Editing Olive (section)

=== Olive oil ===
[[Olive oil]] is a [[Vegetable oil|liquid fat]] obtained from olives, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the resulting oil. It is most commonly used for culinary purposes, namely frying, marinating, or flavoring food or as a [[salad dressing]]. Olive oil is also used in [[cosmetics]], [[Medication|pharmaceuticals]], [[soap]]s, and as a [[fuel]] for traditional [[oil lamp]]s. Olive oil serves a ritual purpose in some religions. Pursuant to historical tradition, various Christian churches use olive oil as part of [[Consecration in Christianity|consecration]] ceremonies, such as administering certain [[Sacrament|sacraments]] and ecclesiastical functions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sacred Role of Olive Oil in Christian Rites |url=https://www.aboutoliveoil.org/olive-oil-christian-rites |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.aboutoliveoil.org |language=en-us}}</ref>

Spain accounts for almost half of global olive oil production; other major producers are Portugal, Italy, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IOC |url=https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IOC-Olive-Oil-Dashboard-December-2020.html#production-2 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=www.internationaloliveoil.org}}</ref> Per capita consumption is highest in Greece, followed by Italy and Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IOC |url=https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IOC-Olive-Oil-Dashboard-December-2020.html#consumption-1 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=www.internationaloliveoil.org}}</ref>

The composition of olive oil varies with the cultivar, elevation, time of harvest and extraction process. It consists mainly of [[oleic acid]] (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of other [[fatty acid]]s including [[linoleic acid]] (up to 21%) and [[palmitic acid]] (up to 20%). [[Extra virgin olive oil]] (EVOO) is required to have no more than 0.8% [[Olive oil acidity|free acidity]] and fruity flavor characteristics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jimenez-Lopez |first1=Cecilia |last2=Carpena |first2=Maria |last3=Lourenço-Lopes |first3=Catarina |last4=Gallardo-Gomez |first4=Maria |last5=Lorenzo |first5=Jose M. |last6=Barba |first6=Francisco J. |last7=Prieto |first7=Miguel A. |last8=Simal-Gandara |first8=Jesus |date=2020-07-28 |title=Bioactive Compounds and Quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil |journal=Foods |volume=9 |issue=8 |pages=1014 |doi=10.3390/foods9081014 |issn=2304-8158 |pmc=7466243 |pmid=32731481 |doi-access=free }}</ref>