Barigelli olive oil machinery installations detail the complete journey from fruit preparation to final oil extraction. Each installation shows how individual components-crushers, malaxers, decanters, and clarification systems - work in synchrony to deliver consistent, high-quality olive oil. The following sections summarise each functional stage of the production line, referencing installation examples.

Crushing and Malaxing Units

Barigelli Crusher And Malaxing Unit With Integrated Control Panel

This installation combines olive crushing and paste malaxing in a compact continuous system. The crusher prepares the olive paste uniformly before transfer to the malaxing tanks, where controlled mixing optimises oil separation. Integrated control settings manage paste temperature, timing, and batch flow to maximise extraction efficiency.

Image:  Vertiical Separator with Stand, Malaxing Unit with Crusher, Decanter & Control Panel all connected with raceway.

Barigelli BVD 6-10 Olive Oil Extraction Line with Control Panel

This installation showcases the Barigelli BVD 6-10 olive oil extraction system equipped with an integrated control panel. The setup includes a crusher, malaxing system, and decanter, designed for continuous olive oil processing. The control panel allows operators to manage temperature, timing, and extraction parameters for optimal oil yield and quality.

Barigelli Separator with Fresh Olive Oil Flow

Barigelli stainless steel vertical separator in operation, showcasing freshly extracted olive oil flowing smoothly from the outlet into the collection tank. The design ensures efficient liquid separation of oil while preserving aroma, colour, and quality of extra virgin olive oil.

       Barigelli Decanter Evolution and Mobile Olive Oil Extraction Units

Barigelli’s high-capacity decanter systems designed to separate oil, water, and solids in a single continuous process. The horizontal design ensures high separation efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and easy maintenance access for operators.

Barigelli Early Decanter Models and First Olive Oil Plant

Barigelli’s pioneering olive oil extraction technology - from the early B/D 400 (1995) and B/D 500 (1998) decanters to the B/DF 400H hydraulic version and the first complete olive oil plant (1998). These models mark the foundation of Barigelli’s innovation in continuous olive oil processing systems.

Barigelli Decanter and Mobile Extraction Units (2005 - 2009)

Barigelli’s advanced range of decanters and mobile olive oil extraction units developed between 2005 and 2009. The models include B/DF 125 (2007), B/DF 800H (2005), and B/DF 650 XLH (2009), alongside mobile versions such as the B/DF 125H (2008) and B/DF 400LH (2007). These systems represent a leap in continuous extraction technology, combining high efficiency, portability, and precision oil separation.

Barigelli 4.50 HRY Decanter – High-Capacity Olive Oil Extraction Unit

Barigelli 4.50 HRY Olive Oil Extraction Line – Full Processing Installation

Barigelli 4.50 HRY olive oil extraction setup featuring stainless steel decanters, pumps, and separator units. The continuous line integrates crushing, malaxing, decanting, and final clarification, designed for high-capacity and consistent extra virgin olive oil production.

Oil Clarification System

Oil clarification are critical steps that can help to maintain the purity, stability, and quality of extra virgin olive oil. Once oil has been separated in the decanter, it still contains microscopic solids, waxes, and water traces. Vertical separators separate unwanted parts to minimise fermentation and cloudiness, ensuring that the oil remains bright, aromatic, and longer-lasting. Barigelli systems feature stainless-steel food-grade modules integrated directly into the processing line, allowing continuous operation without halting production or creating bottlenecks. Their modular construction supports single or multi-stage malaxation.

Barigelli Stainless-Steel Feed Line

Barigelli stainless-steel feed system with inline sight-glass valves and transparent inspection panels. Designed for continuous olive oil feed.

Barigelli Olive Paste Malaxing Tank

 Barigelli Malaxing tank showing olive paste during the malaxation phase. The transparent inspection lid allows operators to monitor flow and sediment removal, ensuring consistent oil purity before final separation.

Barigelli Inline Sight Glass – Continuous Monitoring

Barigelli transparent sight chamber showing paste flow during malaxation. The precision assembly allows real-time visual monitoring of paste flow.

Barigelli Multi-Stage Malaxing Line - Automated Transfer

Barigelli multi tank malaxing facilitating automatic paste transfer with solenoids.

Barigelli Complete Processing and Automation Systems with Mobile Olive Oil Units

Barigelli’s complete olive oil processing lines integrate every stage of production into a single automated system. From olive crushing to oil clarification, each unit ensures precision control, continuous flow, and consistent extraction results tailored to the producer’s scale.

Barigelli CA 510 HRY Decanter with Central Control Cabinet.

A fully installed Barigelli line featuring the CA 510 HRY horizontal decanter and automated control system. This configuration offers real-time process monitoring, stable separation, and high extraction efficiency within a compact plant layout.

