Treatment where the olives are placed in a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) until it penetrates about two-thirds of the distance into the flesh. It is designed to remove the bitter taste of the olives and to prepare them for fermentation.

Perforated conical device made of steel, placed at the bottom of the lye tank close to the grate to move the olives at the bottom during the lye treatment and lye removal stages to stop them from being squashed.

Device, usually paddle-like, used to homogenise solutions of sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride or any other substance used at the processing facility.

(1) Water from a piped supply or other source, suitably treated, which is used to remove excess alkali from the olives after lye treatment.(2) Water used to remove any undesirable matter such as residual brine, leaves, etc from the surface of the fruits, containers etc.

Preparation of olives to make them edible, particularly when treating them in a sodium hydroxide (lye) solution to remove their bitterness.

Mechanical system comprising two mobile clamps which firmly grip the tree to transmit multidirectional vibrations to the trunk and so harvest the olives.

See handheld rod shaker

Harvester consisting of a cylindrical head with rotating rods that whip the tree branches, so detaching the olives which fall onto nets or into bins.