Olive oil extraction relies on breaking down the olive fruit’s cell walls (rich in pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose) to release oil droplets. Enzyme processing aids have emerged as powerful tools to enhance this breakdown, improving oil yield and quality without resorting to higher temperatures or longer malaxation times. But are you using the best enzyme products available? Here we examine the performance of Novozymes (Novonesis) enzymes – in particular Pectinex® Ultra Olio and Viscozyme® – against other enzyme formulations (here referred to generically as Enzyme A, Enzyme B, etc.). We draw on published research and trial data from Australia and around the world, focusing on the key metrics of oil yield, oil clarity, processing time/efficiency, and phenolic content of the resulting extra virgin olive oil.

Enzymatic Cell Wall Breakdown and Oil Release 

During malaxation, endogenous olive enzymes slowly soften the fruit’s structure as it ripens, converting insoluble proto-pectin into soluble pectin. Adding specialized pectinolytic enzyme cocktails can dramatically speed up this process. These enzymes (primarily pectinases with cellulase and hemicellulase side-activities) break down the polysaccharide matrix that traps oil droplets in the olive paste. The result is a more liquid paste and improved oil release. Studies show that enzymetreated olive paste has lower viscosity and better phase separation, which can increase decanter throughput (pumping rates) by ~5% and yield smoother operation of machinery. In practice, many processors report that enzyme use allows them to shorten malaxation time or maintain throughput at lower malaxation temperature, without sacrificing yield. By accelerating cell rupture, a minimum malaxation time of ~10 minutes may start releasing oil, with full enzyme effect achieved by 30–60 minutes of malaxation – comparable to standard processing times, but now with greater oil output. Crucially, this intensified breakdown is achieved mechanically (via enzymes) without heat or chemicals, preserving “cold extraction” status and complying with processing aid regulations (in regions where such aids are permitted).

Comparative Performance on Oil Yield 

Oil yield improvement is the headline benefit of enzyme use. A broad range of trials have documented yield increases, though results vary with olive cultivar and maturity. In general, Novozymes’ tailored enzyme products have shown superior performance in extracting oil compared to generic enzyme treatments. 

• Higher Extraction Efficiency: A study in Western Australia (Frantoio olives) found that adding a Viscozyme enzyme complex at an optimal dose raised oil recovery from 49% to 69% of the fruit’s oil content. This ~20 percentage-point increase (over 40% relative improvement) is dramatic – the enzyme-enabled process extracted nearly all available oil, versus only about half without enzymes. By comparison, earlier-generation enzyme aids often achieved more modest gains. For example, trials in the 1990s with a generic pectolytic enzyme (Enzyme A) showed only about 1.0–1.3 kg additional oil per 100 kg olives (i.e., ~1% absolute yield increase) using traditional pressing methods. Modern enzyme formulations like Pectinex Ultra Olio routinely deliver much higher yield improvements of 5–10% (relative) in industrial settings, with even greater gains under certain conditions as noted below.
• Effect of Fruit Maturity: Enzyme efficacy is particularly pronounced with greener, firmer olives that contain more unbroken cell-wall material. Research by UC Davis (Polari et al. 2020) demonstrated that using Pectinex Ultra Olio (500 ppm) boosted yields significantly, especially in early-harvest olives. For Koroneiki fruit at maturity index 0.2 (very unripe), the enzyme increased oil yield by 15–38% relative to control; for riper Koroneiki (MI 2.6), the gain was around 1.3–4.3%. In Arbequina olives, a ~6% yield increase was seen at MI 1.6 with enzyme, versus ~1–6% at later maturity. These data show that Novozymes’ enzyme can “unlock” oil most effectively when the fruit’s natural enzymes haven’t yet degraded the pectin structure – allowing earlier harvests without losing yield. Competing enzyme products also show this trend, but often with smaller gains. In the same study’s control trials (no enzyme), much of the oil remained unrecovered, especially in greener fruit. By contrast, Novozymes Pectinex Ultra Olio consistently achieved the highest extractability across cultivars and ripeness levels. 
  
