Olive oil is a fixed oil obtained by expression of the ripe fruits of Olea europoea Linn. or Indian olive (O. ferruginea), belonging to family Oleaceae.
OLIVE OIL
Synonyms
Salad oil; sweet oil; oleum olival.
Biological Source
Olive oil is a fixed oil obtained by expression of the ripe
fruits of Olea europoea Linn. or
Indian olive (O. ferruginea),
belonging to family Oleaceae.
Geographical Source
Olive is a native of Palestine and produced extensively in
the countries adjoining the Mediterranean Sea. Spain being the largest
producer. It is also grown in the south western United States and many other
subtropical localities.
Collection and Preparation
The olive is an evergreen tree, up to 12 m in height which
produces drupaceous fruits about 2–3 cm in length, pur-plish in colour when
ripe. The fruits are collected from November to April. After grinding, the pulp
is introduced into coarse, grass baskets, and placed in a screw press. The oil
coming out is collected into tubes containing water and the upper layer is
skimmed off. The product is called as Virgin oil obtained by gently pressing
the peeled pulp freed from the endocarp. The marc is then treated with water and
again expressed to yield second grade of edible oil. Finally, the pulp is mixed
with hot water and pressed again for technical oil. The pulp may be extracted
with carbon disulphide to obtain ‘sulphur’ olive oil of inferior quality. The
yield is from 15 to 40%. If the fruit is not fully mature, the yield of the oil
is poor and its taste is bitter.
Characteristics
Olive oil is a pale yellow or light greenish-yellow due to
presence of chlorophyll or carotenes, nondrying oily liquid with a pleasanting
delicate flavour. Taste is bland becoming cloudy and at 0°C it usually forms a
whitish granular mass. It becomes faintly acrid. It is miscible with ether,
chloroform, and carbon disulphide and is slightly soluble in alcohol. Upon
cooling at +5 to 10°, it becomes cloudy and at 0°C usually forms a whitish
granular mass. It becomes rancid on exposure to air. It has specific gravity of
0.914–0.919, acid value 0.2–2.8, saponification value 187–196, and iodine value
79–90.
Chemical Constituents
Olive oil contains mixed glycerides of oleic acid (56–85%),
palmitic (7–20%), linoleic (3–20%), stearic (1–5%), arachidic (0.9%),
palmitoleic (3%), linolenic, eicosenoic, gadoleic, and lignoceric acids. The
minor constituents are squalene up to 0.7%, phytosterol and tocopherols about
0.2%. Italy-Spain type olive oil is higher in oleic acid and Greece-Tunisia
type oil has higher levels of linoleic acid.
Identification Tests
Under UV radiation it gives deep golden-yellow colour, while
refined oil gives pale blue fluorescence. Decolourization with charcoal
removes fluorescence.
Uses
Olive oil is used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical
preparations, soaps, textile lubricants, sulphonated oils, liniments, cosmetics,
plasters; as food in salads, and for cooking and baking. It has demulcent,
emollient, choleretic or cholagogue, and laxative properties. It is a good
solvent for parenteral preparations.
Marketed Products
It is one of the ingredients of the preparation known as
Figaro oil.
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