| Today,
many olive mills are replacing stone wheels with more modern
crushing machinery, equipped with hammer-like arms, which
gently break up the olives. |
The
new method is faster, and the stainless steel machines make
cleaning much easier. With this newer method, the
oil is separated from the must without an actual "pressing". |
In
a traditional pressing, still in wide use today, the must
is spread in thin layers on cocoa fiber mats and stacked,
between stainless steel plates, in a mechanical press.
As pressure is applied, oil and water slowly seep from the
mats, and is collected in vats below. |
Traditionally,
the separation of the oil from the water was achieved by
letting the oil decant naturally. Oil, being lighter
than water, slowly rises to the top and could be carefully
removed with a flat copper ladle the Italians called a "pace". |
