The
Process of making Zirtoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
We
have set out to establish a plant that combines the long Syrian
history and tradition of olive oil making, with the latest
technological machinery to ensure the highest quality in natural
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Our
Olives are obtained under a long-term deal made with farmers to
buy the crops of 25000 trees located in Salqin, Al-knayeh in Idleb
and Ifrin in Aleppo. Our team follows these trees to make sure
that disease prevention is done in natural ways and that no
chemicals are used neither for fertilization nor for prevention.
Olive
collection is done manually by experienced olive tree farmers.
Olives are handpicked and selected just when they are ready to
ensure the highest quality product. Then olives are transported in
suitable plastic crates for olives with holes for ventilation.
Under
a contract with a new extraction plant, our olives are processed
no longer than 48 hours after collection. During this period our
olives are stored indoors. Then, our Extra Virgin Olive Oil is
cold pressed.
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Concerning
the transportation of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to our plant, we
have manufactured 3 storage tanks in different sizes made of
SS304. These are placed in the extraction plants to collect our
olive oil.
These
mini storage tanks can be transported by a truck to our facilities
where the peroxide, acidity and humidity are checked in our lab
supplied by Radiometer of France.
Once the testing results are found to be satisfactory, the olive
oil is transported to the suitable stainless steel storage tank
via special outside connections.
Collection
of olives, cold pressing of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil is all done
under our supervision.
We have a total storage capacity of 500 tons (10 tanks with a
capacity of 50 tons each). All tanks are made in Spain of
Stainless Steel 304 BA.
The tanks have the following characteristics:
- tanks
are located in an isolated hall, protected from sunlight and
placed 50 cm above the floor. The tanks have a sloping base ,
so that sediment can be easily removed.
- The
walls of the hall are made of special isolating bricks to
prevent the transfer of heat from and to the inside. Each tank
is equipped with a stainless steel heat exchanger to increase
the temperature of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil during the
winter. The inlet water is heated to a maximum temperature of
25 Celsius.
In the summer a high capacity air-conditioning system keeps
the storage hall and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil cool.
This temperature management facility keeps the temperature of
the Extra Virgin Olive Oil between 13 and 22 Celsius all year
long.
- Each
tank is equipped with a thermometer to monitor the temperature
of the oil, a manhole for inside cleaning, and three sample
valves located at different heights. An inlet and partial
discharge valve. A valve for complete discharge.
- Each
tank has connections for Nitrogen gas feeding. The nitrogen
gas ensures the homogenization of the oil inside the tanks and
the formation of a layer of nitrogen gas on top of the oil
level to isolate oil from air in the top and therefore
preventing any further oxidation of the oil and preventing any
changes in the characteristic of the oil.
A bubble acting vent located on the top of the tank makes the
above possible by preventing air from coming into the tanks
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A
new Filtration system from Gianazza Technology in Italy based on
the latest technology filters the impurities and humidity
physically from the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Hence extracting 80%
of the humidity present in the oil and making the maximum impurity
present between 0.05% and 0.1%.
Then, a polishing machine from Gianazza gives the oil, through
natural methods, the brilliant look it has.
We also have a modern laboratory supplied by Radiometer Analytical
S.A. France for checking the quality of the olive oil.
Finally, we have a new filling, capping and bottling line from
OCIM Italy, which is specialized in the olive oil bottling sector
that ensures clean filling and capping of the bottles.
This line is highly flexible and capable of filling glass and PET
bottles from 200 ml up to 2000 ml. All kinds of shapes can be
filled and caped with plastic or aluminum caps. Labels can be
placed from the front and the back. Lot number, production date
and expiry date are printed on the bottles by VideoJet.
Packaging is in suitable cartons with in-between cartons for glass
bottles.
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We
presently bottle under our own label "Zirtoon". Extra
Virgin Olive Oil for private labels can also be bottled in
different shapes and sizes.
We
are available with all the facilities and the equipment along with
the effort and follow up in taking care of the olive trees,
collection of olives, transportation, extraction and bottling to
produce the highest olive oil quality.
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