METHOD FOR ELABORATING AN OLIVE PREPARATION AND FOR OBTAINING AN OLIVE OIL IN SITU BASED ON THE PREPARATION AND MEANS FOR PUTTING THE METHOD INTO PRACTICE

Abstract

A method for obtaining an olive oil in situ, which comprises the operation of packaging and preserving a dry olive preparation formed from an olive paste that is firstly frozen and then freeze-dried in a capsule, preferably a single-dose capsule; and the operation of reconstituting the olive paste by hydrating it inside the capsule to obtain an olive oil that will be extracted from the capsule by pressure. The capsule comprises a filtering membrane having micro-perforations suitable for retaining the preparation and the passage of traces of olive wastewater or water particles therethrough, which may contain an olive oil obtainable from rehydrating the olive paste inside the receptacle and a machine for cooperating with the capsule comprising an injection head of a liquid and a piston prepared for pressing the preparation and subjecting it to a pressure greater than 10 bar.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining olive oil in situ, which comprises the operation of packaging and preserving in a capsule, preferably a single-dose capsule, a dry olive preparation formed from an olive paste that is firstly frozen and then freeze-dried; and the operation of reconstituting the olive paste by hydrating it inside the capsule to obtain an olive oil that is extracted from the capsule by pressure.

2. The method, according to the claim 1, wherein the olive paste reconstituted inside the capsule is also squeezed inside the capsule.

3. A method for elaborating and preserving an olive preparation that comprises the following phases: a) harvesting the olives at their optimal point of maturity; b) storing the olives; c) washing the olives; d) grinding the olives to obtain a paste; the method further comprises the following phases: e) first packaging of the paste in a hermetic and aseptic bag; f) freezing the packaged paste; g) freeze-drying the frozen paste; and h) final packaging of the freeze-dried paste in single-dose capsules.

4. The method for elaborating and preserving an olive preparation, according to claim 3, wherein the paste is additivated with at least one acceptable food additive.

5. The method for elaborating and preserving an olive preparation, according to claim 4, wherein the acceptable food additive is a phenol absorbent.

6. The method for elaborating and preserving an olive preparation, according to claim 5, wherein the food additive is PVPP, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone.

7. The method, according to claim 3, wherein the phase e) relative to the first packaging of the paste is carried out in an inert atmosphere, in aseptic and anaerobic conditions, by means of nitrogen injection.

8. The method, according to claim 3, wherein the freezing phase f) is carried out in freezing containers that provide temperatures of up to −40° C. to ensure an adequate freezing temperature of the packaged paste.

9. The method, according to claim 8, wherein the freezing temperature of the packaged paste is comprised between −19° C. and −21° C.

10. The method, according to claim 3, wherein the freeze-drying phase g) is carried out by introducing the frozen paste in vacuum chambers for drying and removing the water contained in the paste by means of a sublimation process.

11. The method, according to claim 10, wherein the freeze-drying phase g) is carried out at a drying temperature of between 15° C. and 35° C., and a vacuum chamber pressure of less than 1 mBar.

12. The method, according to claim 11, wherein the freeze-drying phase g) is carried out according to the following additional parameters: condensation temperature: −41° C.; pre-cooling temperature: −20° C.; sublimation time: 3 hours; drying time: 24 hours; maximum weight per freeze-dried container: 3 kg; maximum thickness of the freeze-dried container: 18 mm.

13. The method, according to claim 3, wherein the storing phase b) is carried out in silos over a period of less than 24 hours.

14. The method, according to claim 3, further comprising an olive pitting phase between phases c) and d), washing and grinding, respectively.

15. A single-dose capsule which comprises a receptacle having an inner cavity only partially full of a dry olive preparation formed from an olive paste that is firstly frozen and then freeze-dried, the capsule also comprising: a filtering membrane arranged in or at the bottom of the receptacle and which has micro-perforations suitable for retaining the preparation and the passage of traces of olive wastewater or water particles therethrough, which may contain an olive oil obtainable from rehydrating the olive paste inside the receptacle; and an upper film or adhesive that hermetically closes the receptacle at the top.

16. The single-dose capsule, according to claim 15, wherein the receptacle comprises at least one perimeter step located on the lateral surface thereof and which in turn has micro-perforations configured for a maximum filtration of an olive oil obtainable from rehydrating the olive paste inside the receptacle.

17. The single-dose capsule, according to claim 15, wherein the bottom of the receptacle is a perforated bottom and in that it has adequate reinforcement means for said bottom to resist internal pressures inside the capsule greater than 10 bar and preferably greater than 15 bar.

18. A method for obtaining an olive oil from a capsule containing a dry olive preparation formed from an olive paste that is firstly frozen and then freeze-dried, the method comprising the following steps: revealing the content of the capsule; homogeneously hydrating the olive paste contained in the capsule inside said capsule; and squeezing the olive preparation with the reconstituted olive paste inside the capsule, extracting the olive oil obtained from the capsule.

