An olive mill, referred to as a "frantoio" in Italian, is a sophisticated apparatus employed for the extraction of oil from olives. Frantoio Anteata, the ultramodern mill nestled in the heart of the groves where the award winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil Piro is produced, exemplifies this innovative technology. The various components of an olive mill, or "frantoio," encompass:
The washing station: Olives are freed of any small branches and leaves with a fan, and washed in cold water. Sophisticated mills like Anteata also pass then through UV light to remove all bacteriological load.
The crusher : Within the confines of the actual "frantoio" the olives are carefully crushed, their essence liberated.
When the magic happens!
Malaxer: Transferring to the "gramola," the crushed olives are kneaded and mixed, facilitating the oil extraction. This intricate interplay may extend anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. At a precisely controlled low temperature, and under the permanent scrutiny of the Frantoiano, the olive oil will be created with the complex process of lipoxygenases, the natural enzymes present in the olive that contributes to the formation of key aromatic compounds that define the sensory characteristics of our oil.
Decanter: Within the "decantatore," a distinct separation occurs as oil and water part ways with the paste. Emanating from the apex of the decanter, the oil is collected, while residual water and solids find their abode at the base.
Separator: Progressing to the "centrifuga," the oil undergoes a final refinement, divesting itself of any remaining water or sediment.
Serbatoi di stoccaggio: Temporarily housed within "serbatoi di stoccaggio," or storage tanks, the oil awaits its destined moment for bottling or packaging. At frantic Anteata, our storage tanks are made of non reactive stainless steel, and we fill them under an oxygen-free environment in order to remove all oxidation factors.
