Monitoring Virgin Olive Oil Shelf-Life by Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Sensory Characteristics: A Multidimensional Study Carried Out under Simulated Market Conditions

The control of virgin olive oil (VOO) freshness requires new tools that reflect the diverse chemical changes that take place during the market period. Fluorescence spectroscopy is one of the techniques that has been suggested for controlling virgin olive oil (VOO) freshness during its shelf-life. However, a complete interpretation of fluorescence spectra requires analyzing multiple parameters (chemical, physical–chemical, and sensory) to evaluate the pace of fluorescence spectral changes under moderate conditions with respect to other changes impacting on VOO quality. In this work, four VOOs were analyzed every month with excitation–emission fluorescence spectra. The same samples were characterized with the concentration of fluorophores (phenols, tocopherols, chlorophyll pigments), physical–chemical parameters (peroxide value, K232, K270, free acidity), and sensory attributes (medians of defects and of the fruity attribute). From the six components extracted with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), two components were assigned to chlorophyll pigments and those assigned to tocopherols, phenols, and oxidation products were selected for their ability to discriminate between fresh and aged oils. Thus, the component assigned to oxidation products correlated with K270 in the range 0.80–0.93, while the component assigned to tocopherols–phenols correlated with the fruity attribute in the range 0.52–0.90. The sensory analysis of the samples revealed that the changes of these PARAFAC components occurred at the same time as, or even before, the changes of the sensory characteristics.

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A preliminary study on the potential of front face fluorescence spectroscopy for the discrimination of Moroccan virgin olive oils and the prediction of their quality

Analytical Methods ◽

10.1039/d0ay01746a ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hicham Zaroual ◽

El Mestafa El Hadrami ◽

Romdhane Karoui

Keyword(s):

Fluorescence Spectroscopy ◽

Olive Oil ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Front Face ◽

Virgin Olive Oils ◽

Olive Oils ◽

Preliminary Study

This study examines the feasibility of using front face fluorescence spectroscopy (FFFS) to authenticate 41 virgin olive oil (VOO) samples collected from 5 regions in Morocco during 2 consecutive crop seasons.

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Evolution of Flavors in Extra Virgin Olive Oil Shelf-Life

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10030368 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 368

Author(s):

Paula Garcia-Oliveira ◽

Cecilia Jimenez-Lopez ◽

Catarina Lourenço-Lopes ◽

Franklin Chamorro ◽

Antia Gonzalez Pereira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phenolic Compounds ◽

Shelf Life ◽

Olive Oil ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Extra Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Volatile Fraction ◽

Organoleptic Characteristics ◽

Olive Variety ◽

Minor Compounds

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is one of the most distinctive ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. There are many properties related to this golden ingredient, from supreme organoleptic characteristics to benefits for human health. EVOO contains in its composition molecules capable of exerting bioactivities such as cardio protection, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer activity, among others, mainly caused by unsaturated fatty acids and certain minor compounds such as tocopherols or phenolic compounds. EVOO is considered the highest quality vegetable oil, which also implies a high sensory quality. The organoleptic properties related to the flavor of this valued product are also due to the presence of a series of compounds in its composition, mainly some carbonyl compounds found in the volatile fraction, although some minor compounds such as phenolic compounds also contribute. However, these properties are greatly affected by the incidence of certain factors, both intrinsic, such as the olive variety, and extrinsic, such as the growing conditions, so that each EVOO has a particular flavor. Furthermore, these flavors are susceptible to change under the influence of other factors throughout the oil's shelf-life, such as oxidation or temperature. This work offers a description of some of the most remarkable compounds responsible for EVOO’s unique flavor and aroma, the factors affecting them, the mechanism that lead to the degradation of EVOO, and how flavors can be altered during the shelf-life of the oil, as well as several strategies suggested for the preservation of this flavor, on which the quality of the product also depends.

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Effect of Different Clarification Methods on Volatile Aroma Compound Composition of Virgin Olive Oil

Food Technology and Biotechnology ◽

10.17113/ftb.57.04.19.6401 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 503-512

Author(s):

Karolina Brkić Bubola ◽

Marina Lukić ◽

Igor Lukić ◽

Olivera Koprivnjak

Keyword(s):

Olive Oil ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Oil Industry ◽

Sensory Characteristics ◽

Sensory Profile ◽

Aroma Compound ◽

Total Phenols ◽

High Level ◽

Sensory Profiles ◽

Oil Filtration

This study investigates the effect of industrial scale filtration of fresh monovarietal virgin olive oil from Buža and Istarska bjelica cultivars on their volatiles, total phenols and sensory characteristics, and compares the oil samples clarified by filtration with those clarified by natural sedimentation/decantation after six months of storage. Filtration had a different effect on volatiles from the oil samples obtained from different cultivars. In the oil from Buža cultivar immediately after filtration only the amount of (Z)-2-pentenol slightly increased, but in Istarska bjelica the oil filtration affected eight compounds (the amount of hexanal, (E)-2-pentenal, (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-2-pentenol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol increased, while of hexyl acetate, (E)-2-penten-1-ol and (E)-2-hexen-1-ol decreased). In fresh filtered oil from Buža cultivar a slight decrease of total phenols was observed, while in those from Istarska bjelica the decrease was sharp, causing a decrease in the pungency and bitterness. Sedimentation/decantation had advantages over oil filtration of both cultivars, due to improved effect on the preservation of the sensory profile and the level of total phenols. Tentative aroma profiles based on odorant series obtained from the odour activity values were compared to the actual olive oil sensory profiles. These results could have a high level of applications in the olive oil industry for the optimization of the technology for obtaining monovarietal virgin olive oil with preserved specific and typical sensory characteristics, but also may serve experts to choose an appropriate virgin olive oil clarification method prior to analysis of volatile compounds.

