A
native of Asia Minor, the olive tree spread from Iran, Syria and
Palestine to the rest of the Mediterranean basin some 6000 years
ago. As one of the oldest known cultivated trees in the World,
olives were grown in Crete as early as 3000 BC and may have been
the source of wealth of the Minoan Empire.
The Phoenicians
brought the olive tree to the Mediterranean shores of Africa and
Southern Europe. Latterly, olive culture spread to the Greeks
and Romans, who introduced olives to other cultures throughout
the Roman empire.
Olive oil
is the major, edible, vegetable oil of Mediterranean countries.
The olive tree can tolerate harsh climates and poor soils, with
some trees over 500 years old, still bearing healthy fruit. Only
healthy olive fruits are used to produce olive powder.
Despite the
high market price of olive oil, its subtle sensory characteristics
account for its popularity. Furthermore, there is increasing interest
in the nutritional and functional properties of olives, which
make a significant contribution to the healthy Mediterranean diet.
Olive
Powder |
2003 |
Swiss
inventor – Albert Zumbe |
Two
phases process |
30
years ago |
Italy |
Decantation |
500
years ago |
North
of Africa |
Press |
2,000
years ago |
Roman
Empire introduces the technique throughout the Mediterranean |
Stone
Mill |
2,700
years ago |
Ancient
Greece City of Olympia |
Manual
Press |
5,000
years ago |
Ancient
Egypt |
|