Virgin Olive Oil Quality: Relationship Between Bioactive Components and Organoleptic Evaluation

Extra virgin olive oils were extracted from olive varieties (Koronakii, Picual, Arbiquene, Coratina and Forntoi) in the presence and in the absence of the stones. Quality characteristics (free fatty acid contents, peroxide value, oxidative stability, organoleptic tests and spectrophotometric indices K232nm and K270nm) were evaluated. Bioactive components of extra virgin olive oil samples, namely, polyphenol, orthodiphenol, bitter index, α-tocopherol, chlorophyll and carotenoid were determined. Fatty acids composition, sterols and phenolic compounds were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). De-stoning lowered slightly the α-tocopherol content in the extra virgin olive oils but increased the total polyphenols, orthodiphenols, bitter index and pigment content. Oils extracted from de-stoning olive varieties showed higher concentration of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol phenolic compounds. De-stoning was found to improve the organoleptic properties of the extracted oils