Table Olive Production and Processing

Bitter compounds naturally present in olive fruit can be broken down to produce palatable olives known as "table olives." In this article, we first provide background information on global table olive production and then describe the most common methods of processing table olives. Phenolic compounds in the olive lead to bitterness and pungency and are responsible for many of the health benefits of olives and olive oil through their antioxidant properties. High salt used in many processing methods is critical to provide shelf stability, but it can be unhealthy, especially for those individuals with cardiovascular disease. One sustainable and healthy alternative packaging initiative is described. Some olives are naturally debittered by natural microorganisms and can be eaten directly off the tree and provide a second healthy alternative.