Abstract
This paper reports for the first time a discrimination study based on the antioxidant compounds, oxidative stability and volatile compounds of virgin olive oil samples obtained from fruits of the main Tunisian olive cultivar (Chemlali) using two methods of olive tree propagation (suckers and cuttings). There were significant differences between the oils from the two methods. Olive oil samples obtained from the fruits of trees from suckers had a higher content of oleic acid (63.8%), higher contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids (3.01 mg/ kg and 1.9 mg/kg respectively), a higher content of (E)-2 hexenal (66.1%) and a higher content in total phenols (890 mg/kg). Interestingly, more stable oil was obtained from the olives from suckers compared to the olives from cuttings. These results can be used to discriminate and to characterize the Chemlali olive oils from each origin of olive tree.
Highlights
The chemical composition of virgin olive oil (VOO) depends on many factors: olive tree cultivation, harvesting, pedoclimatic conditions, olive cultivar, plant density and number of processing steps required; mainly crushing, malaxation and centrifugation (Salvador et al, 2003; Cerretani et al, 2005; Torres and Maestri, 2006; Guerfel et al, 2010).Tunisia is a very important country in the olive oil producing world, the largest African exporter and fourth worldwide after Spain, Italy and Greece
This paper reports for the first time a discrimination study based on the antioxidant compounds, oxidative stability and volatile compounds of virgin olive oil samples obtained from fruits of the main Tunisian olive cultivar (Chemlali) using two methods of olive tree propagation
Olive oil samples obtained from the fruits of trees from suckers had a higher content of oleic acid (63.8%), higher contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids (3.01 mg/ kg and 1.9 mg/kg respectively), a higher content of (E)-2 hexenal (66.1%) and a higher content in total phenols (890 mg/kg)
Summary
Tunisia is a very important country in the olive oil producing world, the largest African exporter and fourth worldwide after Spain, Italy and Greece. The conventional method of olive tree propagation in Tunisia is based on vegetative multiplication using cuttings, grafting, or suckers. These methods have been frequently used for the propagation of some highly valued cultivars, the Chemlali cultivar. The Chemlali cultivar is ubiquitous in the Tunisian arable land and contributes to up to 80% of the national olive oil production. A major effort has been made to improve the quality of olive oil produced in Tunisia. Production improvement can be made once the main drawbacks are known (cultivar type and ⁄ or the origin of olives used for oil extraction)
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