• Head-to-Head Trials: A comprehensive Australian evaluation compared several enzyme formulations on olive paste extractability. In laboratory Abencor tests on Arbequina olives, the Novozymes prototype Pectinex Ultra Olio (coded NZ33095 in the trial) yielded the greatest increase in extracted oil, outperforming both a standard pectinase preparation and a multienzyme blend. In the same test, a beta-glucanase-rich enzyme (Enzyme B, analogous to a hemicellulase-heavy cocktail) showed the lowest yield improvement – still significantly better than no enzyme, but inferior to Pectinex Ultra Olio’s result. This highlights that not all enzyme products are equal: formulations optimized for the “main-chain” pectin breakdown tend to release more oil than those focusing on side-chain components alone. Interestingly, in a follow-up industrial-scale trial (5 ton/hr decanter) on Barnea olives, all enzyme treatments gave a statistically significant boost in yield, but the best performer was a broad-spectrum enzyme similar to Viscozyme. This suggests that under high-throughput conditions, an enzyme with a wide range of activities (pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, etc.) can maximize oil release and adapt to varying fruit compositions. Still, across these trials, the Novozymes products either met or exceeded the performance of generic alternatives. It’s also noteworthy that enzyme use consistently reduced residual oil in the pomace, cutting losses. For example, one field trial reported 24.8 kg more oil per ton of olives (at 400 mL/ton Pectinex Ultra Olio dosage) and a drop in pomace oil from 4.77% to 2.29%, compared to the control. The net effect is more oil in your tanks and less left in the waste cake. 
  

Improvements in Oil Clarity and Processing Time 

Beyond yield, enzymes offer advantages in oil clarity and overall process efficiency. When pectins and other colloids are broken down, the olive paste releases not just more oil but cleaner oil that separates more readily from water and solids. 

• Faster Separation and Clearer Oil: Pectins and fine solids can form emulsions that make olive oil cloudy and slow to clarify. Enzymatic maceration mitigates this. Sharma et al. (2014) observed that enzyme-assisted extraction produced oil with lower turbidity, measured as optical density 460   nm of 0.242, significantly clearer than oil from untreated paste. In their trials, a combination of pectinase+cellulase yielded the best clarity, indicating a more complete breakdown of suspended solids. Other studies concur that enzymatic treatment improves filterability and reduces sediment, yielding a brighter extra virgin oil. Novozymes notes that Pectinex Ultra Olio usage results in “quicker, better oil clarification” during settling. Mill operators also report that the oil–water separation in the decanter is more efficient, with clearer interface layers, when enzymes are applied. In practical terms, this can shorten the settling or centrifuge time needed to achieve a clear oil, accelerating the post-extraction processing. 
• Reduced Malaxation Time / Increased Throughput: Enzymes can shorten the time required to malax (knead) the paste to reach maximum oil yield. By rapidly reducing paste viscosity and facilitating coalescence of oil droplets, they allow malaxation to be effective in a shorter window. While a typical malaxation might be 30–45 minutes, with enzymes, the yield plateau is reached sooner. For instance, one industry source notes that using enzyme co-adjuvants “reduces malaxing time” needed and even permits slightly higher decanter rotation speeds (i.e., higher throughput) without loss of extraction efficiency. In practice, some mills have increased their processing capacity by a few percent when enzymes are introduced, as the enzymatically treated paste can be processed faster. Novozymes Viscozyme in particula,r is known for reducing paste viscosity (it’s a multi-enzyme originally developed to reduce mash thickness in various plant extractions). By incorporating Viscozyme or similar, a mill could potentially maintain extraction yields with a shorter malaxation or handle more fruit per hour. It’s important to note that very short malaxation (under ~20 minutes) might still limit flavor development, so processors find a balance; however, having the option to shorten kneading time slightly or not extend it to 60+ minutes for difficult pastes is a clear benefit of enzymes.  
  
