Now we approach the time of collection and the identification of the right level of maturity depends on both the quantity and the quality of the product.
It is commonly said that the fruits begin to accumulate oil ended the hardening phase of the core until the mid-late October, when the process become oily strongly slows to a halt as a result of the drop in temperatures. The phenomenon of aging can also be followed visually. In fact, the color of the "skin" (skin coloring) of the olive, from green, tends to turn first to a red-purple to a dark brown. The intensity and the timing of this process, said veraison, varies depending on many factors: variety, climate trend, loaded with fruit ...
Another indicator that can be considered is the hardness of the pulp that decreases as it matures. It is known that in parallel to the softening of the pulp trigger oxidation or otherwise worsening the quality of the oil.
Also remember that the more olives remain on the tree the greater the negative effects of induction and differentiation of flower buds, so at the expense of the production of the following year.
Quality and quantity
The time to pick is definitely when you can get the maximum amount of product without negative impact on quality.
Many researchers who have ventured to establish the criteria, methods and related analytical formulas to determine the right level of maturity.
Fruit growth (fresh weight, dry weight and volume), evolution of fatty acids and their relationships, relationship anthocyanins / polyphenols, genesis and curve sterols, polyphenols and anthocyanins, can become oily, color drupa are some of the parameters taken into account .
Certainly, some of these analyzes are not be made from all of both the complexity of the process is due to the cost of laboratory equipment necessary. It was also demonstrated that some of the experimental procedures adopted are not recoverable in areali other than those where the trials were conducted.
Taking into account the differences in climate, soil (soil) and varietal existing in Italy in recent years, research has focused in establishing the most suitable degree of ripeness for the area and for cultivars. Available data, however, are recent and partial, the signs that can be found in the literature are therefore rather approximate.
A method ... Though not hesitate absolute rules, a system can be easily used by everyone to orient themselves and establish the time of collection. This maturation index (MI) was developed at the Station Olivicola Jean (Spain) and has been shown to be repeatable, with undiminished efficiency, in each territory. This method relates the color of the epicarp and the pulp (mesocarp) with the amount of oil in the olive and hence its degree of ripeness. You have to sample 100 fruits a branchetta and according to the following formula and instructions to turn it into a number: IM = (AX0 BX1 + + + Cx2 Ex4 DX3 + + + Fx5 GX6 HX7 +) / 100 The letters indicate the number of olives for each addresses class. The classes are: 0 = epicarpo deep green 1 = epicarp green faded 2 = epicarp green with traces of redness in the distal part of the fruit and covering a quarter of the area (early veraison) 3 = epicarpo reddish or burnished for more than half the area (late veraison) 4 = epicarpo black and clear pulp 5 = skin coloring black and flesh browning for less than half the depth 6 = epicarpo black and brownish pulp for more than half of the depth but getting to the nub (endocarp) 7 = epicarpo black and flesh browning up all'endocarpo Conventionally the harvesting period corresponds to an index of maturity equal to 3.5. However, this value should be normalized according to the area and optimized to obtain the desired organoleptic characteristics.
Fonte:http://www.teatronaturale.it/strettamente-tecnico/l-arca-olearia/96-olive-quando-raccogliere.htm
