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When benefiting health benefits the environment<\/h3>\n
We must return to caring for the soil: it helps capture carbon dioxide and provides us with better, healthier food.<\/pee> The PaneOlio Supply Chain Technical Specifications prohibit the use of herbicides. Instead, they require grassing\u2014permanent cover crops\u2014which enables carbon sequestration in the soil and improves its physical, chemical, and biological properties compared to conventional tillage techniques. This increases the porosity of the superficial soil layers, crucial for root penetration, water infiltration, and gas diffusion. Green manure is planned, and existing species can be integrated with crop mixtures and rotations. Pruning residue management allows its use as a soil amendment. Tillage with tractors and agricultural equipment is kept to a minimum and performed with small, lightweight machinery to avoid soil compaction, which destroys natural porosity and reduces fertility and water drainage capacity. Organic fertilization is preferred.<\/pee> Carbon dioxide (CO\u2082) is the main cause of the climate crisis because, due to the greenhouse effect, it traps the sun’s heat that should escape into space, retaining it in the atmosphere and causing the Earth’s temperature to rise. The amount of CO\u2082 in the air has exceeded 429 parts per million, and its atmospheric concentration is now more than 50% above the pre-industrial level (before 1750), which had remained stable for thousands of years at around 280 parts per million. Coal, oil, and gas are the primary sources of this increase.<\/pee> Soil, trees, and seas absorb carbon dioxide thanks to the carbon cycle. These elements act as true natural reservoirs (also known as carbon sinks) that capture and retain carbon. Plants capture CO\u2082 from the air through photosynthesis and create sugars, producing wood and living matter; a portion of these sugars is sent into the soil through the roots. Soil bacteria and fungi use them to live, and the decomposed remains of plants and microorganisms form humus, the solid form in which carbon remains locked in the soil for extended periods. The seas, for their part, absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide directly from the water’s surface, where it is retained both in dissolved form and via marine organisms (such as plankton).<\/pee> The carbon cycle was in equilibrium for millions of years, regulated by photosynthesis, volcanism, and rock weathering: a balance that kept life stable without sudden accumulations. It was never static\u2014the amount of carbon dioxide, like the temperature, varied greatly over the course of Earth’s geological history\u2014but natural emissions and natural absorptions offset each other in the long run. This theory is also confirmed by paleoclimatological data.<\/pee> <\/p>\n“In conclusion, it can be stated that paleoclimatological data provides us with much important information on the operating mechanisms of our climate. In particular, they show us how we are already largely outside the range of natural variability seen over the last half million and more years, and we are proceeding further.”\u00abTemperatura e CO\u2082 nel passato\u00bb by Riccardo Reitano, with contributions from Marcello Vichi, Paolo Gabrielli and Antonio Zecca<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The human factor is what broke the equilibrium: in just a few decades, we are putting carbon back into the atmosphere that the Earth had hidden underground over millions of years. The problem is that nature cannot absorb such a high amount of carbon in such a short time.<\/pee> The soil, one of the great natural carbon sinks, plays a truly significant role in sequestration. However, the article \u00abLooking beyond the trees for carbon storage\u00bb (published in Science) explains the main threats causing this absorption capacity to continuously decline. Among these are heatwaves, which put ecosystems under pressure by reducing plants’ ability to photosynthesize and thus absorb carbon dioxide; droughts, which compromise water availability; and fires, often fueled by extreme drought conditions, which destroy biomass, turning it into an emission source.<\/pee> We are witnessing the constant and inexorable increase of a phenomenon: soil depletion and loss. Agriculture is fundamental for improving soil quality and ensuring ecosystem services, namely the vital benefits nature offers humans\u2014clean air, well-being, and beauty.<\/pee> The PaneOlio Supply Chain Technical Specifications are inspired by the principles of Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (ORA), which focuses on the goal of improving soil health, biodiversity, and water and carbon retention capacity over time. Generally, the objectives of ORA are manifold:<\/pee> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n- Regenerate the soil<\/strong>, through practices that increase its fertility\u2014quantifiable by the increase in organic carbon\u2014such as reducing mechanical tillage, permanent soil cover, and crop diversification.<\/li>\n
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- Regenerate ecosystems and biodiversity<\/strong>, by limiting the use of synthetic chemicals, re-evaluating local genetic resources, increasing the supply and availability of mineral elements, efficiently managing water and agro-silvo-pastoral resources, and guaranteeing plants care and treatments that promote their long-term health and constant physiological balance.<\/li>\n
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- Regenerate human relations<\/strong>, by adopting scientific, innovative, and experimental practices that enhance local specificities and cultures, drawing inspiration from regional traditions.<\/li>\n
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Zero Chemical Residues<\/h3>\n
