Saponificable fraction: this is the lipid part of olive oil and is made up of triglycerides and diglycerides.

Saturated fats: these are not very digestible, are difficult to eliminate and tend to accumulate on the arterial walls,thus favoring the establishment of cardiovascular diseases. These characteristics increase as the length of the chain of fatty acids composing them increases.

Scum: this is a term that generally refers to the waste product of a process; (see Morchia).

Scutch (kneading machine): this is a machine used to carry out the kneading process.

Seed oil: this is oil extracted from seeds. It can be obtained from the extraction of sunflower seeds, peanuts, soybeans, corn, etc..

Spectrophotometer: a device for measuring light intensity. It determines the intensity as a function of the wavelength of light radiation. It is used in spectrophotometric analyses performed on olive oil.

Spectrophotometric analysis: this is used to determine the value of specific absorptions in ultraviolet light. The determination of these values ​​(K232, K270, AK) is carried out with the spectrophotometer in the laboratory and highlights the refining processes or phenomena of oxidation and aging in the oil. An increase in K232, shows a primary oxidation, with peroxide formation, while an increase in K270 shows secondary oxidation, with the formation of aldehydes and ketones. It is from these values, in fact, that olive oil is classified. For example, oil can be classified as extra virgin when it has a value of k270 that is less than 0.20,

Spicy: organoleptic characteristic of the oil. This is a sensation of pungent taste, characteristic of the oils obtained at the beginning of the harvest. This comes mainly from olives which are still green thanks to the presence of two substances: oleuropein and oleocantal.

Squalene: this is a hydrocarbon and a triterpene present in shark liver oil (elasmobranchs) but also in plants such as amaranth seeds, rice bran, wheat germ and olives. It has a positive physiological action in human healing and promotes growth.

Stearic acid: this is a saturated fatty acid.

Sterols: sterols are a class of chemical compounds derived from sterol, a polycyclic compound consisting of four condensed rings (three to six carbon atoms and one to five carbon atoms). Plant sterols are also known for their ability to block the absorption of cholesterol in the human gut thus helping to reduce cholesterolemia. Among other functions, sterols are implicated in the regulation of circadian rhythms and blood coagulation in humans.