Supporting the Value Chain of Extra Virgin Olive Oil: About the Reuse for Nutritional Purposes of Wet Olive Pomace

Abstract

The present paper provides a process description of the separation and exploitation of a high-value by-product from the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) mill waste. The olive pomace is a by-product that can potentially improve the EVOO value chain by providing a natural primary matter for the agro-food industry. Furthermore, such exploitation of pomace would reduce the environmental and economic problems related to the management and disposal of mill wastes. The modern two-phase milling technique reduces the wastewater but produces a relevant quantity of wet pomace. Two-phase mills in Italy account for about 11% of the total, thus producing a relevant amount of wet olive cakes. In Colli Orvietani area, the residual olive cake most often retains very high nutritional properties, owing to the persistence of effective management of the olive orchards within the frame of a traditional small farming system. The reduction of mill wastewater and the exploitation of the wet olive cake for innovative and high-added value, agro-food products are effective in reinforcing the local processes of sustainable development.