• Machine Performance: Another side benefit reported is lower wear and energy usage in malaxers and decanter pumps. With a more fluid paste, pumps work less hard (as evidenced by needing to throttle back after enzyme addition to avoid overflowing the decanter ). This smoother operation can translate to marginal energy savings and gentler processing. Moreover, breaking emulsions with enzymes can reduce the amount of dilution water needed in some mills. By avoiding extra water, processors not only preserve more polyphenols (since added water can wash out phenolics) but also reduce the volume of wastewater generated.

In summary, Novozymes’ Pectinex Ultra Olio and Viscozyme enzymes deliver faster processing with better clarity compared to baseline and to many competitors. Enzyme-treated oil often meets or exceeds clarity standards without additional fining agents, and it maintains its quality through storage (no haze development) since troublesome mucilaginous compounds are largely removed during extraction. 

Effect on Phenolic Content and Oil Quality 

A key concern for producers is whether increasing yield with enzymes might diminish the phenolic content or other quality parameters of the oil. The consensus of scientific studies is that properly applied cell-wall degrading enzymes increase or preserve the phenolics in olive oil, while maintaining standard quality indices (free fatty acidity, peroxide value, UV absorption, etc. remain in the Extra Virgin range.

• Higher Polyphenols: Many trials have documented significant increases in total phenolic compounds in enzyme-extracted oil. In the Western Australian study mentioned earlier, the oil’s total polyphenols rose from 110 mg/kg to 266 mg/kg when Viscozyme was used. That’s over a 140% increase in phenolic concentration, alongside the big yield jump. Similarly, Polari et al. (2020) found that enzymes boosted total phenols in the oil by 45–60% for greener Arbequina fruit, and by 5–20% even in ripe fruit. The greener the olives, the more phenolics are typically retained/imparted by using enzymes, since these compounds are initially locked in the cell vacuoles. By freeing more bound phenolics into the oily phase, enzymes can yield oil with a robust antioxidant profile. Importantly, this is achieved without compromising flavor – in fact, several studies note improved aroma and sensory scores with enzyme use. For instance, the Olivex enzyme trial (Ranalli, 1996) reported higher levels of desirable volatile compounds (like trans-2-hexenal) in the treated oils, contributing to a higher panel score, as well as increased oxidative stability thanks to elevated o-diphenols. 
• No Adverse Quality Impact: The use of commercial enzymes has not shown negative effects on free acidity or peroxide value when proper practices are followed. In Sharma’s work, enzymetreated oils had slightly lower FFA and peroxide at extraction (likely due to shorter processing time and reduced oxidation), and all samples remained well within extra virgin limits. During storage, both enzyme and control oils showed the expected small increases in oxidation markers, but no additional deterioration attributable to enzyme treatment. In the Australian processing aid trials (Canamasas, 2011), no significant differences in quality indices (K232, K270, etc.) were found between enzyme-assisted and control oils – except for a couple of anomalies in one variety, the overall chemical quality was preserved. In fact, by enabling extraction at lower temperatures or shorter durations, enzymes can help protect heat-sensitive minor compounds. You effectively avoid the trade-off between yield and quality: traditionally, milling for higher yield (longer malaxation, higher temp) would cut phenolics and flavor. Enzymes break that trade-off – allowing high yields without high temperatures and even shorter malaxation, thereby retaining more flavor and nutrients. 
  
• Phenolics in Water and Pomace: Another aspect is that enzymatic breakdown releases phenolic glycosides and other antioxidants not only into the oil, but also into the water phase. This can raise the phenolic content of olive mill wastewater (which is an environmental consideration). However, the net effect for the oil is positive – more phenolics in the oil and a potentially slightly higher proportion of phenolics remaining in the pomace/water only means the enzyme extracted more of everything. Some advanced processes are looking at recovering polyphenols from the vegetation water, so enzyme use could aid in that secondary recovery as well. From the oil producer’s perspective, what matters is that enzyme-aided oils consistently show equal or higher polyphenol content than their non-enzyme counterparts. They also often exhibit increased oxidative stability (induction time), correlating with the elevated phenolics and tocopherols.
  

