New Olive-Pomace Oil Improved by Hydrothermal Pre-Treatments

The health properties of virgin olive oil (VOO) are well known in the Mediterranean Diet, in which VOO is the main source of fat (Boskou, 2000). The Mediterranean area provides 97% of the total olive production of the world and represents a major industry in the region (Aragon & Palancar, 2001). The fatty acid composition is not the only healthy component of olive oil; in addition, minor components have high biological activities (Pérez-Jiménez et al., 2007). From the olive oil by-product, the olive-pomace oil (OPO) is obtained. Recent studies have demonstrated the positive benefits of OPO on health, and these effects are due mainly to the presence of minor components (Ruiz-Gutiérrez et al., 2009). The new olive oil extraction processes in the olive mills make the extraction of OPO and the general utilisation of wastes more difficult. New thermal systems are proposed to pre-treat the olive oil wastes to facilitate their utilisation and OPO extraction.