Milas Zeytinyağı

Milas Zeytinyağı is an extra virgin olive oil produced exclusively from Memecik variety olives grown in Milas district of Muğla province in the southern Aegean region of Turkey. The European Commission entered it in the register of protected designations of origin on 23 December 2020, by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2194, published in Official Journal L 434. The Single Document was published in Official Journal C 270 on 17 August 2020. The application was submitted by Milas Chamber of Commerce and Industry under reference PDO-TR-02379, with an application date of 13 November 2017.

Milas Zeytinyağı is Turkey's first EU-registered olive oil, predating Edremit Zeytinyağı and Aydın Memecik Zeytinyağı.

Product description

Milas Zeytinyağı has a dark green colour with yellow tones. The aroma is reminiscent of grass and the flavour is characterised by capsicum and black pepper tastes. It is produced with mechanical processes only.

The Memecik variety is a dual-use cultivar used both as a table olive and for oil extraction. Its fruits are large and spherical, with high oil content and quality. Any variety other than Memecik mixed in during harvest may not exceed 5%.

Chemical specifications

The following values are taken directly from the PDO specification and Single Document (OJ C 270/2020):

Parameter	Specification
Free fatty acid (as oleic acid)	< 0.7%
Peroxide value (average)	4.5 meq active oxygen/kg oil
Peroxide value (maximum)	20 meq active oxygen/kg oil
Alpha-tocopherol	≥ 100 mg/kg oil
Total phenolic content	≥ 100 mg/kg

Research into the volatile components of Milas Zeytinyağı has shown that the high phenolic content accounts for its aroma and taste. The most frequent phenolic compounds are hexanal (responsible for green, apple, and cut grass notes), E-2-hexenal (bitter, almond, green, and apple), hexanol (fruity and cut grass), and Z-3-hexenol (green fruity and bitter). The high phenolic and alpha-tocopherol content also protects the oil from oxidation, contributing to its low peroxide values.

According to scientific studies cited in the specification, Memecik olive variety inherently has higher antioxidant activity and phenolic content compared to other cultivars grown in Turkey. The alpha-tocopherol content of oils produced from Memecik olives in Milas is higher than that of oils from other olive cultivars grown in the area and from other regions.

Production zone

The protected area refers to all the villages and towns under the municipality of Milas. The entire zone falls within the province of Muğla in the southern Aegean region.

Milas is located in the Menteşe region in the northwestern part of Muğla province. It is a mountainous area with narrow and deep valleys and calcareous lands, extending in the north-southeast direction between Bafa Lake-Milas depression and Ilbıra Mountain to the west and Akçay depression to the east.

Climate and geographical factors

The typical characteristics of the Mediterranean climate prevail in Milas district. Olive plants require average temperature conditions of 15–20°C during the flowering period, 15–20°C during fruit ripening, and a minimum of 5°C from ripening to harvest. They also need a certain cold period during the formation of the flower bud, and are damaged if the minimum daily temperature falls below −7°C.

The average daily temperature in olive fields in Milas is 9.9°C in December, 8.9°C in January, and 9.5°C in February — well suited to the required cooling period. The lowest average temperature during the flowering period in May is 19.4°C, and 17.4°C during the fruit ripening period. These values are close to optimum growing conditions for olive trees.

Soils in Milas are alluvial as well as clay-sandy in composition. This type of soil retains water and enables olive trees to develop stronger root systems and higher yields.

The average annual precipitation in Milas is 900–1,000mm — sufficient for olive farming without irrigation. Irrigation produces larger olives with higher water content, but adversely affects the accumulation of phenols and their transfer to the olive oil. The absence of irrigation in Milas therefore directly contributes to the high phenolic content that distinguishes the product.

Production method

All operations related to the production of the raw material and its processing must be undertaken within the defined geographical area. The specification prescribes the following steps:

1. Harvesting — Memecik olives must be processed as rapidly as possible after harvest because they are susceptible to enzymatic spoilage due to their high water content and vulnerability to mould, yeast, and gram-negative bacteria. Olives are harvested by hand or with sticks and transported in crates that allow air flow. 2. Cleaning and washing — a two-phase washing process using spiral or palletised washing tanks, pressurised water sprayers, vibrating sieves, and moving bands. Wash water temperature must be between 30–40°C. 3. Grinding — olives are divided into three to four parts using grinders to facilitate pressing and improve oil yield. 4. Malaxation — the olive paste is kneaded, particularly when metal mills are used. 5. Extraction — oil is extracted from the paste using two- or three-phase centrifugal extractors or hydraulic presses operating in bulk system. 6. Separation — vegetation water is removed from the oil by decantation or centrifuge. 7. Filtration — the oil is filtered using cotton filters to remove sediment and water that would otherwise cause quality degradation and increased acidity during storage. 8. Storage — in tanks manufactured from non-permeable, chemically stable material that protects against air, light, and oxidation metals, and maintains a stable temperature.

Human factors

The town of Milas has been a human settlement area for more than 5,000 years. Olive farming and olive oil production have been the primary agricultural activity in the region since the Caria Civilisation. A press bed formed in native rock at Sarıcay bed Pilavtepe, on the Milas-Bodrum road, has been dated to 2000 BC. Records from the 16th and 17th centuries AD document olive mills and olive houses of the Ottoman Empire in Milas.

The know-how of local olive growers is essential for determining harvest timing. Producers harvest before the olives are fully ripened — when chlorophyll and phenolic levels remain high — giving Milas Zeytinyağı its specific dark green colour and high phenolic content. The long tradition of olive oil production in the area has led to the establishment of many processing facilities in the region, enabling olives to be processed rapidly after harvest. This prevents hydrolysis of triglycerides to free fatty acids and keeps free fatty acid content low.

Control and certification

The competent control authority listed in the EU register is the Milas Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, İsmetpaşa Mah. Zafer Sokak No:19, Milas (milas@tarimorman.gov.tr, +90 252 512 11 49).

The Milas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as the applicant and coordinator, keeps a list of oil producers to ensure the traceability and origin of the product. The inspection body carries out audits covering free acidity, peroxide number, total phenolic content, total tocopherol, and packaging material. Packaging must be in glass bottles or cans.

Labels must include: the designation name 'Milas Zeytinyağı', the trade name and address or registered mark of the producer, the European Union PDO logo, the official Milas Zeytinyağı logo, and an official hologram of authenticity.