able olives are the products prepared from sound fruits of the cultivated olive tree. Table olive production was initially restricted to the producing regions, mainly around the Mediterranean Sea. Today, however, olive preparation has extended to both North and South America, and even Australia. A characteristic common to almost all olive varieties is their extreme bitterness when tasted fresh. The glucoside oleuropein is responsible for this, and the different processing methods are aimed at removing this compound in order to obtain fruits with more-palatable attributes. It could be said that there are as many processing methods as places where olives are consumed. In an attempt to normalize the different products, the International Olive Council has a Trade Standard Applying to Table Olives, in which the types, trade preparations, quality factors, and other properties are described. This chapter aims to describe in detail the different kinds or classifications applicable to table olives, explaining the distinctive traits for each case.

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