp oscillates between 78 and 85%. The fat content is very high, reaching values between the 23 and 27%. It ripens the second week of November to the third week in December.

*The oil.

Analysis from a physical-chemical point of view, shows that this is an excellent oil due to its composition of fatty acids and the amount of natural antioxidants present. Its content of acid oleic monounsaturated (important to avoid risks of cardiovascular illnesses), its low content in linoleic acid (essential for the human diet, but harmful for certain organs if it appears excessively) and its high content in polifenols, makes this oil one of the most stable that there is. This means it has a greater life expectancy and has high performance when heated in a cooking environment. The oils taken from trees in flatter areas are of great body, normally bitter, with subtle woody flavor. In the mountain, they are sweeter and with a fresh and pleasant taste.

Arbequina

*Origin and Region of Cultivation.

The native oils of Catalonia are now found in many territories, among these new plantations are those in Cordoba and Malaga which both produce excellent oils.

*The Plant.

The plant, although not particularly vigorous, can be grown intensively in plantations. Its buds grow long, with little ramification or adventure. The dark greyish green color of the young wood gives this tree a broom shape. It flowers during the first two-weeks of May.

*The Leaf.

Is grooved, with a consistent thickness with a small stem and leaf that widens at the apex. Its front is green-ochre coloured whereas the back is a mixture of grey, green, and yellow.

*The Fruit and Drupe.

Is a short oval shape that is almost symmetrical. The bone is fairly small, with a pulp of between 67 and 76 percent. Due to its small size, around 1.2 grams, it is difficult to harvest mechanically. Nevertheless, due to its premature and medium length period of ripening (between the middle of December to the middle of January) it is highly thought of. The plant has a high productivity rate, and also has a high oil extraction value of around 20%.

*The oil.

The oils are young and fresh, that are more delicate in the process of oxidation that is necessary for maintaining the dark colour and low temperature needed for conservation. Production varies due to changes in the climate and conditions which the olives are grown. The virgin oils of Arbequina are dense but contain large differences depending on the area and season in which they are produced. This oil is fruity with an exotic aroma. They have a distinguishing fragrance of fresh apples accompanied by a smoothness and sweetness, and leaves a macaroon aftertaste. Oils therefore vary greatly, some have greener flavours (leafy), others bitter and spicy at the start, and sweeter in the end. Upon tasting the oils, the smell and green almond flavour along with the fluidity gives a pleasant and satisfying sensation.

back to top

 

HISTORY

The olive, the champion of mediterranean agriculture, has a long history that is intertwined with the evolution of the human species and along with crops - such as wheat and grapes - has always been the basic diet of towns boardering the Mare Nostrum (Mediterranean Sea). The European Olea species that the Spanish olive belongs to, has a hybrid origin. Possibly as the result of cross contamination of the closest species to it such as: African Olea, native to Arabia and Egypt, the Olea ferruginea, originiating in Asia, and the Olea laperrini, originating in soutern Morocco. What is clear, is that at some point in history a miracle arose: out of the criss-crossing of species the olive tree was born, that in time would become a mythological and sacred tree. Leaf fossils found in the southern archipeligo of Cicladico, are evidence that an ancestor of the olive tree we know today existed as far back as 35,000 B.C in Paleotico. The oldest remaining fossils present in Spain, are found in Garcel ( Almera), and date from the Neolitic period (5,000 B.C.).

*Historical Origin

The olive, the champion of mediterranean agriculture, has a long history that is intertwined with the evolution of the human species and along with crops - such as wheat and grapes - has always been the basic diet of towns boardering the Mare Nostrum (Mediterranean Sea). The European Olea species that the Spanish olive belongs to, has a hybrid origin. Possibly as the result of cross contamination of the closest species to it such as: African Olea, native to Arabia and Egypt, the Olea ferruginea, originiating in Asia, and the Olea laperrini, originating in soutern Morocco. What is clear, is that at some point in history a miracle arose: out of the criss-crossing of species the olive tree was born, that in time would become a mythological and sacred tree. Leaf fossils found in the southern archipeligo of Cicladico, are evidence that an ancestor of the olive tree we know today existed as far back as 35,000 B.C in Paleotico. The oldest remaining fossils present in Spain, are found in Garcel (Almera), and date from the Neolitic period (5,000 B.C.).

*Origin of Cultivating Olives

The domestication of the wild olive, and subsequent farming of it by man, came at the beginning of the Neolithic period (between 6,000 and 5,000 B.C.), and possibly in the region now known as Syria and Iran (Asia Minor).

Another theory suggests that the initial cultivation of the olive occured in the same region, but perhaps further towards the edge of the Mediterranean on the coasts of Lebanon and Palestine. The phoenician colonies are most likely the first people in history to have domesticated and adapted the wild olive tree for cultivational purposes.

All theories of the domestication of the wild olive accept, that the eventual cultivation of the olive in the Mediterranean region was as a consequence of the movement of culture from east to west.

Primarily this movement would have been to the coasts of Egypt, the Isle of Crete or other islands in the same region. Subsequently, olive cultivation spread to continental Greece and Sicily and then onto all of the Italian Peninsula. The phoenicians, since their more westerly colonies inhabited the north of Tunisia, led the way for the expansion of olive cultivation through the Western Mediterranean. By the end of second millennium olive cultivation had extended through Asia Minor, Syria, Lenanon, Palestine, Egypt and the Greek Isles. Archeological remains of old mills found in Egypt, Crete and Palestine reveal that the techniques of oil extraction were already well known to the inhabitants by the end of the second millenium of cultivation.

back to top

 

CATEGORIES OF OLIVES

From November 2003, the European Union has established a new set of regulations governing the labeling of olive oils, which will be of the following types. The category is determined by chemical analysis (one of which is acidity, in spite of the fact that this no longer appears on the label) and an organic analysis (flavour and fragrance):

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: It's the natural juice of the olive, it's acidity can't be more than 0,8º.
  • Olive Oil: is oil that comes from olives in a bad state, this oil can't be eaten raw because of its bad taste and smell, due to the industrial process it is put through. After this process it loses its taste, smell and color, and this is why a bit of virgin olive oil is added. In this mix the majority is refined oil. This is why olive oil is considered, to have nothing in common with extra virgin olive oil despite coming from the same plant.

back to top

 

THE ELABORATION FO EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Click on this link to open the olive oil presentation

back to top