19. A machine for putting the method according to claim 18 into practice, comprising a liquid tank and means for driving the liquid towards at least one injection head having holes for injecting the liquid into a medium, wherein said injection head is mounted on a piston that is prepared to press the medium and subject it to a pressure greater than 10 bar, the injection head being able to adopt at least two positions with respect to the piston: an operating position wherein it disposes the orifices outside of the piston; and another, concealed position wherein the holes are housed inside the piston.

20. The machine, according to claim 19, wherein at least one injection head rotates around an axis parallel or coincident with the piston axis.

21. The machine, according to claim 19, wherein the injection head comprises an annular chamber that is concentric with respect to the piston axis.

22. The machine, according to claim 19, wherein the holes of the injection head have a step size of less than 0.5 mm and, more preferably, less than 0.2 mm.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] As a complement to the present description and for the purpose of helping to make the characteristics of the invention more readily understandable, this description is accompanied by a set of figures constituting an integral part thereof that, by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a single-dose capsule according to an embodiment of the present invention for instantly obtaining olive oil.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a view of the inner face of the capsule of FIG. 1.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the capsule of FIG. 1.

[0039] FIGS. 4a to 4c show schematic views of a sequence of a method for obtaining olive oil from a capsule containing a dry preparation formed from an olive oil paste according to a variant of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an extraction machine for cooperating with a capsule similar to that of FIG. 1.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a capsule 1 for instantly obtaining olive oil according to a variant of the invention. In the example, the capsule 1 is a single-dose capsule and may be manufactured from low-density polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

[0042] More specifically, the capsule 1 comprises a flared receptacle 10 that determines an inner cavity suitable for housing a dry olive preparation formed from an olive paste that is firstly frozen and then freeze-dried. Preferably, the amount of preparation is for a single-dose service and, to this end, it is provided that the amount of olive paste comprised in the preparation contained therein is between 50 g and 80 g. The dimensions of the capsule 1 are selected in such a manner that an empty space remains in the receptacle 10, i.e. that the preparation does not occupy all the space available in said receptacle 10.

[0043] In the example of FIGS. 1 to 3, the receptacle 10 has an upper mouth on which an annular rim 13 directed outwards is formed, whose proposal is explained below.

[0044] The capsule 1 also comprises a filtering membrane 20 arranged on the lower base of the receptacle 10. Said filtering membrane 22 may be fully integrated in the bottom 20 of the receptacle 10.

[0045] Alternatively, it is provided that the bottom 20 of the receptacle 10 will be formed from a single piece with the walls thereof and that the filtering membrane 20 is an originally separated element but arranged at the bottom 20 of the receptacle 10, between the olive preparation and the bottom 20 of said receptacle 10, as illustrated in the example of FIG. 3 in which, for a better understanding, the filtering membrane 22 has only been partially illustrated to reveal the bottom 20 of the receptacle 10. In this case, it is envisaged that the bottom 20 of the receptacle will have outlet holes 21 or that an extraction machine will equip the bottom 20 of the receptacle with outlet holes after the olive oil is obtained. In the first case, it is provided that the capsule 1 is inside a barrier package that prevents the passage of oxygen therethrough, for the purpose of preserving the olive preparation; and, in the second case, it is provided that the same capsule will be manufactured from a barrier material.

[0046] In any case, the invention envisages that the filtering membrane 22 is a cellulose filter having micro-perforations 23 for retaining olive wastewater or water particles therethrough that may contain the freeze-dried paste, thereby avoiding its transfer to the resulting olive oil.

[0047] The capsule 1 also comprises an upper film 30 or adhesive that closes the mouth of the receptacle 10, shown in the sectional view of the FIG. 3, to hermetically seal the receptacle 10. In one embodiment, it is envisaged that this film 30 will be manually removable from the receptacle 10 to reveal the capsule 1 when the olive oil is to be obtained. In another variant of the invention, it is provided that the film 30 will be firmly fixed to the annular rim 13 of the receptacle 10 and that, in order to reveal the capsule, it will be necessary to tear or break the film at a non-perimeter portion thereof, whereupon the film is joined precisely by its perimeter to said annular rim 13. To this end, the film shall have 30 weakening lines or similar that will determine preferred rupture lines.

[0048] The properties of the film 30 may vary according to the case. For example, it is provided that the film 30 will be made of barrier material if the capsule 1 is not provided in oxygen-resistant packaging, while this is not necessary if the capsule 1 is packaged in barrier package, all of which is already known in the field of capsules for the preparation of coffee or teas.

[0049] According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is provided that the receptacle 10 may additionally comprise a perimeter step 11 arranged on the lateral surface thereof, which may in turn have micro-perforations 12 configured for the maximum filtration of the paste to be contained inside the same.