We directly produce the oil we market: a choice that allows us to guarantee total control over the supply chain, from the field to the package. The olive growers who supply us with olives are also full members of our supply chain, sharing its rules and responsibilities.<\/pee> Prior to harvesting, every batch of olives undergoes chemical analysis conducted by a certified third-party body to verify the absence of plant protection product residues\u2014such as fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides commonly used in conventional agriculture. The tolerance threshold is set at 0.01 mg\/kg, a value that admits only the accidental and unintentional presence of these residues.<\/pee> If an olive exceeds this threshold, it cannot in any way be used to produce certified oil within our supply chain. The grower is required to adopt the necessary countermeasures to correct the problem; in the event of a recurrence, permanent removal from the supply chain is mandated.<\/pee> A rigorous control, upstream of the harvest, to guarantee a truly zero chemical residue oil right from its origin.<\/pee>We make a voluntary choice that goes tangibly beyond regulatory obligations, moving toward greater food safety. We do not simply limit ourselves to staying within a tolerable threshold; instead, we work to ensure that there is no trace of synthetic chemicals in the finished product, to the full extent verifiable by modern technology.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Olive Harvesting<\/h3>\n
Harvesting is one of the most delicate and decisive moments in the entire supply chain. The quality of the oil that will reach the table\u2014today, but also at the Best-Before Date\u2014depends largely on the condition of the olives at the moment they are harvested: to maintain high quality values over time, it is necessary to start with excellent initial values.<\/pee> This is why it is essential to deliver sound and undamaged olives to the mill, avoiding bruises or the onset of fermentation that would irreversibly compromise the oil’s quality. It is a choice requiring precise awareness: yield does not go hand in hand with quality. Waiting too long to increase the quantity of extractable oil means processing riper olives, with quality values already in decline.<\/pee> The timing of the harvest is determined by monitoring veraison, i.e., the progressive color change of the olive’s skin and pulp, from green to purplish and finally to black. This control occurs both empirically, through direct observation of the fruit in the field, and analytically, by calculating a true ripening index on a representative sample of olives. Achieving high quality often means bringing the harvest forward compared to full ripeness, when the olive is still green or just entering veraison: it is in this phase that the highest concentrations of polyphenols are found\u2014the natural antioxidant compounds that give the oil its characteristic bitter and pungent notes and guarantee its greater stability over time.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Milling Promptness<\/h3>\n
The time that elapses between harvesting and milling is a factor as critical as the harvest itself: the longer the olives wait before being processed, the more they risk undergoing oxidation phenomena and the onset of fermentation, which irreparably lower the oil’s quality.<\/pee> Our technical specifications establish precise and certified time limits between harvesting and milling. For olives coming from areas surrounding the mill in Umbria, milling must take place within 24 hours of the start of the harvest for that specific batch. For olives coming from Southern Italy, where transport times are necessarily longer, the limit is extended to 36 hours.<\/pee> To compensate for this difference and still guarantee maximum quality, for batches arriving from further away we bring the harvest time forward even more, starting with even more intact olives capable of withstanding the necessary transport time without losses.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Extraction Technology<\/h3>\n
Extra virgin olive oil is a product that undergoes a natural aging process known as oxidation. The speed at which this occurs depends on the initial quality of the oil and how it is stored. The principle is simple: produce oil of the highest quality and then protect it from pro-oxidant factors capable of accelerating aging\u2014light, heat, excessive cold, and contact with air.<\/pee> The tool identified to achieve high quality throughout the journey from field to table is the application of the agri-food supply chain concept to the oil. The \u00abPaneOlio High-Quality Supply Chain\u00bb, promoted and implemented by PaneOlio, is divided into four subsystems: raw material (olive) procurement; processing technologies; oil storage and production; distribution and consumption.<\/pee> The raw material procurement subsystem aims to deliver sound, undamaged olives to the mill, an indispensable condition\u2014sine qua non\u2014for subsequently extracting high-quality oil.<\/pee> Processing technologies constitute the second subsystem and play an equally crucial role. They represent the starting point in building the “PaneOlio High-Quality Supply Chain”<\/b> project.In fact, PaneOlio Societ\u00e0 Cooperativa Agricola decided in 2021 to invest in modernizing the facility and extraction lines of the historic \u00abIl Progresso\u00bb Mill, restoring the plant as a benchmark in the local landscape and beyond, with a view to guaranteeing an appealing, high-quality product. To this end, a targeted choice was made: to focus on the new technologies offered on the market at that time by one of the leading companies in the sector, the multinational Alfa Laval.<\/pee>The PaneOlio High-Quality Supply Chain Technical Specifications, which, together with the Supply Chain Identifier, define the objectives, tools, procedures, and stakeholders involved, effectively describe the technological choices made. We quote verbatim the content of the specifications.