Compared to other fruit varieties, which are picked from their branches and readily eaten, the olive fruit does not easily surrender. By the time, some processes have been developed which shall eliminate the acerbity and the bitterness of the olives. First of all, acerbity and the bitterness of the olives were eliminated by storing them in the water. Then, they were sweetened by dipping into ash, vinegar or lime water.
They were made resistant to time by pickling in brine by cutting or cracking. The brine used to be blended with lemon, fennel, mastic, thyme, peppermint and other herbs, thus making the flavour of olives more pleasant. Such processes as storing the olives in must, wine or even honeyed water instead of brine were also tried.
A total of 84 varieties of olive are produced in Turkey.