[0050] In the context of the present invention, by micro-perforations we refer to perforations whose maximum clearance or width will be less than 1 mm.

[0051] Although in FIGS. 1 to 3 a flared capsule 1 is shown, the possibility that it may have a cylindrical, square or any other shape that also allows it to fulfil its function successfully is envisaged.

[0052] In relation to the freeze-drying phase of the method for preparing and preserving the previously described olive paste, it should be mentioned that said freeze-drying phase is preferably carried out at a drying temperature of between 15° C. and 35° C., and at a vacuum chamber pressure of less than 1 mBar.

[0053] Moreover, according to the present embodiment, other additional parameters of the freeze-drying phase are: [0054] condensation temperature: −41° C.; [0055] pre-cooling temperature; −20° C.; [0056] sublimation time: 3 hours; [0057] drying time: 24 hours; [0058] maximum weight per freeze-dried container: 3 kg; [0059] maximum thickness of the freeze-dried container: 18 mm.

[0060] In relation to the aforementioned drying temperature range [15° C.-35° C.], it should be noted that it will depend on the olive variety being used at a given time.

[0061] In one variant, it is provided that the olive paste will be additivated with acceptable food additives. It is also provide that these additives will be functional. For example, it is provided that the olive paste will be additivated prior to freezing or subsequent to the freeze-drying thereof, using PVPP, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, for the purpose of retaining particles/components that could embitter the taste of the obtainable olive oil. Consequently, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the olive preparation shall comprise an olive paste that is frozen and subsequently freeze-dried using natural microtalc. Natural microtalc is a natural form of Hydrated Magnesium Silicate, natural talc in its pure state, and is a product manufactured from extra white laminar talc, which is physically and chemically inert, and lacking asbestos-type minerals from the amphibole and serpentine group.

[0062] By way of example, satisfactory results were obtained using approximately 0.5 g of PVPP per 40 g of paste.

[0063] The sequence of FIGS. 4a to 4d shows a method for obtaining olive oil from a capsule 1 such as the one described above. In order to obtain the olive oil, an extraction machine 2 prepared to cooperate with the capsule 1 and which is provided with the necessary means to reconstitute the olive paste from the olive preparation 3 inside the capsule 1 and for squeezing it for the purpose of obtaining an olive oil 17 (see FIG. 4d) that will be extracted from the capsule 1.

[0064] An example of the extraction machine 2 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 5 and complemented by FIG. 4a. The machine 2 comprises a casing 4 that includes a liquid tank 5 and means for driving 16 the liquid towards an injection head 6 mounted on a piston 7. In the variant of the example, the machine 2 also includes heating means 9a (schematically illustrated in FIG. 4a) governed by a thermostat device 9b, also represented schematically. The purpose of these heating means 9a is to ensure that the temperature of the liquid that will be used to reconstitute the olive paste, preferably water, is comprised between 20° C. and 27° C.

[0065] The machine 2 further comprises a housing 14 dimensioned to receive a capsule 1 fitted snugly therein and to immobilise it in an axial direction with respect to the axis of the capsule 1. To this end, it is provided that the housing 8 is laterally open and equipped with an inlet on which the rim 13 of the capsule 1 is fitted, so that once the capsule 2 is placed in the housing 14 the capsule is retained. Naturally, it is provided that the machine has a hatch or similar whose shape complements that of the housing 14 to jointly form a chamber that envelopes the capsule 1 when the hatch is closed.

[0066] In the example, the injection head 6 may adopt at least two positions with respect to the piston 7, an operating position A where it projects from the piston 7; and another, concealed position B wherein it is housed in the piston 7.

[0067] Likewise, in the example, the injection head 6 comprises an annular chamber 6a which can be flooded with the pressurised liquid pumped by the driving means 16, which has a series of regularly distributed holes 15 that communicate the chamber 6a with the outside. The chamber 6a ensures a homogeneous distribution of the liquid that will be expelled through the holes 15. Preferably, the holes are circular and have a size of less than 0.5 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm.

[0068] The driving unit 16 is suitable for injecting liquid through these holes 15 in doses. For example, it is envisaged that in one dose an amount of liquid of approximately 5% to 10% by weight of the olive paste to be reconstituted will be injected. Preferably, the amount of liquid will be approximately 7% by weight of the amount of olive paste to be reconstituted. In practice, optimal samples of 10 ml to 20 ml of olive oil have been obtained from 50 g to 80 g of olive paste with the aforementioned liquid doses.

[0069] The method for obtaining this olive oil 17 is explained below in reference to FIGS. 4a to 4d.

[0070] The capsule 1 is revealed, removing the film 30, and the capsule 1 is placed in the housing 14 of the machine 2.

