Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Table Olives from Slovenian Istria

Abstract

Olive oil production has a long tradition in Slovenian Istria, and extra virgin olive oil from the region with protected designation of origin (EDOOSI ZOP) is the first Slovenian agricultural product to be registered at the European level, while table olives from Slovenian Istria avail of a protected designation of origin at national level. EDOOSI ZOP has been produced from different olive varieties or from a single olive variety grown in the area of Slovenian Istria. The blended olive oil is characterised by a specially bitter and piquant taste resulting from the fact that it contains at least 30 % of ‘Istrska belica’ olives. In Slovenian Istria, table olives are usually processed using the traditional production technology that involves initial debittering in water for 10–20 days, which is replaced every 2 days, and fermentation in a brine solution. The table olives produced are lightly sour, bitter and salty and are characterised by a good separation between flesh and stone. The flesh of ‘Storta’ table olives, a variety that is very popular among consumers, easily detaches from the stone.