PEF (pulsed electric field) treatment in olive oil production

Very little has changed in industrial olive oil production over the last two decades. Innovation and technological development are needed for the olive oil industry to prosper. oliveCEPT is an application based on PEF technology to help olive oil producers with production yields, costs, sensory features, waste reduction, health concerns, and nutritional characteristics.

What is PEF (Pulsed Electric Field)?

Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a sustainable and eco-friendly method. It reduces organic waste, extends shelf-life, and enhances and preserves the quality of the product in question, like olive oil.

Le principe de base de la technologie est l'application de courtes impulsions carrées de haute tension qui génèrent des champs électriques très élevés. En raison des impulsions courtes d'une microseconde, un échauffement excessif et des réactions électrolytiques indésirables sont minimisés.

As a result this causes the cell membranes to become permeable, leading to the inactivation of the microorganisms or enzymes.

Scientific Research on PEF treatment in the olive oil extraction process

Several studies have been carried out to confirm the effects of pulsed electric field treatment for olive oil production. In 2020, researchers at the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science at the University of Perugia, Italy, carried out a study with the aim “to evaluate the ability of pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to improve the extractability and enhance the oil quality in an industrial olive oil extraction process”.

The study concluded numerous advantages of the treatment: “the PEF device has proved to be very efficient on olive pastes and significantly increased the quantity of oil extracted compared to the control”

Another more recent study aimed to: “investigate how the treatment of olive paste of the Picholine variety with pulsed electric fields (PEF) under real operating conditions in a large-scale olive oil extraction plant affects the extractability, chemical composition and sensory profile of the oils”.

Moreover, the study also concluded many positive effects of using PEF in olive oil production:

“The results underlined the potential of PEF technology to improve the recovery of bioactive compounds. This technology can be used as a pretreatment for conventional extraction processes and is applicable on an industrial scale”.

“The increasing extraction capability of the process justifies the energy requirement of this technology as a new method for recovering oil in the olive paste matrix with positive effects on the quality of the final products”.

The effects of PEF in olive oil production

The effects of PEF on olive oil include:

Increased yield: by breaking down the cell walls of the olives, making it easier to extract the oil.
Improved quality: improve the quality of olive oil by increasing nutrient content such as the number of polyphenols
Increased stability: by reducing the amount of free fatty acids, can cause the oil to go rancid over time.
Increased shelf life: by reducing the number of microorganisms, which can cause the oil to spoil.
Reduced energy consumption: PEF treatment requires less energy compared to traditional thermal methods, this can result in cost savings for the producer.

There are several factors that can determine the impact of Pulsed Electric fields (PEF). Olives are biological materials and qualities such as moisture and ripeness are factors to include in the equation. It is important to note that the optimal PEF treatment conditions will vary depending on the specific olive oil production process and the desired outcomes for the oil.

Therefore it is important to do an assessment of each site.

How is PEF technology applied?

It is recommended to place the oliveCEPT treatment system after the crusher and prior to the malaxation stage for maximum effect and full benefit. Currently, four models tailored for production lines with capacities from 0,5 – 10 t/h are available.

The system consists of a PEF generator and a treatment chamber. The connection to the oliveCEPT® is done via stainless steel, food-grade fittings.

Confirmed results in olive oil production

The pursuit of high profits and productive yields can lead to the use of more intense malaxation conditions, negatively impacting the nutritional and sensory qualities of the final product.

The oliveCEPT application has been evaluated in multiple locations with great results. For example, a performance evaluation of the results at Greek producer One & Olive based on samples collected during 4 weeks of continuous production in 2020 – 2021 concluded that malaxation time can be reduced substantially from 45 minutes of the control set down to 5 minutes without affecting the oil yield of the extraction process negatively.

That is to say that quality vs quantity is not a dilemma anymore.

One & Olive is not the only producer achieving this type of success. Rather it is a confirmation of earlier results during oliveCEPT® evaluation at the mills of Agioi Apostoloi et La Balméenne where extraction volume yield was increased even with the malaxing time of 25 minutes.

In Morocco, at Atlas Olive Oils, yield is increased and malaxation time reduced.

Curious to figure out how this olive oil technology could impact your production? Fill out the form below and let’s talk!

oliveCEPT - PEF system installed in olive oil production

Sources

Tamborrino, Antonia, Stefania Urbani, Maurizio Servili, Roberto Romaniello, Claudio Perone, and Alessandro Leone. 2020. “Pulsed Electric Fields for the Treatment of Olive Pastes in the Oil Extraction Process” Applied Sciences 10, no. 1: 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10010114

Leone, Alessandro, Antonia Tamborrino, Sonia Esposto, Antonio Berardi, and Maurizio Servili. 2022. “Investigation on the Effects of a Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Continuous System Implemented in an Industrial Olive Oil Plant” Foods 11, no. 18: 2758. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182758