Orujo (olive waste) facts for kids

Alpeorujo and Orujo are special terms for the leftover stuff that comes from making olive oil. When olives are pressed to get their oil, not everything turns into oil. There's always some solid and liquid waste left behind. These leftover materials are what we call Alpeorujo and Orujo. Understanding them helps us see how olive oil is made and how we can use or manage these byproducts.

What are Alpeorujo and Orujo?

Orujo is the wet, solid leftover material from older ways of making olive oil. These traditional methods often used big presses to squeeze the oil out of olives. After the oil was collected, a wet, pulpy solid was left behind. This solid is Orujo.

Alpeorujo is a newer term for the solid-liquid waste from more modern olive oil factories. These factories use a "two-phase" method to get the oil. This method is different because it creates a mix of solids and liquids together as waste.

How Olive Oil is Made

Making olive oil involves several steps to separate the oil from the rest of the olive fruit.

• First, olives are crushed into a paste.
• Then, this paste is processed to separate the oil.
• What's left after the oil is taken out becomes the waste product.

Traditional Methods and Orujo

In older or traditional ways of making olive oil, olive paste was often pressed. This process created three main things:

• The valuable olive oil.
• A wet, solid waste called Orujo.
• A watery waste called alpechín.

Orujo is mostly the olive pits and pulp that remain after pressing.

Modern Methods and Alpeorujo

Newer factories often use a "continuous two-phase" method. This process is more efficient and uses less water. However, it creates a different kind of waste. Instead of separate solid Orujo and liquid alpechín, it produces a combined solid-liquid waste called Alpeorujo. This means the water from the olives stays mixed with the solid parts.

Some factories also use a "three-phase" method, which is a bit like the traditional way. It also produces Orujo (the solid part) and alpechín (the watery part) separately.

Why are These Leftovers Important?

Even though Alpeorujo and Orujo are considered waste, they are very important!

• Environmental Impact: If not handled properly, these materials can cause pollution. They contain organic matter that can affect soil and water.
• New Uses: Scientists and companies are always looking for ways to use these byproducts. For example, some Orujo can be further processed to extract a small amount of "pomace olive oil."
• Energy: The solid parts can sometimes be used as fuel for energy, like burning wood.
• Compost: They can also be turned into compost, which helps plants grow.

By finding good uses for Alpeorujo and Orujo, we can make olive oil production more sustainable and reduce waste.

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