Beating the paste

The beater is a horizontal, cylindrical dual drum, made of stainless steel used for foodstuffs, in which some paddles slowly and continuously stir the paste produced from milling.

In this operation, the oil/water emulsion present in the paste is broken down and the small drops of oil that form are gathered together. This is the oil must ( mosto oleoso ), all the oil and vegetable water combined.

The inner drum of the beater is surrounded by a sheath (network of pipes), through which the warm water passes at a temperature suitable for keeping the paste below 27ºC.

The paste that leaves the beater goes straight to the decanter or horizontal centrifuge.

The beater is the critical point in the process for obtaining extra virgin olive oil, because of the temperature control.

Here, if the temperature rises, incorrect flavours and odours (defects) will be detected during tasting of the oil, which may cost it the qualification of extra virgin.

* Cooked or burnt: flavour characterized by oil with excessive or prolonged warming during extraction, more particularly during thermo-beating of the paste.

The Molí de la Vall Major has a separate water connection for the beater with the corresponding by-passes and thermostats in order to improve temperature control.

Inside a section of the beate r