Olive trees were native to Asia Minor (also known as Anatolia, the peninsula land that constitutes the Asian part of Turkey) 6000 years ago. The olive trees were found in that area in a “wild” form, meaning that they were not cultivated yet. Their name back then was oleasters.

Image – Olive trees – Source: Freepik.com

They spread from Iran, Syria, and Palestine to the Mediterranean basin, while olive oil production began around the same time. Some of these trees still exist to this day:

• Noah’s Sisters (Lebanon): 6000 years old

This group of 16 olive trees is in the village of Bechealeh in northern Lebanon. These trees are believed to be so old that, according to the Bible, the olive tree branch that the dove brought back to Noah was from there, hence their name. Moreover, they hold the record for the olive trees planted at the highest altitude (1300 meters).

• Al-Badawi olive tree (Israel): 4000 years old

Found in the village of Al-Walaja (Bethlehem district, Israel), this amazing olive tree has a circumference of 25 metres and is still producing olives. In the same region, you can find many old trees in the garden of Gethsemane as well as in the towns of Deir Hanna and Arraba.

• Vouves olive tree (Greece): 3000-5000 years old

The tree still exists on the island of Crete in Greece, and what’s more admirable is the fact that it still produces olives! Crete is the place where olive oil cultivation first occurred in the Greek region around 3500 BC.

• Azores olive tree (Greece): approximately 3250 years old

You can find this olive tree in the eastern part of Crete (Ierapetra region). Its trunk at the base has a diameter of 7.1 meters and a circumference of 22.1 meters, while its crown has a maximum diameter of 8.5 meters and a circumference of 34.5 meters!

Image – Wreath of olive tree branches – Source: Freepik.com

Olive tree cultivation was of great importance in the ancient world as olive oil was used in all aspects of life (e.g., religious rituals, medicine production, skincare, and soap-making). Up to this day, it has served more than one purpose: it is part of our diet, but it is also used in cosmetics, medicine, or cultural rituals like the Olympic Games where athletes wear an olive branch crown on their heads just like they used to do in Ancient Greece.

The timeline below is a simple visual representation of how olive trees spread around the globe over the different historical eras of humanity:

Today, olive trees and olive oil are praised for their health benefits and their significant contribution to a balanced diet, as well as for extending the human lifespan. Scientists have spent several years studying olive trees and olive oil and have managed to categorize them according to their characteristics, quality, and standards. Through their research, they have provided us with a specific terminology that refers to all this and with which we can define things like how good an olive oil is, what it should be used for, what is the best method for its cultivation depending on the region and many more that are presented in the chapters of the Go2Grove Digital Handbook.

Some of the terms included in this terminology and a brief definition are:

• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

The highest grade of olive oil, which is obtained purely by mechanical means from olives.

• Virgin olive oil

Like the above, but with a lighter consistency.

• Refined oil

Chemically or physically treated olive oil (lower quality than virgin one).

• Infused oil

Oil that has been infused, flavored, or scented with herbs, spices, fruits, or any other botanical ingredient.

• Nutritional value of olive oil

The content and quality of nutrients found in olive oil.

• Olive tree harvesting

The process of collecting mature olives from the tree.

Figure – Olive oil display – Source: Freepik.com

The topics explored in the chapter of the Digital Handbook are developed and presented in a logical sequence that enables a better understanding of olive oil cultivation and production.

The first chapter, titled “Understanding Olive Oil and its Characteristics“, is an introduction to the importance of olive oil for human health. Additionally, it explores the significance of olive oil from a socio-economic and environmental aspect. This introductory module clarifies that olive oil has different categories, each of which is defined by a variety of characteristics. Moving on, the module focuses on the nutritional data of olive oil and compares its health benefits with other types of oil. Furthermore, the module expands to presenting the methods used for analyzing the factors that impact olive oil in terms of flavour, consistency, and nutritional value, as well as the techniques used for tasting. Finally, the module explores myths and facts surrounding home cooking with olive oil.

The second chapter of the Go2Grove Digital Handbook, “Harvest to Retail: The Production Process of Olive Oil “, as its title suggests, is a presentation of the production process, storage, and retail of olive oil. The first topic of the chapter focuses on olive trees and delves into their varieties, characteristics, climate and soil requirements, and sustainable techniques for farming and harvesting. Following the harvesting stage, the module explores the next stage, which is production, referring to olive oil processing methods as well as quality control. Next, it presents packaging, storage and labelling requirements for ensuring that olive oil products remain of high quality before concluding with information on the logistics and marketing channels necessary for the distribution and promotion of olive oil.

Image 4 – Olive oil bottles on a stall – Source: Freepik.com

The next chapter focuses on current and future trends in the olive oil market. It is an overview of current and future trends in consumer demand, market trends, and factors that determine pricing and enable healthy competition. Additionally, the module presents information on the challenges faced by the olive oil markets and possible ways of overcoming these based on innovation.

The “Quality and Safety Standards” of olive oil are being explored in the next chapter, which focuses on the regulatory standards surrounding olive oil cultivation, production, and retail. It delves into the certification bodies and procedures taking place in the olive oil sector that prevent counterfeit products from being distributed and consumed.

Finally, the glossary developed for the project, containing specific terminology on olive trees and olive oil, acts as a framework for providing consistency in the content of the handbook ensuring that the training material is perfectly understandable and easy to retain.