Oils, Vinegars, Condiments

There is no gourmet food as healthy and delicious as olive oils and vinegar. It is undoubtedly worth purchasing them to give all your meals a healthier touch.

What is olive oil?

First things first, what is olive oil? It is a fat obtained from produce such as olives and is traditionally harvested in the Mediterranean basin. This fat is extracted by pressing whole olives, at which point the lipid is released and begins to be collected.

It is mainly composed of oleic acid, which can account for up to 83% of the total. However, in other products, other fats such as linoleic acid or palmitic acid can be found. The composition, or the addition of extra fats, affects its naturalness; therefore, a pure oil contains a high percentage of oleic acid.

Now, there is an oil called ‘extra virgin’. It is said to be extra virgin when its free acidity is above 0.8%. Furthermore, its flavours must be pleasing to the palate.

It is produced mainly in Italy and Greece.

Extra virgin olive oil has numerous health benefits, including:

• It alleviates muscular and joint pains, thanks to its oleocanthal content, serving as an anti-inflammatory.
• Due to its high oleic acid content, numerous studies suggest that people who consume this component have a lower incidence of cancer.
• It is rich in antioxidants that help strengthen the immune system.
• It lowers blood pressure.
• It eliminates bad cholesterol, thanks to monounsaturated fats.

How is olive oil obtained?

1. Olive oil is produced in the following way:
2. First, the fruits must be harvested. For this, either manual or industrial techniques can be used.
3. They must then be cleaned of branches and stones, and are also sorted according to quality and ripeness.
4. Afterwards, the olives must be crushed within 24 hours. Usually, this is done with a hammer or by centrifugation.
5. The extraction of the oil then begins.

What is vinegar?

Here we have another liquid condiment that can help us achieve a better flavour. Vinegar is obtained when the alcohol in a wine begins to ferment, resulting in a liquid with a distinctive odour. Additionally, it can also be produced by creating an alcoholic solution with acetic acid.

This procedure was discovered by Pasteur in 1862. This process is called acetification, and it occurs when air begins to come into contact with red or white wine. Now, this process can be carried out with various types of food.

How is it made?

Vinegar originates when the Mycoderma bacteria begin to activate. These organisms cause the ethyl alcohol to transform into acetic acid, which is then known as vinegar.

The process can only be carried out under certain pH and concentration conditions. When air comes into contact with the alcohol, the wine 'spoils'. At this point, a sort of film begins to form on the surface.