Crude kernel olive oil
After the picking, olives are taken to the oil mill where most of the olive oil is extracted. What remains -a pulp of skin and pit “wood”- is called olive oil kernel and is the raw material for the functioning of the kernel olive oil factory. Within the kernel, there is still enough oil (roughly ~4%) and humidity (~50%). Once in the factory, the kernel is dried up so that most of its humidity is removed. Then, comes the procedure of extraction with hexane; the kernel’s remaining oil can now be isolated: this is the crude kernel olive oil.
The crude kernel olive oil has a dark brown-green hue and is sold to refineries in Greece or abroad. There, after being re-processed, is made available in the market as refined olive oil (pomace oil). It is a cooking oil of great quality, suitable for eating, raw or cooked.