The production of argan oil by traditional methods

The argan fruit is small and oval. It is structured in layers. Covering the internal nut, its pulp is itself covered by a strong external peel. The nut is hard shelled and represents 25% of the weight of the fresh fruit.

The nut can contain several kernels. It is precisely these kernels that contain the precious oil we want to extract. Unfortunately, we still only extract less than 50% of the oil in these kernels and that makes the extraction  the key process of the argan oil production :

1. Workers dry the fresh fruit in the sun before removing the external peel.
2. they crack the nut to extract the argan kernels. The mechanization of this process is still impossible today making this task the most time-consuming labour-intensive step of the process. It is performed by berber women.
3. For culinary oil, the kernels are softly roasted to bring out the nutty smell and taste of the argan oil.
4. The kernels are pressed to expel pure unfiltered argan oil. (by traditional method or by modern mechanical machines.) The oil is then put to decantation in vessels for about 14 days.

At Fatima’s Garden, we exclusively use the mechanical cold-pressure extraction method since it’s the one that preserves the benefits of the Argan oil the most

After decantation, heavy solids settle down at the bottom of the Vessel. The clear oil is then further filtered to take away the light sediments that stay suspended in the oil. The filters used are mechanical (paper nets) and have no incidence of the quality of the organic oil.