Barigelli Mobile Processing Units - Skid and Modular Systems (6–80 m³/h).

A series of mobile Barigelli units designed for flexible deployment in field or facility operations. Available in multiple capacities (6, 25, and 80 m³/h), these compact systems provide full olive oil extraction and clarification capability on-site for portable or remote production environments.

Power and Water Consumption

Each Barigelli installation demonstrates efficient integration of key processing stages—crushing, malaxing, decanting, clarification, and control - within a single automated framework. The result is precise, continuous olive oil production tailored to modern operational standards. These installations reflect the reliability and scalability essential for both boutique and industrial olive oil processors.

Videos

Fresh olives are highly sensitive to storage temperature and atmospheric composition before processing. While cold storage is commonly used to slow respiration and delay deterioration, inappropriate temperature or gas conditions can trigger serious physiological and physical disorders. Among these, chilling injury, carbon dioxide injury, and nailhead disorder are the most significant causes of quality loss in stored olives.

Research has shown that elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels, particularly when combined with extended storage duration, substantially increase the severity of chilling-related damage. Understanding the interaction between temperature, storage time, cultivar sensitivity, and atmospheric composition is essential for growers and processors seeking to protect fruit quality prior to processing.

Physiological And Physical Disorders In Stored Olives

Chilling injury (CI)

Chilling injury is one of the most damaging postharvest physiological disorders affecting fresh olives stored before processing. It develops when olives are exposed to temperatures below their tolerance threshold for prolonged periods.

Chilling injury can become a major cause of deterioration under the following conditions:

• More than 2 weeks at 0°C (32°F) 
•  More than 5 weeks at 2°C (36°F) 
•  More than 6 weeks at 3°C (38°F)

Cultivar susceptibility plays a critical role. The established order of sensitivity to chilling injury is Sevillano (most susceptible), followed by Ascolano, Manzanillo, and Mission (least susceptible).

Nailhead disorder

Nailhead is a physical storage disorder characterised by surface pitting and spotting of the olive skin. It results from the death and collapse of epidermal cells, creating air pockets beneath the fruit surface. These air pockets cause the characteristic pitted or hammered appearance.

Nailhead typically develops under moderate cold storage rather than extreme chilling, with symptoms observed when olives are stored at 10°C (50°F) for six weeks or longer, or at 7.5°C (45.5°F) for twelve weeks or longer.

Although nailhead does not always involve internal browning, it significantly reduces visual quality and marketability and may increase susceptibility to secondary decay during extended storage.

Carbon dioxide injury

Carbon dioxide injury occurs when olives are exposed to CO₂ concentrations greater than 5% for extended periods. This disorder often overlaps with chilling injury and significantly intensifies tissue damage.

Symptoms of carbon dioxide injury include internal browning similar to chilling injury, increased incidence and severity of decay, and accelerated loss of firmness and fruit integrity.

Elevated CO₂ disrupts normal respiratory metabolism, leading to cellular damage and increased vulnerability to physiological failure. While controlled atmospheres can be beneficial under carefully managed conditions, excessive CO₂ consistently results in poorer storage outcomes.

Controlled atmosphere comparison 

Controlled atmospheres using reduced oxygen and moderate carbon dioxide levels help maintain firmness and green skin colour when storage temperatures are kept above 5°C.

Interaction Between Temperature And Atmospheric Composition

The interaction between storage temperature and atmospheric composition is critical in determining olive storage success. Elevated CO₂ levels intensify chilling injury even at temperatures that might otherwise be considered safe.

By contrast, controlled atmospheres containing approximately 2% oxygen combined with up to 5% carbon dioxide have been shown to maintain flesh firmness and preserve green skin colour when olives are stored at 5°C (41°F) or higher.

This highlights the importance of managing storage conditions as an integrated system rather than relying on temperature control alone.

Practical Implications For Growers And Processors

Physiological and physical storage disorders can result in substantial economic losses through reduced yield, downgraded quality, and increased waste. These risks are particularly pronounced during seasons of high production when fruit must be held before processing.

Key strategies to minimise postharvest losses include avoiding storage temperatures below 5°C, limiting exposure to CO₂ concentrations above 5%, reducing storage duration wherever possible, and accounting for cultivar-specific sensitivity when planning harvest and storage logistics.

Conclusion

CO₂ chilling injury and related physiological disorders represent a significant challenge in fresh olive storage. The combined effects of low temperature, extended storage duration, elevated carbon dioxide levels, and cultivar susceptibility determine the severity of damage.

By maintaining appropriate temperature ranges, managing atmospheric composition carefully, and tailoring storage practices to cultivar characteristics, growers and processors can significantly reduce postharvest losses and maintain olive quality before processing.

References

Postharvest Technology Center, University of California, Davis