The results of the project extra oil – conducted in Spain by the Research Technology Center Tecnova Foundation together with the producers association Asaja Almería – confirm how the Pieralisi Protoreactor guarantees a superior quality extra virgin olive oil, in the presence of a reduction in consumption and time.
Il Pieralisi Protoreactor, as known, is the innovative machine that represents a unicum in kneading: through a mechanical and thermal action that is concentrated in just 70 seconds it favors the tearing process of the olive pulp fragments and the coalescence. The studio, developed on the farm desert gold, located in the charming Spanish province of Almería, allowed to evaluate the process parameters of the Proreactorand, comparing the results in two complete production campaigns, so as to verify whether, compared to previous campaigns, there have been improvements in production level, quality or cost savings.
“Il
Protoreactor – it is evident from the research – it replaces the traditional malaxer, reducing the times of this phase, it works at high pressure reducing the contact with oxygen. In these conditions, less degradation of the compounds that form olive oil is observed, resulting in an extra virgin olive oil with a high polyphenol content as the final product”. The model of Protoreactor used for the occasion, it was supplemented by a heat exchanger which allowed the pasta to be cooled or heated according to requirements. In consideration of the characteristics of the machine, the study examined the following objectives: improvement of the quality of the product obtained, water and electricity savings, oil losses.
The results obtained at the end of the two campaigns were the following:
– the use of Protoreactor allowed to get a process improvement both from the point of view energetic and time, reducing costs;
- yield values are results taller, with less loss of fat content;
– they are observed improvements in olive oil quality obtained in terms of the content of polyphenols, equal to 8,5% in addition, thus making it healthier and richer in antioxidants;
– on acidity and peroxides there are no differences compared to the traditional kneading system, as well as in the oleic acid content.
The study also showed that the Pieralisi Protoreactor can be adapted into any oil mill already in operation, without the need to significantly modify the existing structures and at a relatively low cost, which can be repaid over one or at most three olive growing campaigns, based on the size of the mill.
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