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Roman recipes
Olive oil and the useful by-products of its manufacture have a long history
Your fascinating article on the potential health benefits of olive mill wastewater (October, p32) made me wonder how the Romans used this by-product, since olive oil was so central to their diet.
I checked the Opus Agriculturae of Palladius (5 AD) and found some 28 references to amurca, the Latin word for the liquid waste from olive-pressing. Palladius recommends its use as a fertiliser for fruit trees and as a pest deterrent (perhaps because of its bitter taste). He does once recommend its consumption… but for cattle, as a tonic to maintain their health. This clearly acknowledges its health-giving properties.