FromageMagazineDec/Jan2018

De Rustica uses a state-of-the-art Alfa Laval
processing plant. At the plant, the olives are washed
before being crushed in a hammer mill. The paste
is pumped into a temperature-controlled malaxer
where it is stirred to break the cells and release the
oil.
The temperature is controlled and not allowed
to rise above 28°C to ensure the production of
cold extracted extra Virgin olive oil. Extra Virgin
classification is the highest quality of olive oil.
Simply put, the oil must pass the SA Olive tasting
panel standards and must have a fatty acid of less
than 0.8% and a peroxide value less than 20Meg/kg.
62 Fromage Dec/Jan 2018
From there, it is moved to a decanter and separator
where the oil, water and waste material are spun
and separated by centrifugal force. The oil is
defoamed before being pumped into stainless
steel storage tanks inside a temperature-controlled
storage area. Once in the tanks, the remaining
water and sediment can settle at the bottom of the
tank where it is decanted off. The oil is then ready
for final filtration, blending and bottling.
The oil can be stored for long periods of time in the
stainless-steel tanks in a temperature-controlled
environment with little to no change in quality. Twoand
a-half tons of olives can be processed within an