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Home » Preserves » Olives » Olive Sizes

Olive Sizes

World olive size grading is calculated by the number of olives per kilo. American size is graded by the number of olives per pound (the number of olives per kilo in the table further below is approximate for American sizes, as the United States Department of Agriculture hasn’t set official metric grading.)

You may often see olives designated as 160/180, 400/420, etc. That indicates the range of how many per kilo, in that size. You have to figure out from the context whether the writer is using World measurements or American ones.

The descriptive terms that you will see below were reputedly drawn up in the 1920s by the California advertising firm “Curtis”, which drew on names that were being used to promote movies at the time. The terms for larger olives have a good ring of hype around them — you’d almost think they were describing a circus.

It’s a bit odd that the California olive industry continues resolutely to use their own terms and own measurements rather than standardize, especially because this is certainly one field in which the Americans are greatly outnumbered: California produces less than ½ of 1 percent of the world’s olives, so it would make more sense for them to standardize to the rest of the world.

Size descriptions are listed in order from largest to smallest.

Size Name Where Quantity
Per Kilo
Quantity
Per Pound
Size Number
(America)
Width
Super Mammoth (aka Super Mamouth) World 91–100 41–45
Mammoth (aka Mamouth) World 101–110 46–50
Mammoth American 140 to 160 65 to 75
5
Super Colossal World 111–120 50–54
Super Colossal American 60 to 70 32 or fewer
9
26 mm and larger
Colossal World 121–140 55–64
Colossal American 70 to 90 33 to 41
8
24 mm to 26 mm
Giants World 141–160 65–73
Giant American 120 to 140 53 to 64
6
Extra Jumbo World 161–180 74–82
Jumbo World 181–200 83–91
Jumbo American 90 to 120 42 to 52
7
22 mm to 24 mm
Extra Large World 201–230 91–104
Extra Large American 160 to 200 76 to 90
4
20 mm to 22 mm
Large World 231–260 105–118
Large American 200 to 220 (sic) 91 to 105
3
19 mm to 20 mm
Medium American 240 to 260 106 to 127
2
17 mm to 19 mm
Superior World 261–290 118–132
Small (aka Select or Standard) American 280 to 300 128 to 140
1
Less than 17 mm
Petite (aka Midget) American 300 to 400 141 to 180
Brilliant World 291–320 132–145
Fine World 321–350 146–159
Bullets World 351–380 159–172
SubPetite American 400 to 420 181 to 220

Sources:

    • Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Liaison, Preparedness and Policy Coordination. Canned or Otherwise Preserved Vegetable Products Other Than Frozen Vegetable Products, Part II, Feb 2000.
    • United States Standards for Grades of Green Olives, USDA, September 1967 (32 FR 11467.)

      Sources

USDA. United States Standards for Grades of Green Olives. 32 FR 11467. September 1967.

Other names

Spanish: Aceitunas -- Tamaño

This page first published: Aug 3, 2004 · Updated: Jun 9, 2018.

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Tagged With: Olive Processing, Olive Sizes

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