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Here, in Portugal they produce olive oil from olives that contain worms (from the olive fly). In our harvest we see an infection that is above the 80%. We spoke with locals in the area and they told us that it is very normal and gives no problems for the oil.

I believe that Torah prohibits the eating of worms and as a result prohibits the use of olive oil which is made out of olives which are affected with worms.

Is this correct?

We want to make kosher oil. How can we do this and how do they solve this in other countries like Italy and Israël?

Don't they have the same problem? Can someone help me?

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    Bugs that grow in picked fruit and never leave it are kosher. (generally speaking; there are many nuances and exceptions)
    – Double AA
    Nov 3, 2015 at 23:07
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    I would suggest calling the OU (who give hechsherim on different brands of olive oil) and asking them. Also call the local representatives and ask them how to get a kosher certification for your olive oil. You will need to do this in any event in order to sell as kosher. Nov 4, 2015 at 0:09
  • @DoubleAA Even if we assume actual spontaneous generation is unnecessary to invoke that Talmudic leniency, we should at least have to be dealing with something that enters the fruit before it is visible to the naked eye. Assuming the OP is refering to Bactrocera oleae, the egg is around 0.7 to 1.2 mm long, certainly visible to the naked eye.Talmudic leniency, we should at least have to be dealing with something that enters the fruit before it is visible to the naked eye.
    – Loewian
    Nov 4, 2015 at 3:09
  • @DoubleAA On the other hand, if it is nosein taam lifgam (or not at all), then post-facto, I would think that the oil should be kosher for that reason.
    – Loewian
    Nov 4, 2015 at 3:11
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    Please note that this site makes no guarantee of validity, and does not offer professional (particularly rabbinic) advice. Treat information from this site like it came from a crowd of your friends and use it to inform your conversation with your rabbi, whom you should consult for practical advice.
    – msh210
    Nov 4, 2015 at 4:50

2 Answers 2

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When the oil is made, the worms are also crushed so there is a bitul of their bodies and you only have to deal with their taste. The Shulhan Aroukh in Yore Dea siman 103 says that they give a taam pagoum and the Rama agrees with him in siman 107 but the Shah' is mah'mir. Whatever in the case of the oil, there is easily 60 times more oil than the worms. There is also no issue of mevatel issur lekhateh'ila since it's a non-Jew who does it and there is no intention to crush in order to allow the worms. Of course this is my opinion and I'm not possek.

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  • I'm not sure how accurate this is. Our mara d'asra said that we can't have raspberry smoothies from a certain shop around here because of a bug issue, even though it's being crushed and even though it's being done by a non-Jew.
    – DonielF
    Apr 7, 2017 at 22:08
  • @donielf judaism.stackexchange.com/a/35233/759
    – Double AA
    Jan 3, 2018 at 14:45
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This is probably only slightly relevant (& hopefully not intrusive) however.. when pressing the olives later in the season you notice some fruit is much riper & falls easily when much of the fruit is hard and unripe..this dark fruit is usually the more infected fruit.also..upon questioning an associate who does chemical testing for acid content in olives he informed me that he's never detected any residual flesh in any amount in oil that was "soft" separated (meaning pressed as usual but left for several weeks to allow the water content to settle) when the first millimeter of oil (the line where separation begins) was discarded with the water..not even on the microscopic level.. the only differences he could associate with these fly larvae was an increase in the oils acidity that is roughly 4% higher than uninfested olives.. I'm not of any particular faith so i don't know the details of your concern (weather its the flesh or the killing or both) or if you can even accept advice from someone who is not thoroughly familiar with the Torah.

These fruit flies come from the fruit .breed and inject the dart (egg) into the fruit & never leave the tree if fruit is on or under it. be sure all fruit is cleaned from your trees & around them each season & bury any unused fruit 4" deep This reduces populations.

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  • This has nothing to do with the question. In fact, it is hard to figure out what you are saying. Nov 8, 2016 at 10:31
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    I took the liberty of removing some information not relevant to the answer.
    – mevaqesh
    Nov 8, 2016 at 16:23

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