The 2024 olive oil production season in Italy has presented a series of challenges for producers, with fluctuating yields and quality. Variable weather conditions, including intense summer heat followed by heavy autumn rains, resulted in uneven olive production, with fewer fruits in some areas and irregular ripening in others.
Olive Yield
In Tuscany, the major issue was the yield. Especially at the beginning of the harvest, many producers recorded yields well below 10%. Despite an abundance of olives and their good quality, the quantity of oil produced fell short of expectations.
It is likely that harvesting began before the olives reached their optimal technological maturity, and the heavy September rains further worsened the oil-to-water ratio inside the fruit. The situation improved in November, as yields gradually returned to “normal” levels.
Olive Oil Quality
As every year, at the CDR "Francesco Bonicolini" Chemical Research Laboratory, we analyzed acidity, peroxide value and polyphenol concentration using the CDR OxiTester on olive oil samples from various locations in Tuscany. This allowed us to assess the 2024 olive oil campaign in terms of quality. In this regard, the overall situation in Tuscany was quite positive. The olive fly did not cause significant damage, which contributed to excellent acidity levels.
Olive Oil Analysis Results with CDR OxiTester
Below is a table summarizing the analysis results of the available oil samples:
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The values are sorted in descending order based on polyphenol concentration, as polyphenols are highly valuable compounds in olive oil. A higher polyphenol content enhances sensory characteristics, indicates an optimal production process, boosts health benefits, and extends shelf life.
Map of biofenol/polyphenol concentrations in the oil produced across different areas of Tuscany:
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Overall, the analyzed oils demonstrated very good quality, with significantly low acidity levels, confirming the excellent quality of the olives. The average acidity was 0.14% (oleic acid), lower than in the past two years and well below the legal limit.
Regarding polyphenol-related organoleptic properties, the average value recorded was 430 mg/kg, the lowest in recent years. This resulted in oils with less pronounced bitter and pungent notes. However, the low acidity contributed to an enjoyable fresh oil flavor. As for peroxide values, no anomalies were detected. As expected, freshly milled oils generally exhibit low peroxide levels. This year, the average peroxide value was 5.4 meqO₂/kg. While this parameter is not critical immediately after milling, it becomes essential during storage, making periodic monitoring a good practice.
Conclusions
In summary, 2024 was a positive year in terms of quality. The absence of fruit defects resulted in very low acidity and peroxide levels, ensuring that no oils were at risk of being downgraded in classification. However, the distinctive organoleptic notes typical of Tuscan oils were somewhat lacking. On the production side, yields were low at the beginning of the harvest, leading to an overall moderate output. This reaffirms that climate anomalies cannot be overlooked, and operational decisions must be made with full awareness of their impact.
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