North Aegean Olive Oils Product Description and Distinguishing Features: Extra virgin olive oil produced from the Ayvalık olive variety (also called Edremit Yağlık), which is originally from the Edremit region. Key Characteristics: This oil is extracted from the Ayvalık (Edremit Yağlık) olive type, cultivated specifically in the Edremit area mentioned. Sensory Features: This oil offers a pleasant and slightly sweet taste on the palate, showcasing at least one of the fruity notes such as almond, apple, floral, grass, green, greenish-fruity, olive leaf, ripe-fruity, soft-fruity, or tomato with a low (3.0) or medium (5.0–5.5) intensity. Bitterness and pungency are present at low to medium levels (4.0). It also provides a distinctive sensation described as light and generally watery. Chemical Properties: The peroxide value does not exceed 18 meq active oxygen/kg oil, and the E (270 nm) value is a maximum of 0.2. Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEE) are limited to 25 mg/kg, while Oleic acid (C18:1) must be at least 69%. Waxy substances are capped at 100 mg/kg, and alpha-tocopherol content is a minimum of 150 mg/kg. Other chemical criteria comply with the standards set in the current Turkish Food Codex Olive Oil and Olive Pomace Oil Communiqué. The values that North Aegean Olive Oils should meet are detailed in the accompanying table. This oil is exclusively derived from the Ayvalık (Edremit Yağlık) olive variety cultivated in the specified region. Its unique qualities arise from the region’s special geographical features, climate, and soil composition. The area is encircled by mountains like Kazdağları and Madra, which shield the olive groves from harsh winds detrimental to olive cultivation. Moist sea breezes from the Edremit Gulf and the North Aegean Sea mix with the dense, lush mountain vegetation, enveloping the olive trees in a mist that protects the olives from damage. The climate is influenced by the rich forests around the mountains and the Marmara Region, with annual rainfall between 600-700 mm. Seasonal rainfall distribution is provided in the table below. The soil is primarily 70% clayey and clay-loam, with the remaining 30% consisting of sandy-loam, sandy, and loamy soils. Limestone content varies: 55% of the soil is low in limestone, 22% is calcareous, and 12% is high in limestone. The soil pH ranges from 6.5 to 8.5. Under proper care, the olive trees in this region demonstrate strong growth, featuring long, narrow, elliptical leaves that are generally asymmetric. The fruit size is medium, with shapes ranging from nearly round to cylindrical. The flesh makes up about 85% of the fruit, while the seed constitutes roughly 15%. The trees exhibit moderate periodicity, with flowering occurring in May and fruit-setting happening in June. The unique characteristics that set North Aegean olive oils apart from oils produced in other areas include the levels of stigmasterol, D5,24-stigmastadienol, D5-avenosterol, total sterols, and C17:0 values. When compared specifically to olive oils derived from the Ayvalık/Edremit olive type cultivated in the Eastern Anatolia Region, the key differentiators are the amounts of stigmasterol, D5,24-stigmastadienol, D5-avenosterol, and sitosterol. Production Method: North Aegean Olive Oils are produced following the steps outlined below: 1. Olive Harvest: The olive harvest starts in mid-October and can extend until the end of February. Olive oil must be extracted from olives picked either by hand or machine without damaging the fruit. Olives should be gathered without touching the ground. Fallen olives that have naturally dropped or those spoiled by prolonged contact with the soil must not be used. 2. Storage and Transportation of Olives: Olives need to be stored and transported in clean, food-grade containers, preferably plastic crates, which allow air to circulate. The time between harvest and oil extraction should not exceed 48 hours. 3. Cleaning and Washing of Olives: The goal of removing leaves and washing is to eliminate foreign materials such as leaves, soil, and debris. Leaves, small branches, and other plant matter, along with soil, stones, gravel, and dust-like particles, are separated by using vibration, airflow, or sieves. Washing continues until all unwanted materials are completely removed. Pressurized water circulation is used to wash away soil, mud, and stones from the olives. The water must be potable and its cleanliness regularly checked, with water replaced at least twice daily depending on processing volume. Washing water temperature should be maintained between 30-40ºC. Depending on the amount of impurities, between 10 to 100 kg of water is used per 100 kg of olives. After washing, excess water on the olives’ surface is removed to prevent emulsion formation in the following production stages. 4. Crushing and Grinding of Olives: Crushing involves breaking down the olives to produce a paste from which the oil can be separated. This process may utilize disc crushers, hammer crushers, rod crushers, or other equipment depending on the technology used. Precautions must be taken to avoid any contamination from metal during crushing. 5. Malaxation (Kneading) of Olive Paste: Kneading is a crucial step in the production of North Aegean olive oils, as it helps oil droplets merge for easier separation of solid and liquid parts. The kneading should be performed in malaxers equipped with a heating system to maintain the olive paste at an ideal temperature. The paste temperature must be kept between 25-35ºC to lower oil viscosity and support droplet coalescence. To protect the biological and sensory qualities of the oil, the temperature should be around 30ºC and the kneading duration should not exceed 1 hour. If water is added during this process, it must not exceed 10% of the olive weight. 6. Oil Extraction from Olive Paste: The extraction of North Aegean Olive Oils is achieved through several methods: a) Hydraulic Pressing: Olive paste is spread into press bags and subjected to hydraulic pressure to separate the oil and black water from the solid material. b) Sinolea / Percolation / Cold Dripping / Selective Filtration: Stainless steel plates are immersed in the olive paste within the malaxer to separate the liquid phases (oil and wastewater) based on surface tension differences. c) Continuous Centrifuge Systems: This method separates solid and liquid phases horizontally by their density differences using decanters. In three-phase decanters, oil, pomace, and wastewater are separated distinctly, whereas two-phase decanters separate oil while combining pomace and wastewater for removal. 7. Wastewater Separation from Olive Oil: The removal of wastewater is carried out either through the traditional natural settling technique or by using a centrifuge, relying on differences in density. The goal at this stage is to fully separate the oil, water, and pomace. In both two-phase and three-phase extraction systems, centrifugation is applied to divide these components. 8. Olive Oil Storage: North Aegean Olive Oil must be stored in containers made from food-grade materials. Typically, this involves conical-bottom stainless steel tanks or tanks lined with chrome-nickel. To minimize air exposure, inert gases or floating covers are used. These tanks are designed for easy cleaning, have conical bottoms, and often include level controls and sampling ports. Throughout the entire process—from extraction to packaging—the oil is stored separately at each stage to avoid contamination or mixing with other olive oils.