Did you know that olive harvesting period will influence organoleptic characteristics, shelf life, polyphenol levels and colour of olive oil?

In the Mediterranean region, olives can be harvested from October to as late as February. In this article, we will explain the difference between early and late harvest.

If olives are harvested early (October through mid-November), they generally yield less olive oil than late harvest.

Early harvest olive oils

Early harvest olive oils are made with unripe olives. The chlorophyll content is high, so the early harvest olive oils are often quite green. Early harvest olive oils are definitely worth the money as they have higher antioxidants and extra-low acidity. Healthier the olive oil, the better!

Late harvest olive oils

The late olive harvest happens when the olive matures, and the skin turns purple to black. Waiting for more time means that olive will give more olive oil. Late harvest olive oils tend to be more golden in colour as the chlorophyll content declines. At this stage, the polyphenol levels in olive oil drop too. As a result, these olive oils are less bitter, more floral, less pungent, and have a shorter shelf life than early harvest olive oils.