Polyphenols are found in fruit and vegetables and play an important role in the defence against harmful reactive oxygen species, also known as free radicals. The fruits and leaves of the olive tree contain many of these polyphenols, which gave the Fattoria the idea of producing a food supplement from them. However, in order to extract polyphenols that are free of harmful chemical residues (which are unfortunately common in conventional agriculture), a number of mandatory regulations must be observed during the cultivation, harvesting and milling of the olives, which strongly influence our work as farmers.
In order to obtain a good extra virgin olive oil and thus a pollutant-free vegetable water, the soil must not be contaminated in any way. The use of pesticides is prohibited, as pesticides would ultimately turn the olive pulp into a contaminated waste product.
Other important points are: early harvesting (to obtain unripe olives with a higher polyphenol content); correct storage of the olives in small crates during transport; milling immediately after harvesting (which is done on the farm by building its own - CO2-neutral! - mill just a few steps away from the olive groves...) and in a controlled atmosphere to minimise the oxidation of the fruit: As always at La Vialla, technology is only part of the product, which is made every time thanks to simple and self-contained processes. Here too, everything from the olive is used: on the one hand, the Extra virgin olive oilon the other hand, the vegetation water for the production of OliPhenolia and the utilisation of the valuable polyphenols and finally the olive pomace, which after slow composting returns to the soil together with all the other agricultural waste from the Fattoria to give the soil new fertility.
Fattoria La Vialla
Via di Meliciano 26
52029 Castiglion Fibocchi (AR)
Tel. 0039 0575 1646464
fattoria@lavialla.it
www.lavialla.com