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Influence of the feed pipe position of an industrial scale two-phase decanter on extraction efficiency and chemical-sensory characteristics of virgin olive oil

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture ◽

10.1002/jsfa.8950 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 98 (11) ◽

pp. 4279-4286 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Francesco Caponio ◽

Giacomo Squeo ◽

Lucio Brunetti ◽

Antonella Pasqualone ◽

Carmine Summo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Olive Oil ◽

Extraction Efficiency ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Sensory Characteristics ◽

Industrial Scale ◽

Two Phase

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Shelf-life evaluation of virgin olive oil extracted from olives subjected to nonthermal pretreatments for yield increase

Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies ◽

10.1016/j.ifset.2016.09.009 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 52-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

V. Andreou ◽

G. Dimopoulos ◽

Z. Alexandrakis ◽

G. Katsaros ◽

D. Oikonomou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shelf Life ◽

Olive Oil ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Yield Increase ◽

Life Evaluation

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Alignment and Proficiency of Virgin Olive Oil Sensory Panels: The OLEUM Approach

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods9030355 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 355 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sara Barbieri ◽

Karolina Brkić Bubola ◽

Alessandra Bendini ◽

Milena Bučar-Miklavčič ◽

Florence Lacoste ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Control ◽

Decision Tree ◽

Olive Oil ◽

Reference Materials ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Sensory Data ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

Control Procedures ◽

Reliable Classification

A set of 334 commercial virgin olive oil (VOO) samples were evaluated by six sensory panels during the H2020 OLEUM project. Sensory data were elaborated with two main objectives: (i) to classify and characterize samples in order to use them for possible correlations with physical–chemical data and (ii) to monitor and improve the performance of panels. After revision of the IOC guidelines in 2018, this work represents the first published attempt to verify some of the recommended quality control tools to increase harmonization among panels. Specifically, a new “decision tree” scheme was developed, and some IOC quality control procedures were applied. The adoption of these tools allowed for reliable classification of 289 of 334 VOOs; for the remaining 45, misalignments between panels of first (on the category, 21 cases) or second type (on the main perceived defect, 24 cases) occurred. In these cases, a “formative reassessment” was necessary. At the end, 329 of 334 VOOs (98.5%) were classified, thus confirming the effectiveness of this approach to achieve a better proficiency. The panels showed good performance, but the need to adopt new reference materials that are stable and reproducible to improve the panel’s skills and agreement also emerged.

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Influence of olive ripening degree and crusher typology on chemical and sensory characteristics of Correggiolo virgin olive oil

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture ◽

10.1002/jsfa.7883 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 97 (5) ◽

pp. 1443-1450 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Lucia Morrone ◽

Sabrina Pupillo ◽

Luisa Neri ◽

Giampaolo Bertazza ◽

Massimiliano Magli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Olive Oil ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Sensory Characteristics ◽

Olive Ripening

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Shelf-Life Prediction of Extra Virgin Olive Oils Using an Empirical Model Based on Standard Quality Tests

Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1155/2016/6393962 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Claudia Guillaume ◽

Leandro Ravetti

Keyword(s):

Shelf Life ◽

Olive Oil ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Extra Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Storage Conditions ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Virgin Olive Oils ◽

Olive Oils ◽

Standard Quality ◽

Basic Quality

Extra virgin olive oil shelf-life could be defined as the length of time under normal storage conditions within which no off-flavours or defects are developed and quality parameters such as peroxide value and specific absorbance are retained within accepted limits for this commercial category. Prediction of shelf-life is a desirable goal in the food industry. Even when extra virgin olive oil shelf-life should be one of the most important quality markers for extra virgin olive oil, it is not recognised as a legal parameter in most regulations and standards around the world. The proposed empirical formula to be evaluated in the present study is based on common quality tests with known and predictable result changes over time and influenced by different aspects of extra virgin olive oil with a meaningful influence over its shelf-life. The basic quality tests considered in the formula are Rancimat® or induction time (IND); 1,2-diacylglycerols (DAGs); pyropheophytin a (PPP); and free fatty acids (FFA). This paper reports research into the actual shelf-life of commercially packaged extra virgin olive oils versus the predicted shelf-life of those oils determined by analysing the expected deterioration curves for the three basic quality tests detailed above. Based on the proposed model, shelf-life is predicted by choosing the lowest predicted shelf-life of any of those three tests.

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