Olive oil

Olive oil is a vegetable oil extracted from whole olives. These olives are the fruit of the *Olea europaea* tree. This tree is a traditional crop found in the Mediterranean Basin.

Olive oil is a fundamental pillar of Mediterranean cuisine. It stands alongside wheat and grapes as one of the three core food plants of the region. Beyond cooking, this oil serves many roles in human life. It is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps. It also acts as fuel for traditional oil lamps and holds special meaning in various religions.

The production process begins with the harvest of the olive fruit. As olives mature, they change color from green to violet and eventually to black.

To extract the oil, the olives must be pressed. In ancient times, scholars believe olives were placed in woven mats and squeezed. The liquid oil was then collected in large vats. Over time, technology made this process more sophisticated. The Romans used a device called a *trapetum*, which functioned as an olive crusher.

Later, screw presses became common across the Mediterranean. In 1795, Joseph Graham developed a hydraulic pressing system. This innovation greatly improved the productivity of oil manufacturing.

Olive oil is classified into different types based on its quality and use. Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, is the highest quality grade. To earn this name, the oil must have no more than 0.8% free acidity. EVOO is known for having favorable flavor characteristics. It is often used raw as a condiment or in salad dressings.

Because it can burn if heated too much, it is best for sautéing. Refined olive oils are different. They have a higher smoke point, which is the temperature at which oil begins to burn. This makes refined oils better suited for deep frying.

The history of the olive tree spans thousands of years. Wild olives originated in Asia Minor. Neolithic people began collecting them as early as the 8th millennium BC.

The exact location of the first domestication remains unclear. Some scholars suggest the tree originated in ancient Persia or Mesopotamia. Others argue for an Egyptian origin. The Phoenicians helped spread the olive tree westward to Greece, Carthage, and Libya around the 28th century BC. By the 16th century, olive trees were introduced to the Americas. They grew well in climates similar to the Mediterranean, such as California, Chile, and Argentina.

Archaeological evidence shows how central oil was to ancient economies. In the city-state of Ebla, clay tablets from 2400 BC describe olive oil lands. In Crete, olive oil was a principal product of the Minoan civilization. It represented significant wealth for those people.

Ancient Egyptians also valued the oil, importing it from Crete, Syria, and Canaan. The importance of olive oil grew even more after the Roman conquest of various Mediterranean territories. This expansion increased trade across the entire region. Even in the 1st century AD, the historian Pliny the Elder noted that Italy produced excellent oil at reasonable prices.

Today, the global olive oil market is dominated by a few key producers. In 2022, Spain was the world's largest producer. Spain manufactured 24% of the entire world's supply.

Italy, Greece, and Turkey are also major players. Together, these four nations account for 59% of the global market. The chemical makeup of the oil changes depending on the cultivar and harvest time. It consists mainly of oleic acid, which can make up 83% of the oil.

It also contains smaller amounts of linoleic acid and palmitic acid.

Olive oil carries deep symbolic and religious meaning. In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena gave an olive tree to the city of Athens. This gift was considered more precious than the salt spring offered by Poseidon. This connection makes the olive tree a symbol of peace between nations.

In Christianity, the oil is used in many sacred rites. The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches use it for blessings. It is used in the oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick. In Eastern Orthodox traditions, olive oil also fuels vigil lamps in churches and homes.