Chapter 2 - Naturally processed table olives, their preservation and uses

Abstract

Natural table olives, a recognized unique foodstuff, are produced from raw drupe fruits of the cultivated olive Olea europaea L. without the use of alkali, for example, sodium, potassium hydroxide, or wood ash. Raw olives are bitter because of oleuropein, which must be partially or completely eliminated through leaching, acid hydrolysis, enzymatic or microbial hydrolysis, or oxidation. Naturally processed olives are commonly produced by either the archaic water curing method or fermentation, anaerobic or aerobic. Alternatively, olives can be allowed to dehydrate while on the tree, by heat or with solid salt. There are several challenges in the processing and commercialization of natural table olives to get a homogeneous color of the final product; achieve pitted and sliced olives with good texture; accelerate the debittering process, valorize the product, considering its nutritional characteristics and reducing salt levels; optimize the harvesting stage as well as to minimize spoilage drawbacks and many others.