<\/pee> “The mill is equipped with the latest technological innovations used in the olive oil extraction sector and offers a complete service from olive reception to bottling. Reception, destemming, and washing are the first steps to obtaining a premium, defect-free oil; processing times within 24 or 36 hours from the start of the harvest and effective cleaning make it possible to begin with the product in optimal condition.<\/pee> In the subsequent extraction phases, the oil’s quality is determined, with the goal of maximizing the expression of the fruit’s aromas and nutritional values. The first phase consists of crushing the drupe, performed with a low-thermal-impact dual-effect crusher that combines cutting and shredding thanks to the combined disc-grid action: this achieves differentiated crushing, capable of respecting biochemical processes and expressing the olives’ full genetic heritage for maximum phenolic extraction and aromatic production.<\/pee> Once crushed, the paste is thermally conditioned using a counter-current tubular heat exchanger, patented for use with viscous pastes, capable of drastically lowering its temperature: the paste is stratified in a thin jacket while, simultaneously, chilled water passes counter-current in the outer and inner tubes. The cooling is effective and fast, lasting a few seconds.<\/pee> This operation is crucial for obtaining the best aromatic profile, given the early harvest and increasingly high temperatures in the autumn months: by controlling the paste temperature immediately after crushing, cold extraction between 18 \u00b0C and 25 \u00b0C is achieved, an essential range for managing enzymatic activities, conferring the best organoleptic characteristics, and blocking oxidation.<\/pee> Next comes malaxation (kneading), using the most innovative technology on the market: the Alfa Laval Olive Oil Booster, a combination of technologies cooperating to increase quality and yield. It replaces traditional malaxation with horizontal mixing tanks operating under a vacuum: thanks to the vacuum action, it enables the extraction of a significantly higher quantity of oil, more antioxidant phenolic components, and the preservation of positive aromatic compounds. The total absence of oxygen protects the paste and oil from oxidative phenomena, extending shelf life.<\/pee> The paste prepared by the Olive Oil Booster is fed into the X-series decanter centrifuge, where the oil is separated from water and solids in a three-phase extraction. The latest-generation decanter allows for reduced water usage, minimizing water consumption and avoiding the loss of nutritional components\u2014especially antioxidants\u2014in the vegetation water, resulting in a high-quality, environmentally friendly oil. Finally, the oily must is separated in the vertical centrifuge, inline filtered, and stored at a controlled temperature under a nitrogen blanket to preserve it in the best possible conditions.”<\/pee> The first two subsystems determine the initial quality of the oil. Even in the storage, packaging, and distribution phases, the PaneOlio High-Quality Supply Chain employs technologies capable of protecting the oil from any pro-oxidant factor, ultimately engaging consumers with comprehensive information linked to the Best-Before Date: a complete and reliable foundation for conscious consumption.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Storage<\/h3>\n
The milling phase concludes with the filtering of the oil, a step that is anything but secondary: it eliminates solid residues and remaining sludge, whose danger lies in the fact that they can trigger fermentative phenomena, leading to decay and loss of quality over time. Only well-filtered oil can be sent to storage with the guarantee that its characteristics will remain unaltered.<\/pee> From the filter, the oil passes into a container equipped with load cells for weighing, before being sent to storage via an automated system tracked at every step\u2014a process that makes it possible to verify and certify not only the origin but also the milling parameters and other processing stages.<\/pee> Storage takes place in steel containers connected to a nitrogen generator: the oil is kept in tanks under a nitrogen blanket, at a controlled and constant temperature of 15-16 \u00b0C, to protect it from contact with oxygen, the main culprit behind aging and loss of quality over time.<\/pee> Every oil transfer follows a precise protocol. Before the oil enters, the container is “washed,” meaning it is saturated with a volume of nitrogen equal to three times its own volume: an operation undergone by every container used, in any capacity. When the oil enters, its own pressure opens a solenoid valve that expels excess nitrogen, ensuring proper tank saturation at all times.<\/pee> The oil is stored in homogeneous batches, separated based on the target product line\u2014PDO, monocultivar, and other references. This organization allows for the origin of every stored batch to be traced back at any time\u2014even by clients and consumers\u2014to the specific olive grower and olive grove of origin.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Oil Production and Packaging<\/h3>\n