[0071] Next, the machine 2 will execute the following steps:

[0072] Based on the situation represented in FIG. 4a, a first forward movement of the piston 7 is produced, for the purpose of blocking the receptacle 10, introducing the working end of the piston 7 in the receptacle 10 through its upper mouth. Although in FIG. 4a the injection head 6 has been illustrated in an operating position A, it is also provided that the injection head 6 will be concealed in the piston 7, adopting its operating position B.

[0073] Next, the driving unit 16 procures the injection of the necessary liquid for reconstituting the olive paste comprised in the preparation 3. However, the injection head 6 must previously be arranged in the operating position A of FIG. 4b if it was originally concealed inside the piston 7. In any case, and simultaneously to injecting liquid, for a better distribution and correct homogenisation in this reconstitution operation, the injection head 6 is made to rotate around a vertical axis coincident with the axis of the capsule 1, as shown in FIG. 4b.

[0074] In an alternative variant, not shown, it is envisaged that the injection head 6, instead of comprising an annular chamber 6a, will have various injection nozzles, each of which having one or more holes 15 for the outlet of the liquid. In this case, each injection nozzle will have a rotation capacity preferably around an axis parallel to the piston 7 axis 18.

[0075] Next, the already reconstituted olive paste 3′ must be squeezed. To this end, chamber 6a is concealed or, where applicable, the injection nozzles, from the injection head 6 in the piston 7, adopting its concealed position B as shown in FIG. 4c for the purpose of preventing the holes 15 from becoming blocked in the next step.

[0076] Next, the unit formed by the piston 7 descends, preferably dragging therewith or in coordination with the forward movement of the injection head 6, which is concealed to protect the holes 15, squeezing the olive preparation with the already reconstituted paste as shown in FIG. 4d. Preferably, the machine 2 is prepared for the piston 7 to exert a pressure greater than 10 bar on the olive preparation 3. More preferably, this pressure will be between 15 and 18 bar.

[0077] It is provided that in the event that the receptacle 10 of the capsule has the aforementioned perimeter step 11, it will cooperate to stop the piston 7 in its downward movement. For example, the step 11 may be dimensioned so as to reduce the cross-section of the receptacle to the point that it prevents the passage of the piston 7, which has a greater cross-section, such that it encounters a force resistant to the forward movement that can be triggered by the actuation means procured by the piston movement.

[0078] At this point, it should be noted that the fit that must be ensured between the capsule 1 and the housing 14, in that the walls that form this housing 14 properly envelope the capsule 1 to prevent it from expanding and breaking due to the pressure to which it will be subjected from the inside due to the effect of the piston 7.

[0079] It is precisely to ensure that the capsule 1 resists this inner pressure, that the bottom of the receptacle has radial reinforcements 20a (visible in FIG. 1). The olive oil 17 obtained from squeezing the olive preparation will flow out of the capsule 1 through the outlet holes 21 at the bottom 20 of the receptacle 10. Alternatively, as mentioned earlier, it is provided that the machine 2 will be provided with a system for perforating the bottom 20 of the receptacle 10 in the event that it does not have outlet holes.

[0080] The piston 7 may be actuated by a mechanical actuation unit with a rack and pinion-type transmission or may be a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated piston 7. Likewise, it is envisaged that the injection head 6 will be mechanically associated with the piston 7 by means of a threaded coupling, such that on promoting a movement in an axial direction to the injection head 6 it will automatically rotate around the piston 7 axis.

[0081] Although not represented in FIG. 5, it is conventionally provided that the housing 14 of the machine 2 will be raised with respect to the machine 2 support base so that it may have a receptacle that collects the olive oil 17 extracted from the capsule 1 underneath the same to collect the olive oil 17 under gravity. The same machine 2 may be provided with a grate or similar whereon this collector receptacle may be arranged, there being a removable tray underneath the grate destined for collecting olive oil waste or drips between one extraction and the next at times when there is no collector receptacle arranged underneath the capsule 1.

[0082] It should be noted that the final olive oil obtained by means of this method and the capsule described herein fulfils the requirements and parameters established in Commission Regulation (UE) No. 61/2011, of 24 Jan. 2011, amending Regulation (ECC) No. 2568/91 relative to the characteristics of olive oils and olive-pomace oil and to their analysis methods.

[0083] Therefore, the present invention enables a high-quality olive oil to be obtained, maintaining and preserving its organoleptic properties (flavour, aroma and colour) and nutritional values (antioxidants) in perfect condition. Thus, users are provided with a fast, simple and efficient way of consuming the olive oil variety they prefer without having to travel, and allowing its consumption up to six months after the olive harvest without quality loss, due to an olive paste that is conveniently frozen, freeze-dried and conveniently packaged in single-dose capsules, compatible with the corresponding extraction equipment specially designed for such purpose.