In summary, Novozymes Pectinex Ultra Olio and Viscozyme have demonstrated a remarkable ability to boost phenolic content while increasing yield. Competing enzyme aids (Enzyme   A, Enzyme B, etc.) also tend to maintain oil quality, but the magnitude of phenolic increase can differ. For example, some generic enzymes show only minor phenol improvements or even no significant change, whereas the Novozymes formulations, by virtue of more complete cell wall degradation, consistently elevate the antioxidant load in the oil. This translates into a healthier, more stable extra virgin olive oil – a clear win-win for producers focused on quality.

Conclusion: Performance Outcomes Favor Novozymes Enzymes 

Taking all performance metrics into account – oil yield, process efficiency, clarity, and phenolic content – the data strongly indicate that using Novozymes’ tailored enzyme solutions (Pectinex Ultra Olio and Viscozyme) gives superior outcomes in olive oil extraction. These enzymes have repeatedly delivered higher oil yield gains than other products, in some cases extracting virtually all available oil from the fruit. They achieve this without requiring harsher processing; on the contrary, they often allow gentler conditions or shorter processing time while still improving yield. The resulting oils are at least as high in quality, if not better: enzyme-assisted oils are clearer, richer in polyphenols, and show no increase in free acidity or oxidation. 

By contrast, the competing enzyme products (Enzyme  A, Enzyme  B, etc.) have shown only partial effectiveness in trials – yielding some improvements, but not matching the consistent, across-the-board performance of Pectinex Ultra Olio and Viscozyme. In head-to-head comparisons, Novozymes enzymes either outperformed or matched the best of the rest. Importantly, Novozymes has formulated its products specifically for olive processing (for example, Pectinex Ultra Olio was developed and tested across different olive varieties and maturity stages ), whereas some competitor enzymes are repurposed from general fruit juice applications and may not be as robust under varying olive conditions. 

For olive growers and mill operators, the implication is clear: using the best enzymes can substantially increase your oil yield and quality, improving profitability and product excellence. The incremental oil yield (often 5–10% or more) from Novozymes enzymes means higher returns per ton of olives, often with a quick payback on the enzyme cost. Meanwhile, the improvements in clarity and phenolics enhance the market value and shelf life of the oil. With proven results in both Australian trials and international research, Novozymes’ Pectinex Ultra Olio and Viscozyme stand out as top-tier choices. In an industry where every percent of yield and every quality point counts, these enzyme tools can give producers a competitive edge, squeezing more out of every olive in the most natural, efficient way. 

Bottom Line: Not all enzyme aids are created equal. Novozymes’ tailored olive oil enzymes have demonstrated superior performance – yielding more oil, faster, and with higher polyphenols – making them the best-in-class option for modern olive oil extraction based on the current data. 

For Your Information Only: (The following identifies the real enzyme products corresponding to the generic labels used above, based on the referenced research.) 

Enzyme A – Refers to a generic pectolytic enzyme preparation used in olive oil trials. For example, “Olivex”® is one such enzyme (a cocktail of pectinase, cellulase, and hemicellulases from Aspergillus spp.) that was tested in the 1990s studies. Olivex and similar products (e.g., AEB Group’s Endozym Olea) represent competitor pectinase-based aids that improve yield, but to a lesser extent than Pectinex Ultra Olio. 

Enzyme B – Refers to a multi-activity enzyme or non-Novozymes enzyme complex. In context, this maps to enzymes focusing on side-chain polysaccharides or alternate sources. For instance, a Bacillus licheniformis enzyme solution (rich in cellulase and other activities) was tested by Mortabit et al. (2014) on Moroccan olives and can be considered analogous to “Enzyme B”. It slightly outperformed single commercial pectinase or cellulase products in that study. Another example in industry would be Specialty Enzymes’ SEBMax Olive – a broad-spectrum enzyme – which would fall into this category of competitor multi-enzyme aids. 

Enzyme C – In some passages, we allude to a standard “generic pectinase” as used in various studies. This could be, for example, Novozymes’ own older product Pectinex Ultra SP-L (often used as a benchmark enzyme in trials) or other companies’ pectinase used as a control. Essentially, Enzyme C stands for the first-generation enzyme solutions that paved the way – effective to a point (yield boosts of a few percent), but not as optimized as Pectinex Ultra Olio.