Abstract
Chemical and sensory peculiarities of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (MEVOOs) from the cultivars (cvs.) Ascolana tenera (ASC), Coroncina (COR), Mignola (MIG), Piantone di Mogliano (MOG), and Raggia (RAG) from Marche region (Italy) are investigated. Their polar phenolic substances and α-tocopherol are analysed through high performance liquid chromatography with different detectors. Volatile substances, fatty acid composition, and squalene are analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and to the flame ionization detector, respectively. Total antioxidant activity and sensory analysis were also performed. MOG showed high squalene content (on average 0.88 ± 0.16 g/100 g), high relative amount of α-copaene among volatiles, and the highest oleic acid percentage. MIG had high α-tocopherol content (on average 350.0 ± 57.6 mg kg−1) and high α-farnesene in the volatile fraction. ASC showed the highest sensory quality and the lignan pinoresinol with higher concentration as compared to the other MEVOOs (p < 0.05), which resulted in a possible chemical marker for this cv. RAG was characterized by the sensory note of almond, which corresponds to its highest (E)-2-hexenal percentage. Sensory analysis and an antioxidant activity assay performed on a set of industrial extra virgin olive oils purchased in supermarkets, highlighted MEVOOs’ superiority from these points of view. Principal component analysis displays the main characteristics of the cvs. investigated.
Highlights
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is considered the prince of edible oils due to its chemical composition rich of bioactive beneficial molecules and provides appreciated sensory characteristics [1]
Starting from this premise, this study aims to obtain a chemical and sensorial fingerprint of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (MEVOOs) produced in the Marche region (Italy), from five cvs. (Raggia, Piantone di Mogliano, Ascolana tenera, Mignola, and Coroncina), selected among those more spread on that country and producing appreciated oils, often receiving prizes in regional, national, and sometimes international competitions in which their sensory properties are evaluated [7]
One of the major key strengths of olive oil composition is its very high percent content of oleic acid and low percent content of linoleic acid bound in the acylglycerol backbone, which makes olive oil highly resistant toward oxidation, by maintaining a low level of saturated fatty acid percentage content
Summary
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is considered the prince of edible oils due to its chemical composition rich of bioactive beneficial molecules and provides appreciated sensory characteristics [1]. The unsaponifiable fraction contains a large number of different bioactive substances, which play a key role for the oil oxidative stability while promoting health effects and the sensory characteristics of the oil [2]. The safeguard of the identity of food products having specific and special characteristics is allowed by the recognition of the chemical peculiarities characterizing high quality and niche products. A deep knowledge of the chemical, and, nutritional, peculiarities of MEVOOs is still lacking due to a recent growth of market for these excellent products [6]. Their detailed characterization leads to identify their key features and the relation with their quality. Several cvs. that are spread in specific areas are not yet investigated extensively
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