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<pre>Adrian asked about the oleic percentage in olive oil.

Temperature is most important during autumn. Most of the oil in
the fruit is produced in September and October (Northern hemisphere) and we
were told on our olive management course run by the local comune that
optimum temperature for flavor and high oleic content is 20° to 25° C
during oil formation period.
The International Olive Oil Council gives figures of between 70 and
80% oleic for oils grow in hot compared to cool autumns but we were told
this is an under-estimation of the difference and that "cool" oils from the
mountains of central Italy can be as high as 84% oleic and that some "hot"
oils from the south of Italy and North Afria can be as low as 56%.

There is also a difference between varieties. For example Frantoio
has a higher ratio of unsaturated (Oleic and Linoleic) compared to
saturated (palmitic and stearic) than Maurino (commonly used as a
pollinator in Tuscany)

Cheers Brian Chatterton
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