# Olives **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803 "2003-08-22T00:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JimBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/13edae/32.png) [@JimBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimBob)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803/1 "2003-08-22T00:04:36Z")
;j Olives! Does anyone know why black olives are always packed in a can and green ones you can purchase in a jar? There probably is a good reason, but I don’t know why. Can anyone supply me with the answer? Curious.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803/2 "2003-08-22T00:14:15Z")
As I understand it it is because the “black olives” we get here in the States aren’t ripe olives usually, but are green olives that have been soak in a lye solution which causes them to oxidize and turn black. The can keeps out light which would otherwise bleach them to a sickly greyish color. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803/3 "2003-08-22T00:15:51Z")
Ah, here’s a [link](http://www.nationalimporters.com/history/history.asp?articleid=22) with part of the story: > [@](#): > > CALIFORNIA BLACK OLIVES > So called because the technique was developed in California as a way to produce firm black olives with a mild flavour that could be machine pitted and sliced. A real boon to the catering industry as an eye catching, inoffensive garnish and indispensable to the huge pizza market. But, they are not the real thing. Genuine black olives are too soft to machine pit and, no matter what kind they are, their flavour is too intense for the average American palate. The scientific solution to this gastronomic dilemma was to cure green olives in an aerated lye solution. This causes the olives to oxidise and turn black. The lye is washed away in fresh water and the colour is chemically fixed by treating the olives in a solution of ferrous gluconate. These ‘black’ olives are firm enough to be machine pitted. Packed in a light brine, whole or sliced, this culinary chimera is ready for market. Strange but true. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803/4 "2003-08-22T00:24:23Z")
You might find more answers in the last thread to ask this question… [Why are black olives sold in cans, but green ones sold in glass jars?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=174067) ---
**Author:** ![JimBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/13edae/32.png) [@JimBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimBob)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803/5 "2003-08-22T03:32:03Z")
Dear Friends, My humble thanks to each one of you for the replys and the great links to answer my question. I am now educated about the olive, black and green; imported and USA grown. I believe this thread can be titled complete. Thanks! : ) JimBob ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olives/196803/6 "2003-08-22T12:45:47Z")
And this also explains why California “black olives” are so insipid and pointless and real ripe olives actually have a flavor.