Quality & Production

Cultivation

Pure olive oil of excellent quality is produced in the organic olive groves of the Kandemili family in Heraklion, Crete, and specifically in the Municipality of Minoa Pediados and on the western slopes of Mount Dikti, part of the "Natura 2000" network.

The procedures are based on modern techniques of organic co-cultivation of olive trees with aromatic medicinal plants.

Harvesting

he harvesting process has a decisive influence on the quality of the product obtained and must be carried out at the right time and in the right way. The olives are picked by hand so that the fruit will not be damaged. The best olives, not too ripe, are selected.

Transport

When picking olives, especially for table olives and for olives that can be made into olive oil, plastic crates are used that allow good ventilation so that the mould fungus, which causes deterioration of the olive oil and an increase in acidity, does not grow.

Extraction

Oiling Conditions of pressing in the mill and the conditions of storage. Choosing the cold pressing method ensures a product of superior quality, pure and unaffected by the effects of high temperature processing.

Chemical Analysis

Chemical analysis to determine the quality of fresh olive oil is a decisive tool for ensuring the authenticity of this natural product.

To determine the quality of olive oil, chemical analysis of the physico-chemical characteristics, which are quality criteria, categorises the different types of olive oil.

For virgin olive oil, quality is further determined by checking organoleptic characteristics, which are assessed by means of an organoleptic test.

Organoleptic Evaluation

Organoleptic evaluation is the detection, description and measurement of the positive and negative qualities of virgin olive oil* by a trained team of tasters using the human senses.

The method has worldwide acceptance, produces results of equal weight to those of chemical analysis and enables us to classify a virgin olive oil into one of the following three basic quality categories: Extra Virgin, Virgin (virgin) or Substandard/lampante (lampante)

Preservation & Storage

Transport takes place in stainless steel tanks, creating conditions of minimum oxygenation with the simultaneous introduction of nitrogen to avoid undesirable enzymes and ensure the characteristics of the olive oil as it is produced.