Rocche della Sala joins FIOI: a commitment to quality extra virgin olive oil
Rocche della Sala joins FIOI: a commitment to quality extra virgin olive oil
We are pleased to announce that Rocche della Sala has joined FIOI – Federazione Italiana Olivicoltori Indipendenti (Italian Federation of Independent Olive Growers), an organisation created to bring together and promote Italian producers who directly manage their own supply chain and place the quality of extra virgin olive oil at the heart of their work.
For us, joining FIOI is more than simply becoming a member of a federation. It means sharing a very specific approach to olive growing: knowing where the olives come from, carefully following every stage of production and taking all the necessary steps to ensure that what begins in the olive grove reaches the consumer’s table in the best possible condition.
What is FIOI?
The Federazione Italiana Olivicoltori Indipendenti – FIOI brings together small and medium-sized Italian olive-growing businesses, artisan olive mills and cooperatives committed to producing extra virgin olive oil from Italian olive cultivars.
According to FIOI’s philosophy, the work of an independent olive grower does not end with the harvest. On the contrary, producers follow and control the entire production cycle: from cultivation and the choice of the right harvesting time to olive processing, storage, bottling and the marketing of the oil.
This is an approach that fully reflects our own philosophy.
In our olive groves in western Sicily, we mainly grow Nocellara del Belìce, one of the cultivars that best represents our territory. For us, managing production directly means taking responsibility for quality at every single stage, without considering extraction to be the final step in the process.
The quality of olive oil begins long before it reaches the mill
Producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil starts with healthy olives harvested at the right stage of ripeness, but what happens during the hours immediately after harvesting is just as important.
The time between harvesting and processing, the way the olives are handled and stored, the cleanliness of the equipment, processing temperatures and extraction methods can all have a major influence on the final characteristics of the oil.
This is why FIOI pays particular attention not only to olive growing, but also to the technologies and procedures used in the mill. The requirements identified for quality production include prompt processing of the olives, careful temperature control during extraction and the use of appropriate oil filtration systems.
These aspects are often invisible to consumers, yet they are essential for producing an extra virgin olive oil capable of preserving over time the qualities developed in the fruit.
Why we filter our olive oil
One aspect of the FIOI Production Manual that we consider particularly important is the filtration of freshly produced olive oil.
During extraction, microscopic particles of olive pulp and tiny amounts of vegetation water naturally remain suspended in the oil. Their presence is what initially gives unfiltered oil its characteristic cloudy appearance.
Cloudy olive oil is sometimes perceived as being more “natural” or artisanal. In reality, if these particles remain in the oil for an extended period, they can encourage fermentation and degradation processes that gradually affect its aromas, flavours and stability.
For this reason, the FIOI Production Manual considers filtration a necessary step in ensuring the quality and stability of extra virgin olive oil over time.
Filtration does not diminish the oil: it protects it.
By removing residual water and solid particles, some of the main causes of deterioration are reduced, allowing the oil to preserve for longer the characteristics achieved through careful harvesting and proper processing.
This is a practice we have followed in our own production for many years, and one to which we have also dedicated a specific article on our blog: [Why filtration is essential for preserving the quality of olive oil over time].
Proper storage is also part of quality
The work, however, does not end with filtration.
Once produced, olive oil must be protected from its main enemies: oxygen, light and unsuitable temperatures.
The FIOI Production Manual recommends storing olive oil in stainless steel tanks, protected by an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon, and in temperature-controlled rooms, ideally at between 15 and 18 °C.
We apply the same principles to our production. After filtration, our olive oil is stored in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature and protected from contact with oxygen by means of inert gas until it is packaged.
These precautions may be less visible than an attractive bottle or label, but they are precisely the details that make the difference when the aim is to preserve the quality of an extra virgin olive oil over time.
Promoting Italian olive cultivars and their territories
Another aspect of FIOI’s philosophy that we strongly identify with is its focus on Italian olive cultivars and olive-growing biodiversity.
Italy has an extraordinary wealth of olive varieties that have developed over the centuries in close connection with the different territories, soils and microclimates of the country. Protecting and promoting historic Italian cultivars is one of FIOI’s main objectives.
For us, this connection is represented above all by Nocellara del Belìce, a cultivar deeply rooted in the Belìce Valley and western Sicily.
Promoting it means more than simply placing its name on a label. It means doing everything possible to preserve its distinctive characteristics throughout every stage of production.
A new step in our journey
Joining the Federazione Italiana Olivicoltori Indipendenti gives us the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with other producers who share the same commitment to quality, to continue improving our technical knowledge of olive oil production and to contribute to the promotion of high-quality Italian extra virgin olive oil.
Our goal remains the same as it has always been: to begin with healthy olives grown in our territory and personally follow their journey all the way to the bottle or Bag in Box.
Because the quality of an olive oil does not depend on a single step, but on the sum of many choices made throughout the entire production process.
Find out more about FIOI – Federazione Italiana Olivicoltori Indipendenti.