Producing the oil is the task of the master miller. Their starting point is the oil already obtained from milling and placed in storage, whose qualitative characteristics they know precisely thanks to the chemical and physical analyses performed on each individual container.<\/pee> Depending on the target product line, the miller takes samples from the relevant containers to evaluate their sensory characteristics as well, seeking the right balance between the bitter and pungent notes\u2014typical of our oils\u2014and the fruity notes. Even at this stage, PaneOlio’s priority remains health benefits; for this reason, a recipe is pursued that ensures the desired content of polyphenols and tocopherols.<\/pee> Once the recipe is finalized, the oil is drawn from the selected containers and sent to the mixers for blending. A specific production batch number is assigned to each blend and, for each batch, chemical and physical analyses are carried out by the University of Perugia. The values are certified on the blockchain and published, and are used by the University\u2014through predictive models developed via in-depth research\u2014to also determine the Best-Before Date: upon expiration of the BBD, the oil must indeed still maintain the values established by the EFSA for the health claims reported on the label.<\/pee> The mixers are located at the beginning of the packaging and labeling line. The packaging used\u2014for example, the bottles\u2014is also “washed” with nitrogen, which is further employed to create a protective blanket under the cap. The system provides the number of packages produced for each reference in real time.<\/pee> The container\u2013recipe\u2013production batch chain guarantees full product traceability: from the single package all the way back to the field.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Logistics and Distribution<\/h3>\n
Oil is a living product: from the moment it is born, a natural aging process begins. Sealed in its packaging, it is now safe from its first major enemy, oxygen\u2014but two equally insidious factors remain, capable of significantly accelerating oxidation right during the most delicate phases of its journey to the consumer: light and temperature.<\/pee> What happens, in concrete terms, when these factors get out of hand? With excessive heat, oxidation reactions accelerate: polyphenols and antioxidants degrade more rapidly, the oil loses the bitter and pungent notes that signal its freshness, and it more easily develops sensory defects, such as rancid flavors.<\/pee> With excessive cold, the oil undergoes partial solidification: saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, crystallize first, forming whitish flakes in suspension, while the liquid component remains transparent. The result is a cloudy oil with an unappealing appearance; if temperatures remain very low for a long time, the separation between solid and liquid components can permanently alter the oil’s structure, compromising its consistency and sensory characteristics even once it returns to room temperature.<\/pee> With light, particularly the direct light to which bottles are exposed on the shelf, photo-oxidation is triggered: the chlorophyll contained in the oil, exposed to light rays, acts as a catalyst and accelerates the deterioration of polyphenols and fatty acids, leading to aroma loss and the appearance of unpleasant flavors. A simple and effective solution is to enclose the bottles in a paper bag, perhaps recycled, which is impervious to light; bag-in-box containers and tins, by their very nature, do not present this problem.<\/pee> The point is simple: an excellent oil may leave the mill, but if these factors are not controlled throughout the journey, the consumer risks ending up with an already compromised product, through no fault of its initial quality.<\/pee> However, the true critical issue in logistics and distribution remains temperature. The oil must be kept at a constant temperature of 15-16 \u00b0C, both during transport and in warehouses. For this reason, PaneOlio has developed\u2014and is currently prototyping\u2014a device usable on both transport vehicles and inside warehouses, capable of maintaining the ideal constant temperature of 15-16 \u00b0C, protecting the oil throughout its journey to the consumer.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/p>\n
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Consumption<\/h3>\n
In the pantries and kitchens of consumers and end users\u2014such as restaurateurs\u2014the pro-oxidant factors seen in logistics and distribution all reappear together, often in a less controllable environment: temperature, light, and, every time the bottle is opened, oxygen.<\/pee> The problem is particularly relevant for restaurateurs, who often keep the oil out for long periods, sometimes near heat sources like stovetops or ovens. This is also why we are evaluating the possibility of offering consumers and end users a version (currently in prototyping) of the temperature control device developed for transport and storage, specifically adapted for this context.<\/pee> For the domestic consumer, on the other hand, the problem is more limited: if properly informed, they should not encounter any particular difficulties\u2014also in light of some consumption studies conducted in collaboration with the University of Perugia. (“Real-time shelf life evaluation of the quality of extra virgin olive oils stored in different packaging”<\/i>, Prof. Sonia Esposto, 2025)<\/pee>A few practical tips can make all the difference:<\/pee> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n- The bag-in-box<\/strong> is, without a doubt, the most suitable container for preserving oil quality over time.<\/li>\n
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- Avoid oversized formats:<\/strong> it is better to opt for sizes that are used up quickly, before any non-ideal environmental conditions can damage the product. A 250 ml bottle, for example, contains about 11 portions of 20 grams (roughly 22 ml) and is ideal for mindful daily consumption; for a large family, a 500 ml bottle remains a good measure.<\/li>\n
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- Storage after opening:<\/strong> keep the package away from heat sources\u2014stovetops, ovens, sunlit windows\u2014and always tightly close the cap to limit contact with oxygen.<\/li>\n
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This is also why, among the bottled formats, PaneOlio offers a maximum size of 750 ml, as well as a smaller 100 ml format, designed for those who desire even quicker consumption or for an initial tasting.<\/pee> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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